mind of a journalist
DESCRIPTION
Copy of a presentation on working with journalists, aimed at the PR Community and delivered to a group in London on 28 November 2012TRANSCRIPT
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The Mind of a Journalist
Freelance Journalistwww.clapperton.co.uk
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Guy Clapperton
• Contributor and podcaster, The Guardian
• Contributor, Sunday Telegraph, The Times, The Independent
• Broadcaster, BBC World Service, BBC London
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Exercise
• Take one piece of paper…
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Real exercise!
• Take the press release you’ve brought• Scrub out everything but the first
paragraph• Discuss the sort of story you would have
based solely on what you have left
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Client objectives
• Messaging• Copy• Outcomes from press coverage
Flickr: Dan4th
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The journalist’s day
• 60+ Press releases• Calls• Follow-ups• Writing• Liaising• Interviewing
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For the freelance add:
• Cash flow• Invoicing• Pitching• Credit control
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So…
• Attention span of a hamster• Things need to stand out• Gimmicks? The military helmet…
Flickr: D’Oh Boy
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What’s the story?
• Images• Facts• Supporting facts• Brand – difficult for new clients
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A BRIEF WORD ABOUT FREEBIES…
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Who are you talking to?
Staff Freelance
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Roles
• Who does what in the press• The editor you’ll never meet• Commissioning editors• News, features, comment• Advertorial
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Your approach
• Cold email• More than one staffer?• Pictures, graphs..?
• Social media: game changer?
Flickr: marc falardeau
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Structuring the release
• Pyramid• Our terms• Speak our language
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Interviews
• “What questions are you asking..?”• Copy approval – the big no-no
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Exercise 2
• Revamp your release• Plan how you’re going to get it around• Pitch it to me by phone
…and coffee!
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Part 2
The journalist as contractor
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When would you use us?
• Corporate writing• Independent voice• Panel discussions
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Production
• We expect subs• We won’t learn your house style• We expect headlines
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Independence
• It is what it says• It has only one meaning• Puff can’t be independent
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Advertorials
• Raconteur, Lyonsdown et al• By journalists, edited by us too• Any old puff?
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What to tell the client
• Honesty• Train them – they’re not our client• When to manage expectations
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Remember:
• 60 press releases a day – “no” is the easiest answer
• Followup calls may push you further down the list
• Understand how we work
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Q & A
Anything you want to ask