Get into the Press: Deck the Halls with Story Ideas at Christmas and other times - Paul Johnstone

There are some times in the year August, and December up to New Year which can be painfully slow at newspapers, magazines.   

It’s the same with TV and radio stations because news is not happening as people who usually make the news are doing things other.

Take the talk show as an example, Talk show guests are in short supply. Reporters often find it difficult to track down the people they need to comment on a particular story. 

And because newspapers sell more ads in December, that means more news pages to fill.  Radio, TV Newspapers and on-line media are looking for guests.

Here are ways your publicity effort can capitalize on the holidays:

SO how do you exploit this gap in the market? · Tie your story idea to Christmas, Yom Kippur or New Year's.  Any Holiday time newspapers and media stations are on the look out for timely news or News In Brief (NIB’s)

· Write letters to the editor and opinion columns for publication during the weeks immediately before and after Christmas, when submissions usually drop off.

Call your local newspapers now to see what special sections they have planned during December. Your story idea might be a perfect fit. Pitch your idea immediately because these sections are sometimes done weeks in advance.

Stay alert for breaking news stories on which you can provide expert opinion, even if the topic doesn't have anything to do with the holidays. If a story breaks, call newspapers and TV stations and offer to comment.

Write or call magazine editors, who usually work six months ahead, with story ideas for late spring and early summer. Mark your calendar now to set aside some time before and after Christmas to pitch.

Catch up with you again soon!

  

Paul Johnstone is the founder of

The Paradigm Shakers

Providers of Thought Provoking Training

Delivered by Subject Matter Experts

http://www.paradigmshakers.co.uk/

©Paul Johnstone; The Paradigm Shakers

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