Less local attention from local news?

By on April 17th, 2008 In Hype!

*Cranky Blog Alert*

I have about 3 hours of sleep in me. I want to know if it is just me…or not. If you do PR for a local business and want to pitch a timely topic or trend, do you feel as if you get slighted by the media sometimes because they already have a big chain or national biz or AP story that will run?

I get so frustrated when I see local stations using national spokespeople to talk about topics that could be done with someone in the Valley. This morning, I was watching a local station’s news and saw a guy talk about Car Care Awareness Month. He wasn’t from here. Unless I missed it, I didn’t hear him talk about anything that relates to the unique situations here in AZ, such as the immense heat and dust that effect our cars.

Another station in town is changing their daily free deal procedures. I can’t pitch a client to give away free services or goods if they only have one location in town. Even though, in the past, there was immense success in the past when that was done with some of my clients. Now, we’ll just see cheap or free stuff from the big box companies or chains.  Thats not fair to the little guys who already have a hard time competing against corportations.

Don’t even get me started on newspapers who feature tons of national stories and products, with little focus on the smaller guys. How many times do you see the bylines showing its from somewhere else, other than AZ? 

Yes, I do realize that all of this probably means the little guys don’t have a marketing or PR plan, so how will we know they are out there. Yes, I know the days of journalists pounding the pavement for a story are gone.  Yes, I do realize that when a newsroom is understaffed its easier to run a package from the national feed or a story from the AP, and it saves time and manpower. Yes, I get that little guys have less of a chance because its a challenge to budget to get hi-res photos and media training to gain favorness in pitches. I get that…believe me…a TV producer wants someone who speaks well on TV and editors need photo content for their stories.  Maybe I am just sleep deprived and bitter right now, but I just don’t get it if I pitch local, visual ideas with seasoned local spokespeople and then see some national dude talk about general crap that has little relevance to AZ.

I don’t blame the actual producer or writer I pitch. I know its not always their choice. But, its still a challenge, even if you do have photos and good speakers and local content available. In the end, I just think its sad that sometimes the higher-ups in stations and newsrooms lose focus on their community and allow too much national, big money biz take over our local news.

Comments

Dan Wool Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 9:31 am

It’s not just you, Charlotte – Crankypants Len thinks getting to places early is a bad thing today. ;-)

That sucks about the “more than one location” rule. That’s a clear sellout to the advertising side of the media business. To me, content should rule period. If that’s a cool mom & pop store then air it! In fact, those are the sorts of places that lend character to the city.

As far as national people getting airtime or ink here in PHX, wire stories and pre-digestable VNRs/satellite media tours are simply cheaper to use — they don’t have to buy satellite time nor expend what little staff resources they have. I’d also suggest that PHX is a market large enough to justify a cheap day trip ($150-$200 on Southwest) for a media tour from major West Coast media markets as LA or SF.

One solution for local PR reps to get better visibility is to do a better job of making the media aware of their clients. What media don’t know — they don’t air/publish. This comes from establishing ongoing relationships rather than simply talking to media people when you have a pitch (something to sell).

Meanwhile, I hope you have a better day Charlotte! :)

PatElliott Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 9:50 am

No, Charlotte it’s not you…

I’ve been amazed at times when the local media has had no interest in a story here until after it’s been successfully pitched and placed with national media.

Social media is growing for good reasons!

Hang in there!
Pat

Robyn Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 10:04 am

Charlotte I feel your pain. It’s a bit of a double standard on the parts of local news agencies, because they preach their “Live. Local. Late-breaking” ways, but more and more are utilizing AP satellite feeds or wire reports when there are lots of valuable experts in their backyard.

To reiterate Dan’s point: relationships are key. A journalist you know personally is likely to invest a little more effort if they know your work-style and can rely on you (and your client) for content and research, etc. that makes it worth their while to do a great local story.

I try to keep the mindset that the media are my clients just as much as paying clients are. Providing good service to journalists is a great way to keep them coming back for local stories and experts over some out-of-region schmo…(no offense out-of-region readers…Pho-Town or No-town!)

Charlotte Risch Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 10:45 am

*still cranky…still love my job…but want to vent more…maybe because of the relationships I do have and what I know from the past*

I totally get the relationship aspect. I know I have some great relationships out there with the phx media…and even with some real, legit friendships (because we knew each other when I was working in a newsroom.) Still doesn’t mean my pitch gets picked all the time. I tell my clients that all the time. Just because I know that reporter or producer doesn’t guarantee you a story. It at least guarantees they give me a “yay” or “nay” or “sorry…wish we could”. I get it. If I didn’t have that relationship, I may not. But I get it that sometimes a friend or ally has to say NO, even though they don’t want to. I know that there are politics in newsrooms. I know there are politics with sales, too. I used to sit in assignment meetings when I was in TV. I know how many ideas got pitched and how few were used. I saw great ideas and fabulously promotable stories get beat down for a national story on the feed because there weren’t enough GA reporters to work on them. I also saw the guy at the assignment desk cringe when he saw me coming because I had to ask that a certain event please be covered because someone in sales promised a client newscoverage. i get the relationships. I also get that there are a LOT of PR people nowdays and hundreds of emails and calls to media everyday. I just wish the local ones got a bit more attention sometimes. I’d love to see a station or publication demand only local content. They do try…i know this from experience. I just know also that there is a lot behind the scenes too…relationships or not.

Dan Wool Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 11:43 am

I think my point was that the more relationships you have or the more you regularly “make the rounds” without a pitch, the more individual journalists realize that you’re a resource and will consider something when you do have a pitch.

Crystal Achey Says:
April 17th, 2008 at 11:26 pm

Greetings, Charlotte and Dan,

I’m a new Phoenix publisher. My name is Crystal Achey and I am currently publishing a Webzine at http://www.PhxBodyMindandSoul.com. I just “launched” it. There’s still work to be done on it though. Soon I will be launching a magazine as well.

I agree with everything you have mentioned in the blog comments on 4/17. It is easy to get stock photos and use content that applies universally and cater to big advertisers. Most of my content will have to be somewhat universal because of my subject matter but, I would love love love to make it as local as possible. I love the underdogs. I AM the underdog and I know how tough it is for us against the big boxes.
Frankly, my ultimate goal is to make my publication successful by helping others. I hope more people benefit from it’s creation than I do. I want to be a great advertising medium for mom and pops. The “Think Local Go Global” concept is growing by leaps and bounds. And having been conceived during (not at) Woodstock 1969, I believe all that energy of peace and love must have affected me in the womb, cuz I’m a refried hippy at heart.

So far all my contributing writers are local. My next step is to do things the old fashioned way and go out and hit the streets and get local photos and interviews and use local “celebrities” as models. And I too, am finding, that unless you are approaching a referral or have a personal repor with someone, “they” aren’t as receptive to dealing with you. And especially since I’m not exactly established.
So I just want to reassure you that someone is paying attention. I truly believe that consumers/readers/web users are educated and saavy enough to appreciate localized media and products. That’s the feedback I’m getting.
I’ll be checking this blog, if you have any suggestions on how I can help improve the local media, I’d welcome feedback. Now would be a great time to put your two cents in…from the beginning. If not, I’ll still be paying attention.

Crystal Achey,
Phoenix Body Mind and Soul

Valley PR Blog's Weekend Reading for 04-18-08 | Valley PR Blog Says:
April 18th, 2008 at 12:18 am

[...] and social media blogosphere — on topic, off topic and the “snooze release” of the week. (As evidenced on our own blog Thursday, it was a cranky week for PR bloggers). On Topic: Do flacks “get it” this [...]

Add your Comment


Want Your Picture Icon? Go to gravatar.com and set a picture up to your email address for free. It also works on thousands of other websites, too!