Mastering the Art of Media Relations in 2024

Each year, I look forward to the release of Medianet's Australian Media Landscape Report and its PR Guide to Effective Media Engagement.
I like to read the reports in tandem, as they unravel a treasure trove of insights that influence how I refine my approach to pitching stories and managing client expectations each year. I find delving into the minds of the 844 Australian journalists interviewed for these reports fascinating, especially in understanding the new and emerging challenges they face in their roles.
Despite more than 30 years in the industry, I still get the thrill of finding ways to adapt my approach to meet changed conditions, hopefully benefiting all stakeholders (my clients, the media and my comms agency).
Understanding Journalist Preferences
This year's findings reveal a significant shift in journalists' source preferences, with only 58% relying on PR agencies for their news stories—a 9% drop from the prior year.
In 2023, I dealt with other PR agencies, and many found it more challenging to get traction on a release, so these figures show it's not been a figment of their imagination.
That said, the relevance of press releases remains undiminished, with 81% of journalists still using them and 89% receiving pitches directly from PR contacts, underscoring the ongoing importance of direct engagement and the need for PR professionals to fine-tune their strategies accordingly.
Timing and Delivery Matter

• Optimal Timing: The consensus among journalists is clear—79% say Monday morning is the golden time for sending pitches or media releases via email, offering a strategic window for PR professionals to capture journalists' attention at the beginning of their week. Fridays are the least popular weekday, but 50% of journalists still think it's okay to pitch then. And don't even bother on the weekend. Crickets.

• Preferred Communication: A resounding 96% of journalists prefer email pitches, emphasising the significance of mastering email communication. Additionally, 79% of journalists dislike follow-up calls or emails. PR people know clients, or senior leaders in their agency, often expect an attempt to follow up, but it might be time to educate them that it's not the best practice. That said, here's a note to journalists: If you receive an exclusive or bespoke pitch, sending a quick "no thanks" or "yes please" response might dramatically reduce the unpopular follow-up emails or calls you receive.

Pitching Essentials

• Brevity and Relevance: Journalists pay little attention to pitches, with 37% only glancing at them and only 43% making it to the second paragraph. It's critical to tailor pitches to the journalist's specific area of work and target audience (77% prefer that).

• Content Value: Also important to journalists is original or unique content (40%) and the readiness of a spokesperson for comments (32%). These can significantly elevate a pitch's appeal.

Journalistic Annoyances and Preferences

• Avoid Scattergun Approaches: Most journalists express frustration with irrelevant stories, highlighting the importance of targeted and thoughtful pitches. There is no news there, though.

• Exclusivity and Familiarity: Preferences for story or interview exclusives (62%) and tailored pitches signal a departure from volume-based success metrics. Therefore, familiarity with a journalist's work and their outlet's specific tone and coverage area is indispensable for cultivating successful relationships.

Content Features and Challenges

• Valued Features: News value (44%) and human interest (38%) stand out as top priorities, followed by local significance and original ideas. This reveals the diverse criteria journalists use to assess pitches. Stories supporting diversity, inclusion, equity, or social issues ranked lowest for journalists, at 19%, respectively. There was also a lower appetite for stories that hold authorities and influential people accountable (22%).

• Challenges: Interestingly, the accompanying Media Landscape report showed that almost 20% of journalists claimed to have felt a negative impact on their work following high-profile defamation cases. The report also reflected on challenges in the media, such as the rise in disinformation, resource constraints, declining media trust, and the sensationalist nature of news, presenting additional layers for PR professionals to navigate in the media landscape. Competing with sensationalist headlines for column inches with a bland product release is difficult.

Strategic Recommendations for PR Professionals in 2024

1. Educate Clients: Guide clients on journalists' preferred approaches, setting realistic expectations. PR professionals must be more confident in responding to clients' suggestions of stories that won't get traction.
2. Ditch the Follow-Up: Adopt a no-follow-up approach as much as possible, honouring journalists' stated preferences. Again, it hinges on educating stakeholders, although it's a two-way street, and we should also encourage journalists to drop a quick yay or nay email to prevent unwelcome follow-ups.
3. Know Your Journalist: In-depth familiarity with journalists and their publications is essential for effective pitching.
4. Quality Over Quantity: Focus on relevance and quality in PR campaigns, prioritising bespoke exclusives and original pieces.
5. Keep It Concise: Ensure pitches are succinct (keep to two paragraphs if possible), compelling, and supplemented with necessary assets like spokesperson availability and images.

Some of these approaches to pitching aren't new, but the 2024 research results remind us what is important.

By embracing these insights, understanding the challenges for journalists, and adjusting our pitching approach accordingly, PR professionals can navigate the complexities of media engagement with greater efficiency in 2024.

Understanding and aligning with journalists' preferences improves our pitches' success rate and fosters stronger, more productive relationships between PR professionals and the media.

This article was first published on 6 February 2024 on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/pulse/mastering-art-media-relations-2024-fiona-hamann-crxoc/?trackingId=il9aLgOkRHqyUzFLwQMheA%3D%3D

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