If You Can Give a Journalist Exclusivity, the Payoffs Are Big
August 25, 2007 by Eric Eggertson
Filed under Marketing
Information about your organization has relative value. The more journalists you send the information to, the less value it has for each of them.
It’s a fairly simple equation, but it gets complicated when you start playing favorites among media outlets. Give scoops to one journalist too often, and you run the risk of alienating everyone else who covers your industry. Don’t give any scoops, and you are less likely to see spikes of detailed coverage.
Often, exclusive coverage results as a result of an agreement. A reporter uncovers information before you want it made public. In exchange for a delay in reporting the information, you provide them with better access to sources.
Thankfully, I’ve never been in the position of having offered two journalists the same exclusive (hey, it happens). Now there’s a quick way to frosty media relations…
Takeaway: A well placed story about a unique aspect of your organization can be much more valuable than a bunch of short items in many news sources. The journalist tends to put more energy into the reporting because it’s their story.
Tags: business, media, journalism, reporters, news, scoops, exclusives, relationships, coverage, communicaitons, public relations
You, E! LOL.
Yes, not enough practitioners realize the value of their news, instead opting to drop the release on the wires. Whoops, not news anymore. Selling a story with medium to low weight requires exclusivity so that it is actually news for that pub.
Eric, that is good advice. What reporter wouldn’t want to get the scoop? Dishing it out all over the place lessens its importance while working closely with a reporter who can pitch the news in his or her own way is invaluable.