Is your announcement newsworthy?

Don’t waste the media’s time with non-newsworthy details.

Give the media announcements that would be interesting for them and their readers.

There’s a difference between internal news that you share with your employees and your company’s board of directors, and external news that’s worthy of a share outside the walls of your company. As a public relations firm, we work hard to educate our clients about what news they should share with the media. Expecting your PR firm to pitch media outlets stories that aren’t newsworthy is mistake #13 on Axia Public Relations’ list of 15 mistakes companies make when hiring a PR firm.

What’s newsworthy?

There are 10 elements of news that you should use as a compass in determining whether your news is relevant and newsworthy. Understanding these elements will save you from spending your PR firm’s time and energy on something that isn’t newsworthy. Trust your PR firm to help you decide what you should share. Chances are if the media don't consider it newsworthy, it won’t be interesting to the public.

The media

Companies should also understand that journalists won’t write about every single announcement that your company makes. It’s important to be strategic in pitching the media – including knowing what news you should share with which outlets. Some news is a better fit for local media outlets, while other news is a better fit for national media contacts and outlets.

Impact of non-newsworthy news

Insisting that your PR firm pitch a story that isn’t newsworthy can negatively impact your company’s credibility as well as your that of your PR firm. It’s possible that you’ll ruin future relationships with reporters.

Trust your public relations firm to guide you through your PR campaign. Download Axia’s complimentary guide Learn Media Relations From The Media to learn what reporters are looking for from your company.

Clients love Marjorie’s work ethic, speed and diligence. She has worked with Axia Public Relations since October 2011. Marjorie graduated from Rockhurst University with a Bachelor of Arts in communication and loves to cheer for her hometown Kansas City Royals. Learn more about Marjorie.