PR Ethics Concerns: Pay for Play Journalism

Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/refractedmomentsEverybody wants to get on the good side of the media, but what lengths will some people go to be on the right side of the fence? One insidious trend has been causing major waves in the journalism world for quite a while now. It’s called “pay for play,” and it has many people crying foul.

What is it?

 

Pay for P… Read more

How to Evaluate a Press Release Writer

PR graduates who know how to pump out a press release are a dime a dozen. However, you’re looking for GOOD press releases and don’t want to get something that looks like it was done via a form. How do you filter out the rest and hire the best? Let’s take a look at some ways you can evaluate your potential press releRead more

How to Write Perfect Email Pitches

Ah, the perfect email pitch. If such a thing exists, it’s extremely hard to nail down. And even a “perfect pitch” would need to be altered depending on who you’re sending it to, so it’ll never be the same.

With so much to think about, how do you even begin? Like most things, it’s best to start at the beginning. Wi… Read more

The Wrong Way to Give Product Samples to the Media

You naturally want to give your product out to whoever will take it and put in a good word for you. But have you stopped to consider what the best way is to go about it? Shipping out your brand new miracle product is a great way to get some publicity, but you may find yourself getting burned if you don’t do it right.… Read more

When to Tweet a Reporter (And When Not To)

How do you tell when to talk to a reporter on Twitter and when not to? Like emailing them or calling them on the phone, there are certain things to consider first. You don’t want to come off as desperate or annoying, and this can happen even if you’re trying to come off as their friend.

It’s not as complicated as i… Read more

5 Press Release Writing Mistakes that Will Out you as a Rookie

Don’t Make These Press Release Mistakes

When you’re first starting out writing press releases, it’s difficult to not slip up and make a few mistakes. Unfortunately, many of these mistakes come from simply not having experience in the field. Most journalists have come to notice these, so they will automa… Read more

5 Questions to Determine Whether Your Press Release is Newsworthy

Your boss comes to you with some big news and wants you to write up a kickin’ press release about it. You ask what the big news is and she tells you the company is planning to send out company emblazoned coffee mugs to their favorite clients. Now, before you start writing, let’s look to see if this is actually new… Read more

PR Oops: How to Correct Misinformation in a Press Release

In the fast-paced world of media and public relations, the accuracy of a press release is paramount. However, mistakes can occur. When they do, it’s essential to address them swiftly and effectively. Here’s a guide on how to correct errors in a press release.

There’s nothing more heart-sto… Read more

5 Steps to Take After Your Press Release Has Been Sent

So you finally emailed that press release out after a week of solid work. Time to relax! Right?

Not so! There a number of things you could be doing to make sure your press release hits the ground running and doesn’t disappear into the ether. Let’s take a look at five of them.

1. Cultivate the Reporter

After send… Read more

Do Journalists Make Good PR People?

How easy is it to jump from journalism to public relations? Some argue that it’s simple, while others say that it’s nearly impossible. Journalists do face some unique challenges when they want to make the leap to PR. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons.

Pros

Of course one of the major pros for journalists ma… Read more