Making Success Pitches

Matthew Simon, KTUU-TV Channel 2 NewsTo Overworked Journalists

Overworked?What’s Our Day Like?

9:30-6:30: 8 hours to put together a stellar story

9:30-10:30: Assignment meeting

10:30-3:00: 4.5 hours to: set story up, travel to story, gather elements (shoot the story), social (Facebook & Twitter,) get a web version done, transcribe & write

Yes, I do write all of my own stories

5pm Story due for editing by 3:00

6pm Story due for editing by 4:15

And one more thing…

Multi Media Journalist

Your Pitch…

Take Away…

How to create better, more effective press releases

Learn WIFM

Make your folks look great

The Press Release

Please, please don’t call to ask if we got your release – we did

The key: ONE page press releases

KISS: Keep It Simple – Too many details hurt the cause

If we want more information – we’ll call you

Timing of event: Keep our deadlines in mind

10 AM has a much better chance of getting covered & will be a better story

The Press Release

Make sure we get it with plenty of notice

Events take logistical planning; ie: getting mics set up

If we get a release right before something happens, chances are you wont be covered

Except if it’s BREAKING NEWS

Make sure all people involved with your event have been cleared to be on TV…Including owners of venue

The Secret: Think Like A Reporter

Not just pitching to the reporter: but producers and a whole management team

They want a great, visual, teaseable story

They want to know how it will look, sound and feel on TV

They want us to be able to successfully pitch that in one to two sentences

In other words, they want a WIMF

What’s In It For Me?Emotional Connection- How will this story impact an Alaskan’s life

Cost – not just financial, long term consequences, health effects, could this happen to someone I love

Personal Safety – people want to feel safe- help us quantify crime stories

Characters- compelling people tell stories- officials don’t. good story telling focuses on feelings.

Location – where event takes place

Impact On Key Demographic- find out who’s watching what shows on our channel…how they can relate to the stories we tell

Emotional Connection

Location, Location

What We Need From YouPlease respond quickly – or be honest that you can’t

Call back when you say you will

We will go on TV and say you’re not respond – believe it or not responsible journalist do not like doing this

If you’re in town, put someone on TV, not the phone

When not to pitch: know when TV Newscasts are on

Give us people who can talk in real people talk

Don’t show favoritism, (except the reporter)

Once you give us an idea – we’ll chose the angle

Call us out on mistakes (Steve MacDonald)

Making Success Pitches

Matthew Simon, KTUU-TV Channel 2 NewsTo Overworked Journalists