Course content
Journalists, editors and producers receive hundreds of pitches and media releases on any given day. Many will be given a cursory read, or not read at all, before being trashed. So how do you maximise your chances of being read and not rejected?
In this course, we’ll help you understand how you can effectively craft a story and pitch it to a journalist, producer or media outlet. Confidence goes a long way, and often persistence is the key.
While we can’t guarantee every story you pitch will end up in the news, we’ve developed some tips and tools that will give you the best chance of reading your announcement in the newspaper, hearing it on radio or seeing on TV.
In this course, we’ll help you understand how you can effectively craft a story and pitch it to a journalist, producer or media outlet. Confidence goes a long way, and often persistence is the key.
While we can’t guarantee every story you pitch will end up in the news, we’ve developed some tips and tools that will give you the best chance of reading your announcement in the newspaper, hearing it on radio or seeing on TV.
Journalists, editors and producers receive hundreds of pitches and media releases on any given day. Many will be given a cursory read, or not read at all, before being trashed. So how do you maximise your chances of being read and not rejected?
Welcome to Lumin. I’m Jenna Waite. For the past five years I’ve been working with the media, and I’d like to help you understand how you can effectively craft a story and pitch it to a journalist, producer or media outlet.
Firstly, identify the best spokesperson or experts to put forward. They must know the issue inside out and be adept at answering questions comprehensively, using simple language and making sense of jargon or industry specific terms.
Here’s an example – DonateLife Week is organised by the Australian Government’s Organ and Tissue Authority. The main person quoted in media releases and offered for interviews is a Medical Director rather than the CEO. The Medical Director is credible and can provide genuine insight and commentary on the issue through first-hand experience working with organ recipients.
The second point to consider is putting a face to the story. It’s usually not someone from within the organisation, but an everyday person who has been impacted by the issue or topic at hand – a case study. Case studies are crucial for humanising a topic and highlighting its significance because they tell a real person’s story.
For DonateLife Week, nothing is more powerful to convey messages about registering as an organ donation than the personal experience of a recipient as they waited for a transplant, then how their life was transformed after receiving one.
Develop a bank of available case studies before you pitch you story – it provides a broad mix of interview questions for different media. Make certain they’re comfortable talking to media, prime them with details about who will interview them, and the type of questions they’ll ask, and ensure that they understand the organisation’s key messages. Next lesson we’ll look at choosing your targets.
Welcome to Lumin. I’m Jenna Waite. For the past five years I’ve been working with the media, and I’d like to help you understand how you can effectively craft a story and pitch it to a journalist, producer or media outlet.
Firstly, identify the best spokesperson or experts to put forward. They must know the issue inside out and be adept at answering questions comprehensively, using simple language and making sense of jargon or industry specific terms.
Here’s an example – DonateLife Week is organised by the Australian Government’s Organ and Tissue Authority. The main person quoted in media releases and offered for interviews is a Medical Director rather than the CEO. The Medical Director is credible and can provide genuine insight and commentary on the issue through first-hand experience working with organ recipients.
The second point to consider is putting a face to the story. It’s usually not someone from within the organisation, but an everyday person who has been impacted by the issue or topic at hand – a case study. Case studies are crucial for humanising a topic and highlighting its significance because they tell a real person’s story.
For DonateLife Week, nothing is more powerful to convey messages about registering as an organ donation than the personal experience of a recipient as they waited for a transplant, then how their life was transformed after receiving one.
Develop a bank of available case studies before you pitch you story – it provides a broad mix of interview questions for different media. Make certain they’re comfortable talking to media, prime them with details about who will interview them, and the type of questions they’ll ask, and ensure that they understand the organisation’s key messages. Next lesson we’ll look at choosing your targets.
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About the instructor
Jenna Waite
Jenna is a media-savvy communicator, skilled writer, natural organiser and creative thinker. An experienced Senior Account Manager, Jenna has a passion for authentic relationship building and an appetite for positive social change – leading her to design and implement innovative and strategic solutions for clients across the government, non-profit, philanthropy, corporate and commercial sectors. She plays a key role in leading media relations and event management campaigns, as well as creating communications strategies and community awareness initiatives.