Marcy Cuevas

It can be a tricky conversation when you need to ask a journalist for a correction to an article, but here some of my thoughts on how to go about it for PRmoment 👇

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This is important for #communications pros and our subject matter experts to remember. An interview is a conversation not a rote question asked, prepared answer given. Using talking points rather than scripted answers is more effective for a SME and makes for a better interview. Unfortunately that path isn’t taken as often as it should be.

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NPR and PBS should be on their own. The Public Broadcasting Act, the LBJ era media ecosystem is long gone. They take 8% from Corporation of Public Broadcasting, 10% from colleges, 8% from state and local budgets. PBS takes 15% from the feds, 13% from states, 3% local governments, 8 % colleges- that's 39% before folks and rich foundations. What they provide is balanced in some places, like Amanpour and Firing Line, and bias in most other places. NPR is a mouthpiece for the MSM , and the current long list of advocacy from Roe v Wade to pro - Palestine coverage. The design during the great society was needed, now in our vast array of media sources, the federal government does not need to fund any of it. C- Span can carry the record keeping load , with their truly unbiased , long form coverage. If you want NPR and PBS ( nee American BBC) you can pay for it.

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This year's U.S. Book Show was buzzing with energy and insight, making it clear that the pulse of the publishing world is stronger than ever. As we are always in the mindset of “sharing is caring,” here is some knowledge the Smith team and I gained from the event: 🎙️ Panel Insights:  From our industry friends at Amplify Publishing Group and Forefront Books to new connections like Mia Orlandella from Penguin Random House, the discussions were rich and varied. A standout moment was the Young Publishing Forum, where the focus was on "emerging publishers" rather than "young" ones, emphasizing the rapid professional growth in this field and the value of mentorship and community. 🤖 AI and Publishing:  During the CEO roundtable, AI’s role in publishing was a major topic. It was fascinating to hear perspectives on AI as an "intelligent assistant"—a tool that augments rather than replaces the human creativity, empathy, and intuition essential to forward-looking innovation. 📈 Trend Shifts in Book Selling:  The dynamics of book distribution are flipping. It’s no longer just about what bookstores will accept from publishers, but strategically thinking about which books are pushed to major retailers like Barnes & Noble, Inc. or newer platforms like Bookshop.org. This strategic distribution reflects a deeper niche targeting approach. 📘 Digital and Libraries Evolving Together:  Discussions around digital book buying, especially in educational sectors, highlighted the evolving role of libraries. They're not just physical spaces but are adapting to digital demands with tools like social media and virtual book clubs, enhancing access and engagement. We left feeling a profound sense of community and dedication across the board, from protecting authors' interests to celebrating the human touch in our tech-driven world. The Publishers Weekly U.S. Book Show wasn't just about books; it was a testament to the passionate individuals behind them, restoring our faith in humanity one page at a time. If you want to take a deep dive into more knowledge and actionable takeaways from the event, Olivia Whitlock McCoy and I recorded a special episode of the Smith Publicity, Inc. All Things Book Marketing Podcast. Check out our insightful episode here: https://bit.ly/3KlxSUD. #Marketing #Publishing #Author #Books #Leadership

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Not getting responses from journalists? Try pitching stories about these topics: 💡 Lessons learned from failure 💡 Industry viewpoints that are surprising or controversial 💡 Data only you can provide Do that and journalists will start to care about what you have to say.

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This💡Ragan Communications and PR Daily article deserves to be shared. There are excellent insights here. 👏🏼This quote from Caitlin Hayden is particularly resonating with me this morning. “Your “brand” is not something that lives off to the side as a set of creative assets and colors. It’s everything about how you show up in the market, which means that comms needs to be a part of any activity or decision that could impact the way stakeholders perceive your company. How your employees talk about their experience = brand. Where you invest your CSR dollars = brand. How your facilities look, feel, and function = brand. How ethically you behave = brand. I could go on…”

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One of the many things PR and Comms pros share on this site is what we can't control when working with reporters. Here's another one for the list: Headlines We don't have any impact what the reporters or their editors decide to run here. Or do we? Recently set up an interview with a source to talk about a pressing economic issue with a national outlet. The journalist pulled one of his quotes and used it in his headline. Good sources will deliver solid content in a press interview. Great sources will give the reporter irresistable points that make solid headlines because they pull people in and encourage them to read the story. Be a great source in your next interview. #pr #communications #leadership #publicrelations

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Journalism is not a crime.

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Do journalists really want to hear from you? As has been the trend for years now, the number of working journalists continues to dwindle, primarily due to layoffs, outlet closures and consolidation, leaving those still in the field with longer hours and much tighter work schedules. In fact, most journalists today work between 41-50 hours, including at least one or two days after hours or on weekends, according to the recent 2024 State of Journalism survey*. While their work schedules may not be of prime importance to you, it should be…if you’re trying to get their attention with a story idea.  And do you know if these journalists even want to hear from you? As long as you’re a PR pro, maybe. Some 70 percent of journalists surveyed ranked PR pros as either important or very important to the success of their jobs, while 29 percent said they are either slightly or not at all important. And frankly, don’t get too puffed up about that 70 percent…because nearly half said they seldom or never respond to PR pitches, while just 18 percent usually respond and 8 percent always do. One possible reason for the relatively low response rate could be that the majority of those surveyed said they get up to 25 pitches per week, while another 23 percent said they get up to 50 per week. There’s simply not enough time in even an extended workweek to reply. Or, perhaps they don’t feel the need. After all, the journalists tell us that nearly 75 percent of the pitches they receive are not pertinent to their coverage area.  So, do you know the reporter(s) who cover your industry or subject matter? And what exactly should your pitch consist of? And is your “news” even pitch-worthy? If so, when and through what means are the best to reach these journalists? A lot more questions than answers here. If you’re unsure of the answers to any of these questions, or more, it’s likely time to call in a PR pro. After all, 70 percent of journalists said they do want to hear from us. Before you venture into the unknown, or worse, turn off one of the few journalists covering your industry, get an expert involved. Rountree Group has an experienced PR team who can develop and implement a successful plan of action that will drive results. Connect with us here for info. *Of the 1,106 journalists surveyed for this year’s State of Journalism, the majority work primarily in the United States, with the remainder worldwide. The majority work full time in the journalism industry, half serving as freelancers. Some 33 percent work locally or regionally, with 30 percent nationally and 29 percent internationally. And 40 percent work with digital publications, 31 percent with newspapers and the remainder work with magazines, broadcast television, trade publications, radio, non-profits, podcasts, etc. An experienced group, nearly 30 percent surveyed said they’ve been a journalist for more than 21 years and another 24 percent for 10 to 20 years. Some 58 percent are reporters or editors.

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My newsroom is losing a longtime talented staff writer/reporter. That's the bad news. The good news is that I get to hire someone to join our team. Here's the ad I've posted on SC's and NC's Press Association sites: Solid reporter/writer wanted for award-winning small daily team As it bids farewell to a long-serving staff writer, the Greenwood (S.C.) Index-Journal, a family-owned daily newspaper, wants to maintain its base of talented, energetic and aggressive staff writers on its award-winning team. While it’s true we’re not a major metro, we do have a hard-working staff that has surpassed the parameters established for a small daily. Again, we are a family-owned newspaper, which means we don’t have the layers of corporate BS — I mean executives — to wade through. This was another great year for our small staff as we collected 19 press awards, earned second place in general excellence. We have collected well more than 100 South Carolina Press Association awards, many of which have been for our investigative reporting, beat coverage and feature writing. We want reporters who are as capable of generating excellent human interest features as they are at generating solid investigative and in-depth pieces. We want reporters with appetites who will learn the communities they cover and the delve head-first into their beats. We want reporters who are willing to tackle assignments they are given, but who are typically so busy with the enterprise work they have come up with that they struggle to fit in the “other stuff.” Candidates should be able to dig into local reporting on all levels and should not be afraid to ask the tough questions. After all, that’s the kind of reporting that garners awards from your peers and accolades from the readers you serve. The ideal candidate must understand local news matters and be able to convey that through stories, photos and video. Candidates also have to be digital savvy, employing social media in an effort to build and retain readers and viewers alike. Think digital first, get something even fresher for print. If this sounds like a good fit for you, and you have the desire to help us continue our award-winning, reader-serving publication, I want to hear from you. Pay is commensurate with an applicant’s experience. To apply, send your resume, a cover letter and 5-10 clips (we’re looking for enterprise, breaking news and well-written features), and a selection of photos and video via regular mail or email to: Richard S. Whiting Executive Editor P.O. Box 1018 Greenwood, SC 29648 rwhiting@indexjournal.com No phone calls please

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I’m very worried about the future of journalism. 😩 Poor pay 😲 Media outlets shutting down 🫣 Growing skepticism in audiences 😱 PR pros outnumber journalists by 6-to-1 🫨 A relentless news cycle that is causing journalists to burn out 😖 Questions about whether AI will help or hurt them 😬 … and much more Even though journalism is in the most precarious position I’ve seen it in during my 20+ year career, it’s not all bad news. In fact, here are two reasons to be optimistic: ⭐️ Journalism always finds a way to keep going - Despite all of the difficulties that come with the job, journalists always find a way to do their best work and get their stories out there. The media outlets and audiences may change over time, but the stories never stop coming. ⭐️ Journalists are finding success on their own - Many journalists have dabbled in starting their own media brands or newsletters and found that the money they’re making doing their own thing is more than what they made working for a media outlet. Not only that, but they also have full creative control over what they cover and how they cover it. Journalism will continue to change with the times as it always has. No matter what happens next, we know there will be journalists covering it.

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📞 𝐄𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 📞 In this week's Association Insights, I answer a critical question: What not to do unless I want to ensure a reporter will never call me back? Here's a quick breakdown: 1️⃣ 𝐔𝐧𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬: Reporters work on tight deadlines. Not responding timely or sending information after their deadline can mark you as unreliable. Over-promising and Under-delivering: If you commit to providing specific details or access, make sure you can meet those commitments. Failing to deliver can seriously undermine your credibility. 2️⃣ 𝐈𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬: Sending pitches that are irrelevant to their beat or current news cycle wastes their time and shows a lack of understanding of their work. 3️⃣ 𝐋𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Being disorganized during interviews or having representatives handle questions poorly can tarnish your reputation. Always be well-prepared and professional. Avoiding these pitfalls is essential to building and sustaining productive media relationships. Each interaction is an opportunity to enhance trust and respect. 📩 I’d love to hear from you: What strategies have you found effective in maintaining strong relationships with reporters? Share your experiences in the comments! #AssociationInsights #PRtips #Communications #MediaRelations #OnWrdUpWrd #AssociationCommunications

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Audience identification is an area of improvement for many #communications and #marketing pros. We tend to stop at broad categories. We should get to more targeted levels. Doing so requires closer collaboration among sales, marketing, and communications than is typical. A lot of orgs don’t dedicate the time or resources to do it. Then we wonder why we miss the bullseye.

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#communications pro survey: What prevents us from writing well more often? One thing I’ve recently relearned is allowing our writing to be overly influenced by what can get approved, rather than what will effectively communicate with the audience, is a misstep. To be sure, few of us can simply ignore our approval chains. But, as with many aspects of life, finding balance between often contradictory perspectives is what brings success. What do you think?

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Interesting findings from Cision's 2024 State of Media report. 74% of journalists surveyed want to receive news announcements/press releases from PR professionals. 61% want to receive original research. The #1 thing PR pros can do to help journalists is to understand their target audience and what they would find relevant (68%). Their top three annoyances from PR professionals are spamming them with irrelevant pitches (77%); providing inaccurate or unsourced information (62%); and pitches that sound like marketing brochures (55%). https://lnkd.in/gJe27X37 #PR #PublicRelations #MediaRelations #journalism #journalists

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💥 This email will self-destruct in 48 hours. 💥 There’s nothing wrong with telling a journalist that they need to respond by a certain deadline if they’re interested in your story. We spend so much of our time trying to accommodate journalists, but you need to be respectful of your own time, too. If you don’t set a clear deadline for when a response is needed, you could sit around forever waiting for a reply that will never come. If the journalist doesn’t reply in time, move on to the next person on your list. Don’t let a lack of response from someone cause you to miss out on telling your story.

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I've been thinking a lot about the state of Public Relations and how I can help PR pros, whether veterans or new to the field. That led me to the question of starting a dedicated community for PR professionals...so I did. As the media landscape changes, we're seeing more and more former Journalists switch to PR, for better or worse. These folks bring outstanding writing and storytelling skills, among others; however, they often need help getting up to speed. Meanwhile, existing PR pros have fewer journalists to pitch, and AI's emergence disrupts how they create and distribute content. The losers are the traditional gatekeepers, from newswires to agencies to media outlets they used to rely on. The future of PR is increasingly digital and direct, disrupting old PR practices and bypassing previous methods. More big changes are coming in the industry, with AI meaning many new opportunities to communicate and engage will emerge. I've created 'PR Skool' as a new Skool group for PR folks, whether new to it or veterans, to discuss, learn, and share as our industry evolves. Looking forward to talking more about PR with anyone who's interested. Join via the link in the first comment below.

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Timing, for both sides. Journalists often wonder why an organization needs so much time to respond. Organizations often wonder why a journalist needs a response in an hour. #communications #publicrelations

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