Top tier media relations - what national journalists want

1. Top tier media
relations - what
national journalists
want
Luke Budka
Definition
Slideshare.Net/LukeBudka
@b2bcommsman

2. #brightonSEO

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What reaction/commentary do
you want on breaking news?

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If an organisation sends you
rubbish, would you ignore their
contributions in future?

8. #brightonSEO
They want
‘timely’
contributions

9. #brightonSEO
“Simple enough really: I tend to
want as much comment as
possible, as quickly as
possible…”
Alex Hearn, UK tech editor,The Guardian

10. #brightonSEO
“We also don’t want people
emailing us the day or several
days after a story to offer their
‘perspective’. Literally yesterday’s news,
but happens constantly.”
Senior journalist, BBC News

11. #brightonSEO
“…the savvy big analyst firms will drop us a line
and say:‘Hey, if you’re covering event X we
expect to happen later this week, we’ll
have personY available if you need
reaction – let us know’…”
Senior journalist, BBC News

12. #brightonSEO
“…but – and this is crucial – they only do
it for big events and when they
actually have an actual expert to
offer!”
Senior journalist, BBC News

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Inboxes act as
‘little black
books’

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“I just archive this stuff in case
I need to search my inbox
later for someone to comment
on a topic.”
Christopher Mims, tech columnist,WSJ

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“I have been working on a feature about
something else three months down the
line…and I think, ‘I wonder if anyone
has emailed me about this?’”
Reporter, TheTelegraph

16. #brightonSEO
“If an organisation wants to be
quoted in the FT, the relevant
expert should build a
relationship with the relevant
journalist.”
Malcolm Moore, tech news editor, FT

17. #brightonSEO
“…all that matters to me are
their qualifications to do so.”
Christopher Mims, tech columnist,WSJ

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“Even better if it is someone
actually involved/affected by
the story rather than just
commenting.”
Andy Bounds, ent. editor & NoE corres., FT

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“Alternatively, a direct stake in the
issue or ability to speak with
some authority can be enough
reason to quote someone.”
Reporter, TheTelegraph

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They want a
different view

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“We don't use stuff that gets
emailed around, because that
would make us the same as all
the other newspapers...”
Malcolm Moore, tech news editor, FT

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“Often we’ll be under pressure
to find the ‘day two’ angle on
a story.”
James Cook, spec. corr.,TheTelegraph

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“…I get a lot of commentary
which could be filed under
‘blooming obvious’. Pithy
analysis and quotes are what I’m
after.”
Business correspondent, BBC

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“Common reasons I don’t use rapid
reaction/commentary:Too tentative,
cautious, bureaucratic,
equivocating, fence-sitting, etc.”
Reporter, TheTelegraph

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“So the clever energy flak can make a
hit with the clever energy hack…New
takes, new angles on what all of
this means are catnip.”
Simon English, finance ed, Evening Standard

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“I’m pretty much only interested in…a
legitimately novel set of facts
or…something that I haven’t been
following closely but should be.”
Reporter, WSJ

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28. #brightonSEO
Timeliness is important

29. #brightonSEO
Build the relationship before the
event

30. #brightonSEO
Inboxes are out of control (but
are used to source experts)

31. #brightonSEO
Think about the ‘the ‘day two’
angle

32. Read the full feedback here:
https://www.definitionagency.
com/insights/what-national-
journalists-want