Written by Intern Kaiya Huggins
Summer of 2023 I took my first steps into a local news station as an intern, excited to begin what I thought would be a career in news writing. Now, just about a year later, I am sitting at a desk as an intern in a local public relations office where I’ve finally found my passion. I always knew I wanted to have creative freedom, write, and interact with different people in my career, so I began to look for options in some form of media, but little did I know I’d find my niche in being a publicist.
While newsrooms and publicists work together to bring stories forward to the general public, they are vastly different jobs. As a publicist, our job is to follow the journalists, know their specialties, and create storylines that support them as well as our client. A lot of individual research and time is dedicated within the craft of public relations - knowing the market you work in and who you will be working with is a must..
After being on both sides of the fence and settling into public relations work, here’s what I’ve learned along the way and how I’ve applied it to strengthen my abilities:
The 5 W’s
When working with reporters in the newsroom, I would chat with them about how they decide what pitch to cover. They told me to look for pitches that cover the 5 W’s as that will often save time when drafting the story. I was taught the 5 W’s during my undergraduate studies at USF and never thought that I’d be applying them in public relations a few years later.
The 5 W’s are: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and, if applicable, How?
I learned quickly that a story that does not tell the public all of the 5 W’s will not be covered, and as a publicist I found that I could use this knowledge to my advantage when pitching. I know to give the journalist as much context as possible to make my pitch a viable option. Being able to see firsthand how journalists choose the stories they want to cover has helped me when pitching out a client or topic.
Time Matters
When sitting at the newsdesk, I noticed how timing was of the essence. There were several times when shadowing reporters that the entire story flipped midway through the day as breaking news occurred or a more interesting topic came across the assignment desk. On the other side of it, when I send my pitch out, it is just as important as the pitch itself—avoiding busy days of the week or holidays I’ve found to be best to ensure that my email doesn’t get lost.
Staying up to date on the latest news stories is just as important because a pitch is less likely to be considered if it's at the same time breaking news hits the media.
Pitching and Beats
Sitting with reporters and watching their email inboxes get flooded with random pitches that are not relevant to what they do was an eye-opening experience that I’ve been able to apply in public relations. I always make sure that the journalist I’m pitching has covered a similar topic or story in the past, or that it at least ties into their beat a bit. Being creative with the relevant topic that you are pitching is a great way to stand out, as I’ve seen firsthand how journalists prefer enticing material instead of common knowledge.
Relationships
Journalists often have a few typical contacts from whom they receive pitches. Seeing how the team at Bais each have their own relationships with reporters, it has become apparent to me that it is imperative to create media relations that are not just based on work. Checking in with journalists, congratulating them on accomplishments, or simply reaching out to talk about a story they wrote goes the extra mile.
Your connections should be genuine. I was advised that taking the time to reach out to someone and ask them to join you for coffee or attend an event with you helps to create a relationship deeper than surface level. Finding common ground with others and surrounding yourself with a community of support makes the job and your personal life much easier. I’ve seen reporters smile or have their day made when a contact reaches out in congratulations or a quick check-in, and I’ve seen how remembering the little details matters.
Overall I’ve found that working in the media demands adaptability and comfort in change. Media work looks different for every job position, yet it all boils down to a fast-paced environment in which a resilient and outgoing individual will thrive. After finally finding my footing in public relations, I’ve found my passion truly lies in helping clients achieve their goals and bringing their visions to life.
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