Reporters Are People, Too

April 2, 2009

By Debra Tenenbaum, Account Executive

I feel fortunate to have the Maine Bar Foundation as one of my clients. My job is to share the stories of the Foundation as well as the legal service providers the Foundation supports in Maine. These organizations are doing some really amazing work in our state. From Pine Tree Legal Assistance and Maine Equal Justice Partners to Legal Services for the Elderly and the Volunteer Lawyers Project, the people from these organizations make sure all people in Maine have access to justice regardless of income, age, or background. The people from these organizations are experts in everything from domestic violence to foreclosures to elder abuse, and family court.

However, one subject they weren’t all too familiar with was how to deal with the media. So, on Monday, April 13, I organized a Media Day for the providers to learn about more about reporters and what they need to tell their stories. The first lesson they learned was that the media IS accessible and interested. This was made apparent simply by the fact that reporters and editors from some of the most respected media outlets in the state took time out of their day to come and talk with us.

Our panelists were:

Sharon Deveau Handy, assignment editor for WMTW-TV
Sara Donnelly, managing editor at Mainebiz
Judy Harrison, reporter for the Bangor Daily News
Trevor Maxwell, reporter for the Portland Press Herald
Susan Sharon, deputy news director at MPBN

Shenna Bellows, executive director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union was also at the event to talk about using social media as a way to advance a cause. Blogging, Facebook, and Twitter can be useful for organizations who want to encourage advocacy, share news, or even fundraise using a different outlet that traditional media.

Our panelists offered their thoughts on what makes news and how to share it with reporters. Of course this is information anyone could use when working with reporters – not just legal service providers. And so, for those of you who are wondering how to contact a reporter to tell your very important story to the public, here are some of the big messages of the day.

Know Your Outlet: You need to understand the difference between TV, radio, and print stories. If there are no visuals, chances are, it’s not a good TV story. If it involves more in-depth interviews with people, radio may be a good fit. Also, know the territory of the places you’re pitching. Don’t pitch a newspaper a story outside of their coverage area. Don’t pitch a business editor or business magazine a features story.

Use Real People: Real people make a story relevant to readers/listeners/viewers. Use a single person’s story to illustrate a broader issue. Offer interviews with real people (not just company officials) when you pitch a story.

Consider What is News: When pitching a story, consider the question “Why Now?” What is it about your story that makes it important to be told now? Does your story relate to current trends? Is it another angle of a story that is in the news already? Is there a particular milestone or special date that makes the story more important now?

Make it Easy To Tell Your Story: When pitching your story, email the facts. Put the most compelling part of your story at the top, offer interviews, offer visuals (if you’re going for TV or newspaper), and offer some statistics if you have them. Most important, be available to the reporter after you send your pitch. Make sure he or she has your phone number (and cell phone!). Understand that they are on deadline. Also, understand that you will not get to see the piece before it is printed or aired. You’ll just have to trust the reporter to do his or her job.

Reporters are People Too: Don’t be afraid of reporters. They are people too. The fact that they work in the news field means they are curious about the world around them and want to know more. Feel free to call them or email them. Just remember that they may be on deadline and unable to chat. Be respectful of their time and just ask them if they have a minute. If they don’t have time, find out when they would be available.

At the end of the day, our panelists emphasized that the vast majority of the stories that are written or aired are based on phone calls or emails made by people like you and me.  So don’t be afraid to pick up the phone or send off an email. Your little idea may be the next big story in the news.