NFIB

Know the Media -- Contacting the Right Person Makes a Difference
04/ 02/ 2002


When it comes to working with the media, a small business owner needs to talk to the appropriate media member. Just like the car dealer's sales manager cannot fix drive trains, members of the media have different roles. As contributor Bob Graham explains, finding the right person can mean success in getting your message out -- even if it's just a complaint.

One of the first things many people do when they are dissatisfied with the media is rant and rave at the president or owner or threaten to anyone who will listen at the media outlet that they want to cancel their advertisement. And often, those mistakes or offensive comments continue because complaints to top executives rarely filter down to the people who actually control the flow of information.

By calling the media outlet's business line, you can often fix a mistake or obtain coverage for your business if you know who to talk to. That can save time and improve your odds of media success.

Newspapers:

Reporters research and write the stories in which their bylines appear above the first line. Contact them directly when they make a mistake or misinterpret information.

Editors assign articles, selecting the reporter with expertise or time to cover a topic. They need story ideas. They also approve all articles and corrections before they appear in print.

Photographers shoot the photos. They need ideas for interesting pictures and often have freedom to pursue a good idea. For instance, an ice sculptor who owns a catering business had a full-page story focusing on his ice creations with a mention of his catering business.

Radio:

Sales people sell advertisements, working for a sales manager. Spots are sold for specific on-air programs and times, but the traffic manager controls when they actually air. An advertising contract should state in as much detail as possible when spots should air. Be specific and look for it in print before you sign. Also, listen to the advertisement BEFORE they run it, making sure it's accurate. Call your advertising representative if the advertisement airs at the wrong time or contains information you did not approve.

On-air personalities control the banter between programming, and if the station is mid-sized or larger, a producer screens calls. The producer can inform the on-air personality, through headphones, if an error was made in a broadcast and it can often be quickly corrected.

News reporters select stories, using mostly what appeared in the daily or weekly newspapers or on the wire service. They rarely do their own reporting so mistakes in print become mistakes on the air. To correct information, contact them directly, using the radio station's business line.

Television:

Producers control what gets on the air on local news programs and should be contacted if an error occurs in a newscast. (Call them immediately and they can correct it right away. Waiting often lessens the likelihood of a correction.)

Assignment editors map out a story, calling sources, planning sites for shoots, which reporter and camera operators are available, if a story should be covered, who is going to be interviewed. They should be called if you have an idea for a story.

TV reporters control an interview location, but often do not select the stories they cover. Therefore, they shouldn't be called with a story idea unless you know them or they've shown a real interest in what you want them to cover.

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