Here at Aspen and Fort Lauderdale pr firm Durée & Company, we make it our business to know and understand where and how people receive their news. With the abundance of social media, user-generated content and the always-looming “fake news,” it’s often hard to discern what is true news. And while this definition may differ by generation, news and news reporting continue to evolve. So, will unbiased, factual reporting eventually fade away? Are journalists becoming obsolete?
We are proud to report that good journalism still matters. In fact, third-party, earned media is essential to any public relations campaign.
Historically, the relationship between journalists and publicists has been a mutually beneficial one, as each party relies on the other with nothing exchanged except trust. This continues to be the case today, especially as the playing field has become far more competitive. With fewer and fewer publications in circulation, the opportunity for coverage has made the available space that much more valuable. Knowing what is newsworthy and of interest to readers can help journalists deliver stories that receive the most readership, and readership results in revenue.
In our industry, we often refer to the PESO model (source: SpinSucks) that maps out the four areas of media: paid, earned, shared and owned. The earned portion is very important as it is a third-party endorsement that cannot be bought and is based on unbiased, factual reporting.
Knowing that stories with journalists must be earned requires publicists to be both savvy and anticipatory in their actions. Journalists are pressured to report on story topics that receive high readership ― or as we measure in our digital age, the greatest number of clicks. There is a balance to knowing what types of stories will appeal to readers, while also factually reporting the news. As a conduit for our clients, we know how to navigate this playing field.
Our agency actively supports journalism in a number of ways, including:
- Identify Newsworthy Stories ― When we pitch media, it is our job to do the research and tailor pitches accordingly. We work to identify newsworthy content from clients and package it for journalists. Part of the pitching process includes an understanding of the journalist’s beat and only sending him or her relevant pitches.
- Provide Sources ― Not only do we help uncover stories for journalists through our work with a variety of clients, but we also bring qualified sources to them to aid in their stories. Since news requires firsthand accounts, having a trusted source is a valuable component to any story angle we pitch.
- Act as a Resource ― It goes both ways! As publicists, we proactively pitch media, but sometimes media comes to us. This is not easily earned ― in fact, establishing a relationship with a journalist takes time and persistence, not to mention a number of successful story ideas pitched to them. However, once this relationship is in place, a journalist may approach a publicist, seeking specific information or a reputable source on a particular topic.
We would also be remiss if we didn’t mention the Sunshine State Awards, now in its 25th year. Here, journalists in the Florida chapter are awarded for their work across several categories. To us, they’re all winners, and this annual ceremony is a great way to come out and show our support. We believe in it so much that our agency is a repeat sponsor!
Journalism continues to evolve as changes take place in the media landscape every day. Journalists and publications must adapt to how people consume news. We support the often difficult choices news outlets have to make every day to remain profitable and stay relevant to readers.
It’s a difficult world to navigate, and there is certainly an art to journalism. After all, journalists help shape what we read, know and understand about our community, our nation and the world.
About Durée & Company
Durée & Company, Inc. is an award-winning full-service public relations, marketing and special events firm with offices in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Aspen, Colorado. The firm serves the corporate, agency and non-profit arenas for local, national and international clients focusing on public relations for real estate, public relations for restaurants, public relations for law firms, public relations for charities, public relations for healthcare, and many more. Durée & Company services include Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Special Events, and Radio Promotions and Outreach.
