Tried and true media relations tactics still ring true

By: Angela Raleigh, Account Executive, Leonard & Finco Public Relations, Inc.

One of the benefits of pulling together award nominations or tidying up your desk area is you run across presentations, materials and information you may have forgotten. And as you look over the materials you might find that there are some media tips that are still relevant today, even after years of being buried in a file:   

• How to get media's attention. Be sure to provide a news hook for information that is relevant and newsworthy. Timing is everything.
• Role of the news media. Report on news of interest to their viewers/readers/listeners. They cover bad as well as good but their goal is to be fair, balanced and accurate.
• What the news media needs. Sources or a news “scoop.” Provide them with the facts and be responsive to their questions.

These tips still hold true today when engaging with the media and are true practices for any media engagement, traditional or social. 

On the flip side there are the “don’ts.” Don't pre-announce information before you are supposed to. Don't promise something you can't keep. Don't pretend you know more than you actually do.

As much as the media environment has changed, there are still areas that remain the same. So, what do you think? Have the fundamentals of engagement changed over time or are the main principles still applicable?