Context Public Relations

“The definition of ’news’ is something that is new,” as the old saying goes.  And with the sheer number of news outlets available now – from national papers to specialist magazines, websites and insider blogs, that old saying is more relevant than ever before.

Journalists are under increasing pressure to deliver news stories before anyone else — or at least, at the same time as their rival publications.  When we are pitching news stories to the press, especially to the national press or major consumer publications, we’re usually asked if we’ve already spoken to any other titles. 

 

If the journalist can find that your ’hot’ story has already been published on another media outlet or blog, it automatically reduces the value of the news, as well as the journalist’s interest.

 

So if your organisation has a significant story coming up, take extra care to co-ordinate and control exactly how you release the news.  If it appears on a company blog or Twitter feed the day before you issue the press release, news aggregators and RSS feeds could pick up the story before you even start speaking to the press. 

 

This could either kill the news value of the story or — if it’s significant news from a publicly-quoted company — break stock exchange rules, with the risk of heavy fines or even imprisonment.

 

So to get the most from your news, draw up an announcement timetable which starts with the press announcement, then covers uploading to blogs, sending to partners and so on.  Make sure everyone involved in spreading news, both internally and externally, sticks to it.  That way, you won’t steal you own thunder though bad timing. 

  

Tags: Public Relations //