It’s not impossible.
Hailey Paquette is director of client experience at Quinn Thomas.
Nearly every public relations leader in my network, whether here in the Pacific Northwest or further afield, has expressed just how difficult it’s become to secure coverage. Recent data from MuckRack shows that 54% of journalists seldom or never respond to PR pitches. It’s rough out there when you’re on the docket for results, but opportunities for coverage seem few and far between.
Securing media coverage may feel tougher than ever, but your brand’s PR can thrive with an updated media approach and new understanding of how reporters’ roles have evolved in the AI era.
Why getting local news coverage has become so difficult
Declining local news coverage is a national trend. Some businesses are using large language models to churn out press releases weekly (or daily!), local reporters are fewer in number than ever before, and some newsrooms are starting to manage their newsdesks with AI — or even employing AI reporters. The Oregonian has been using AI to generate some stories since 2023, and the Tacoma News-Tribune uses AI to publish weather-related news. It’s a trend we can expect to increase.
Corporate communications pros have known for decades that reporters get more pitches than they could ever possibly read, but given recent trends, I’d be surprised if my reporter contacts wouldn’t confirm that they’re getting hundreds more pitches daily than they ever did in years past. The day-to-day work of reporting is evolving at a more exponential velocity than it ever has before. And it’s changing what editors and reporters need to write a story.
Successful media relations campaigns today demand careful research, a human touch, and hyper-local insights, all lessons our team has put into practice recently with strong results.
- Is your pitch idea TikTok-ready?
Most reporters are tasked with creating Instagram Reels and TikTok content, if not daily, then on a regular basis. Consider if your pitch materials can be easily translated into a short form video – and call that out in your pitch. Even investigative journalists and beat reporters covering topics like city council news are tasked with creating social content. For example, The Oregonian’s courts reporter filmed a TikTok while standing in a lake to explain a ruling.
2. Is your content really local?
Newsjacking, or localizing a national story, isn’t enough on its own anymore. Your pitch must deliver a uniquely local angle that a newsroom can’t find from the AP or syndicated content. Where state-level data once performed well, now reporters are asking for community-specific data. PR pros should ask themselves, “What about this story could only be reported on by a journalist in that community?”
It’s also important that the local angle is extremely obvious in your pitch. At many broadcast newsrooms and in some digital newsrooms, reporters and producers are fresh college grads or transplants who may be new to an area.
3. How simple is it for a reporter to move forward on your pitch?
Include photos, video, data and interview availability in your first pitch. Many reporters are facing increased requirements for daily story filing, and most newsrooms also now have highly limited capacity to send reporters out to events. This makes your complete “content package” essential to landing a story.
4. What unique perspective and insight can your thought leaders offer now that contributed content opportunities are shrinking?
Local reporters want timely, fact-driven, “news of the day” stories. Most PR pros don’t have a constant stream of these opportunities, so we’re often pursuing trend and perspective-driven stories that insert our clients into the news cycle. Reporters working on these stories are turning to smart, credible sources that provide real “sense making” to their audiences.
The bar to gain interest is high, and thought leaders must bring a unique, authentic perspective to the table. Consider how your spokespeople can help interpret the moment, explain what a recent trend or event means for a region, or add context to a pressing local issue.
5. Focus on being a resource first and then pitch.
Newsroom inboxes are now flooded with fake, AI-generated content, which makes our relationships with reporters more important than ever. Be a resource who wants to help for more than just an immediate story: offer check-ins, deskside visits, data and webinar info, and offer to make connections to other sources. This positions your spokespeople as relevant, trustworthy and authentic “sense makers” that reporters can tap for their stories.
Newsrooms are also on high alert for anything that feels mass-produced or generic. Media pros should scrutinize their materials for anything that could be perceived as AI-generated. Here are a few things to watch for:
- Avoid cliches like sports analogies or common phrases like “the elephant in the room.”
- Limit em dashes. AI employs them frequently.
- Skip formality. Write pitches like you’re having a watercooler conversation with a colleague and insert real excitement about an angle.
- Don’t mimic AI list formats. ChatGPT in particular loves providing responses in an “emoji-short headline-bullet” list.
What’s worked in years past for PR pros may not be landing the same results as it once did, but with some tweaks, your earned media campaigns can continue to soar. Test out these approaches, and you’ll soon see greater reporter engagement and high-value placements.
The post Securing local media coverage is hard. Here’s what to do about it. appeared first on PR Daily.
