MSL Chicago

Media relations has long been a cornerstone of public relations, however the question still remains: how do you develop these long-lasting media relationships PR professionals pride themselves on owning? At PRSA Chicago’s latest Young Professionals Network (YPN) workshop, the panel of media experts on both sides of the fence spoke to just that.

The YPN panel (pictured above, from left to right) featured: Kathryn Janicek, executive producer at NBC Chicago; our very own Christie Shein, senior account supervisor and media specialist at MSLGROUP; and Michael Lev, associate managing business section editor at Chicago Tribune. The three shared their perspectives and challenges, reiterating that the PR-journalist relationship can be mutually beneficial. Here are some key takeaways from the workshop:

Use Common Sense

The media are not unlike PR practitioners. Their email and voicemail boxes are filled to the brim daily and they are hard-pressed to throw together an entire newscast or story under tight time constraints. So, when you begin questioning whether your pitch letter is too long, or if you should write another follow-up email, step into their shoes for a second. Chances are, if you wouldn’t like to be contacted that way, neither will the media.

Get to Know Their Beats

One of the key frustrations the panelists expressed was that many PR professionals lack any familiarity with the reporters and outlets they pitch. If you are pitching stories that are not relevant or appropriate for a given reporter or publication, not only are you wasting his/her time, but your own. By simply keeping up with the reporters’ work on a regular basis, you can better tailor your pitches and earn greater traction from the media. If you are still unsure, just ask them about their beat in an email.

Stay Ahead of the News

It may seem rather intuitive, but you must keep up-to-date on the news relevant to your clients. Michael shared with us how his team was rushed to find an expert to comment on the recent Steve Jobs resignation story, and how he was hitting dead ends with local academia experts leading up to his evening deadline. Fortunately, a PR contact from University of Southern California was keeping tabs on the news; and reached out to Michael just in the “nick of time” with an industry expert and former colleague of Jobs, earning the school a feature in the Chicago Tribune story.

In the digital age, relevancy is paramount and PR practitioners must use tools like RSS feeds and Twitter to stay ahead of the stories. You must be able to pitch your clients at the “drop of a hat”, because by the next morning, that story is already old news.

The PR industry preaches a mentality of transparency and partnership with media and the YPN panel expressed that although it can be a rare, this alliance does exist. Simply by using some common sense, familiarizing yourself with your media contacts and keeping on top of the news, you can earn your stripes as a media relations powerhouse and build life-long relationships with the media, like our own Christie Shein.

For more media relations tips from the workshop, visit the YPN Facebook page.