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    With all the work you do trying to get the media’s attention, it’s exciting when a reporter or producer calls or sends an e-mail, saying they want to talk to an expert. But just because they’ve asked for an interview, doesn’t mean you should always agree to do it. There are a few reasons you may not want to do an […]

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    Before you begin sending story ideas and pitches to the media, make sure you have a biography prepared. A biography that is targeted to the media helps establish your expertise and your previous media experience. Here are some tips for preparing a media-friendly bio. After the tips, there is a sample biography that you c […]

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    We talked previously about writing a letter to the editor. But sometimes you want to comment on an article in a national-level publication that resonates with what you are seeing in your own region or practice.  Placement of a letter is competitive, so you have to find ways to stand out among the crowd. USA Today’ […]

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    During an interview with a reporter, you each have a goal. The reporter’s goal is to get the information he or she needs for the story. Your goal is to get across your message in a clear way. Ideally, the information needed by the reporter is the same message you are sharing. But sometimes, that doesn’t happen, s […]

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    It’s exciting to be contacted by a reporter for an interview. But don’t be so quick to answer questions right away. Instead, tell the reporter that you’re interested in talking to him when you have more time. Unless the reporter is on a tight deadline and needs a quick answer, he should be able to schedule an inter […]

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    Here are some reminders and tips to help you get your story idea into an actual story that is published or aired.
    Review your media list. You will likely have developed a list of targeted contacts. Check whether anyone has switched beats or changed jobs. If someone has since left that media outlet, call the newsroom swit […]

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    Two things we know are true when working with the media: Personally knowing the reporter is important to getting attention to your story idea, and journalists are very busy people who have little time to meet every potential source that wants their attention.
    So if lunches and newsroom visits are too time-consuming and n […]

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    “Why would the readers care about this?” “What should I care about this?” Those are the two questions asked by reporters and editors when looking at a story ideas and making decisions about what is worthy of a story and how much attention it is given within newspaper pages or on the air.
    To help decide check this […]

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    Last week we shared tips on writing a letter to the editor, a good way to express your opinion or respond to a recently published article.
    However, if you want to write a longer piece to get across your message, you need to consider writing an Op Ed (opinion editorial). Like letters, newspapers receive many submissions a […]

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    One of the most widely read sections of the newspaper is the Letters to the Editor. A letter to the editor allows you to express your opinion on a hot topic, add an additional point of view regarding a recent article, or clarify an inaccurate or misleading story. But because letters are so popular, there is also a lot of […]