Be aMedia Relations Specialist – Consider Media Lead Times When Pitching Stories

You improve your chances of getting coverage if you understand the lead times of the various media when pitching story ideas.

Newspapers, for instance, often work with no lead time. Online, radio and TV, too, are known for their immediacy. Newspaper special sections, such as a holiday gift guide, might want material one to two months in advance. Weekly newspapers, like the , have their special editions planned months in advance and begin reviewing story ideas for those as much as two to three months out. So, they might be thinking about their February 17 corporate philanthropy section in December.

Magazines – particularly those aimed at consumers – often have lead times of as much as six months. Some of those include women’s books like Ladies’ Home Journal and Redbook, as well as men’s magazines like Maxim. In December, those editors are already thinking about Easter, taxes, Mother’s Day and baseball season.

Even newswires like the Associated Press have some longer lead times for their special editions. AP’s new specials editor, Julia Rubin, begins thinking about her monthly specials more than a month in advance. She likes to receive information about products and services, as well as story ideas that tie in.

Here are some of her upcoming features and their deadlines: Fashion, 2/1/2006; Health/Fitness, 3/1/2006; Careers, 4/1/2006

One final tip, editorial calendars are a great way to find out what editors want and when. If you don’t subscribe to one of the editorial calendar services, try doing a Google search for “editorial calendars” plus your topic of interest to see what comes up.

Harry Hoover is a partner in My Creative Team. He has 30 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Bank of Commerce, The Bray Law Firm, Brent Dees Financial Planning, CruisingTheICW.com, Duke Energy, Focus Four, Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX, and Verbatim.

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