Matthew Simon KTUUTV Channel 2 News To Overworked Journalists Overworked Whats Our Day Like 930630 8 hours to put together a stellar story 9301030 Assignment meeting 1030300 45 hours to set story up travel to story gather elements shoot the story social Facebook a ID: 358497
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "Making Success Pitches" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
Making Success Pitches
Matthew Simon, KTUU-TV Channel 2 News
To Overworked Journalists Slide2Slide3Slide4
Overworked?What’s Our Day Like?
9:30-6:30: 8 hours to put together a stellar story
9:30-10:30: Assignment meeting10:30-3:00: 4.5 hours to: set story up, travel to story, gather elements (shoot the story), social (Facebook & Twitter,) get a web version done, transcribe & write
Yes, I do write all of my own stories
5pm Story due for editing by 3:00
6pm Story due for editing by 4:15
And one more thing…Slide5
Multi Media JournalistSlide6Slide7
Your Pitch…Slide8
Take Away…
How to create better, more effective press releasesLearn WIFMMake your folks look greatSlide9
The Press Release
Please, please don’t call to ask if we got your release – we didThe key: ONE page press releasesKISS: Keep It Simple – Too many details hurt the cause
If we want more information – we’ll call youTiming of event: Keep our deadlines in mind
10 AM has a much better chance of getting covered & will be a better storySlide10
The Press Release
Make sure we get it with plenty of noticeEvents take logistical planning; ie: getting
mics set upIf we get a release right before something happens, chances are you wont be covered
Except if it’s BREAKING NEWS
Make sure all people involved with your event have been cleared to be on TV…Including owners of venueSlide11
The Secret: Think Like A Reporter
N
ot just pitching to the reporter: but producers and a whole management teamThey want a great, visual,
teaseable
story
They want to know how it will look, sound and feel on TV
They want us to be able to successfully pitch that in one to two sentences
In other words, they want a WIMFSlide12
What’s I
n It For Me?
Emotional
Connection- How will this story impact an Alaskan’s life
Cost – not just financial, long term consequences, health effects, could this happen to someone I love
Personal Safety – people want to feel safe- help us quantify crime stories
Characters- compelling people tell stories- officials don’t. good story telling focuses on feelings.
Location
– where event
takes place
Impact On Key Demographic- find out who’s watching what shows on our channel…how they can relate to the stories we tellSlide13
Emotional ConnectionSlide14
Location, LocationSlide15
What We Need From You
Please respond quickly – or be honest that you can’t
Call back when you say you willWe will go on TV and say you’re not respond – believe it or not responsible journalist do not like doing thisIf you’re in town, put someone on TV, not the phone
When not to pitch: know when TV Newscasts are on
Give us people who can talk in real people talk
Don’t show favoritism, (except the reporter)
Once you give us an idea – we’ll chose the angle
Call us out on mistakes (Steve MacDonald)Slide16
Making Success Pitches
Matthew Simon, KTUU-TV Channel 2 News
To Overworked Journalists