The Trouble with Press Conferences By Anthony Mora Copyright© Anthony Mora 2006 It's important to know when to hold a press conference. If you think that a press conference is the way to go, nine times out of ten you're going to be wrong. Although there are many types of press conferences, they are primarily utilized to give the media up-to-the-minute information on breaking news stories, or when a celebrity or well-known person is addressing a topical issue. Countless other types of press conferences are announced, but few receive any coverage. Breaking news stories, politically-oriented stories and press conferences often do go together. Those are naturals.
But keep in mind, what you consider to be a breaking or urgent story, may be viewed differently by the media. When you are asking the media to be at a certain place at a certain time to cover your story, the odds are against you. Your story then is being set on a very specific timeline and is being forced to compete with every other potential story in your city, the nation and the world. If there is another story that the media considers more urgent, or more ratings-worthy that breaks at the same time - you're out of luck.
We have held some very successful press conferences. But we've also held some conferences that were passed-over because of a car chase in progress, a breaking murder story or a celebrity scandal. There was one case where two TV crews had arrived and were setting up to cover press conference we had scheduled, suddenly each producer was paged. Next thing I knew they were packing their gear and heading out the door. A fire had broken out at a local refinery and they were on their way to cover it. Needless to say, that was the end of that particular press conference.
In my experience most press conferences are often ineffective, because the story or pitch usually does not warrant a press conference. Try to think like the media, play devil's advocate. If you were a harried producer or editor, and were pitched a story on your proposed press conference would it be of interest to you? If the answer is no, forget going the press conference route. Reframe the hook and pitch it as a different type of story. Give the media and your story options For Further information Visit:
www. Anthonymora.com
To learn more about this author, visit Anthony Mora's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 The Trouble with Press Conferences
|
| |
If you think that a press conference is the way to go, nine times out of ten you're going to be wrong.
|
|
Advertising and Public Relations
|
| |
So, you’ve got some extra money to put towards your company and you’re not sure whether to spend it on advertising or public relations. Many entrepreneurs are confused about the difference between the two and which ...
|
|
The Myth of the Press Kit
|
| |
Press kits can be seductive. They're attractive and seem impressive, but they can often do you more harm than good.
|
|
Press Releases - The Two Most Common Mistakes
|
| |
According to journalists there are two really common mistakes made by "non" PR folks when sending a Press Release.
|
|
Just the Facts Ma’am, Just the Facts
|
| |
There was the classic TV Show and more recently the movie, “Dragnet”. The main character, Sergeant Joe Friday, was known for the quotation, “Just the facts ma’am, just the facts.” He would let a witness to a crime t...
|
|
|
Anthony Mora
(Visit Anthony's Website)
Anthony Mora Communications, Inc. is a Los
Angeles-based public relations firm that
focuses in the areas of media relations,
image development and media training.
Anthony Mora Communications regularly
places clients in major media outlets,
including Time, Newsweek, Oprah, the New
York Times, CNN, the Today Show, the Wall
Street Journal and hundreds of other media
outlets. Through media placement, you are
not presented within the context of an ad
or commercial. You're not positioned as
an ad but as the news.
President and CEO, Anthony Mora, has been
featured in: USA Today, Newsweek, The New
York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The
Wall Street Journal, The BBC, CNN, E!
Entertainment Television, Entrepreneur,
Fox News, MSNBC, and other media. He has
written three books, the most the most
recent, a how-to on PR called Spin to
Win.
For further information visit:
www.AnthonyMor
a.com
|
|
|
|
Anthony Mora's
Complete
List Of
Public-Relations
Articles
|
|
If you enjoyed this article, get Anthony Mora's Complete List of Public-Relations Articles For FREE!
|
|
|
|
