10 ways to get coverage in local press

101 trainer Linda Jones has worked in several of the country's biggest regional newspapers and loves reminding us that more people read the Birmingham local press each weekend than read any of the nationals.

We asked her what PRs should be doing to get into local and regional newspapers, and here's what she told us:

1. Regional news should be regional. Do you really think people in Cardiff are going to be interested in a new survey on which pizza topping is the, erm, tops? 
2. Spell place names correctly. Yes this is stating the obvious. So why do so many press releases get it wrong? Do you know your New Quay from your Newquay or your Newcastle Upon Tyne from your Newcastle-under-Lyme?
3. Know when is a good time to ring and when isn’t. Deadlines, anyone?
4. Don’t clog up the newsdesk’s inbox with a huge picture – check the paper ever even uses submitted photos or would they prefer to send their own snapper?
5. Remember old news is no news. Don’t send a picture three weeks later, once you have managed to confirm the spelling of the names with the photographer or client. Again, you’d think this is obvious. Bitter experience tells me it’s not.
6. Back to basics – get names right. Not just of the people featured in your story but of the editorial staff. I’ve seen so many emails deleted without being read simply because it was sent to a generic email address that’s hardly ever looked at.
7. Treat regional journalists with respect. Help clients understand that coverage in a major UK evening newspaper can be an excellent result, not just a fallback. More people may read the regional Sunday papers than the nationals in a given area.
8. Talking of Sunday papers: understand their needs – don’t assume they will print anything that has been in the local morning or evening paper as sometimes they just won’t, with reporters encouraged to work “off diary” as much as possible. Same goes for TV and radio – is your story really broadcast-worthy?
9. Be relevant – if you want to get in the Sheffield Star, then give them a story about Sheffield. What’s happening in Watford isn’t going to cut it, honest. And yes I have seen similar things attempted.
10. Know your sections – the newsdesk isn’t ever going to be interested in a press release about lovely ways to use lamb in winter warmer recipes but other sections may be. 

Comments

[Eileen Chang]

I think this is such a great post. It's so valuable that it comes from a journalist. As a student learning PR, I think all students should learn how to work with the media. We learn how to write plans, press releases, etc. However, working with the media to get coverage comes with experience and these tips are great to help someone get started.

Thanks!

Eileen Chang

[niyah Dotts]

This is a great post. It is important to know how to contact local and national media. I am doing some volunteer work for the 2008 Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon and I was wondering if you had some insight on how to research some of the best ways to communicate with media during a national event? My client wants to know the best way(s) to communicate with the media during the 2008 trials so I want to create a survey for journalists and reporters to see how they prefer to receive their information. Do you have any ideas as to how to contact media professionals and have them complete my survey? Thanks. Niyah.

[Sally Whittle]

Niyah

Thanks for posting.

I'm not an expert in the US media landscape by any stretch of the imagination.

Reporters will often have their own preferences about phone or email - depending on the way they work, how often they are in the office etc.

My advice would be to contact someone by phone in the first instance and offer to send subsequent material by email - this way you're giving them the option to express a preference without asking them to fill in a survey (which they will almost never get around to doing).

If you wanted to canvas opinion, I'd suggest signing up to online forums through things like Facebook and asking groups there for advice.

Hope that helps

Sally