#MediaMonday – Inside the 12News Newsroom
There is no one-size-fits-all way to pitch a newsroom, but it really helps to have some guidance from the team themselves. 12News recently hosted public relations professionals from PRSA Phoenix. Proud of their refreshed newsroom, they showed off the new space and an all-star panel of their day-to-day team shared the ins and outs of putting together their daily news programming.
It’s no surprise that reporters are receiving hundreds of emails to their inboxes every day. Combine that with breaking news, crew schedules, coordinating live shots and deciding the daily content, its easy to understand why some of those emails may not get answered.
Thanks to their open and honest dialogue, we now know what they need from us and what we can do to get a story on the air.
Here are some of my biggest takeaways…
Accessibility is everything for the newsroom
Flexibility is key. This includes how we are responding to a reporter’s media request, how quickly we rally our client spokesperson to prep them to how fast we can make a well-prepared expert interview happen, whether it is held in person or on Zoom.
Being available on short notice can make your client or organization rise to the top of the newsroom’s resource list. Keep your ringer on; you never know when the media will call.
“TV coverage” isn’t just about TV anymore
It’s no surprise that more and more news content is showing up on more than the nightly newscast. Whether on their digital stream, social media or website, one booking or interview can have a much longer life than expected. It can also tell a story in various ways.
If you haven’t already, watch the various newscasts to figure out the types of stories you have that could fit best.
A live interview can potentially lead to additional social content. It can also morph into an evergreen feature such as Rediscovered Arizona, which may be repurposed across newscasts and programming. We know that the value of a placement isn’t always in the original airing but how it gets reused over time.
Always visualize your story first
What could the reporter actually do during an interview or news story besides sitting in a chair or holding a microphone?
What can they taste, test, experience or create that is special?
An interview is a great opportunity, but the experience itself is a compelling part of the story that you don’t want to leave behind. It’s also something that can help a story shine even brighter on camera, which is good for not just the media but viewers too.
Make the newsroom’s job easier
News crews are juggling multiple stories and responsibilities and may not be able to capture visuals for the interview. That’s where you come in.
Getting a story on-air might come down to what visuals you have ready to go. B-roll, a soundbite from an interview, high-resolution photos, drone footage or even well-shot cell phone video.
So much is going on in the newsroom, and it is on us to make their job just a little bit easier. A big thank you to the 12News team for having us and pulling back the curtain.
