In a college Ethics in the Media course, the question was asked:
"Is media mirroring society? Or is society mirroring the media?"
In Tin Shingle's opinion, the answer is both.
The #1 question we get at Tin Shingle is:
"How do I get featured in the media? I want someone to interview me!"
The way to get that interview is to tell the media what is going on in society as you know it. Believe it or not, reporters don't know everything. They may hardly know anything! With all of the topics they could write about, they may not know about your corner of the world.
That is why you must tell them. Telling them is called "pitching the media." You are telling them about something going on in your corner of the world - how you and your business are making a difference.
How Do I Create The News?
It's a liberating thought - you creating the news. You think you don't have control, but you do. Here are some places to start:
If you are up against a challenge, tell the media about it. Spell it out on why it's a challenge - what's going on? Who are the players?
If you are one of the only ones in your field or community doing this, make that very clear in how you present your accomplishments and what you got going on.
Write these points in an email to a producer or writer that you have researched by reading that media, or skimming through Tin Shingle's Media Contact Idea Center.
Can I Control The Story? Will They Run It?
Two things you must understand about getting PR:
Nothing is guaranteed. You might get interviewed for 30 minutes, and 1 sentence of what you said was used. If it was used at all!
You can't control the narrative. A story may go in the opposite direction than you intended. That's OK. It's a wave you can ride. Talk to us in Tin Shingle's Community or book a Private Session should this happen, to see how you can ride with it.
Look At Homeschooling As An Example:
This article at Wired magazine provides a lot of stats on the rise in homeschooling this year, especially in Black families. The fact that it was covered at all with this positive spin is a surprise, as people of color have been homeschooling for some time for various reasons (bullying, religion, teacher/administration disagreements, etc.). Positioning it in this light is refreshing for homeschooling families.
The freedom to cultivate the curriculum was an appeal. As people stretch into their new normals and values after enduring the shutdown, the complexities of public schools, unions, charter schools, homeschooling, and the community around those options may be at the forefront of discussions.
Homeschooling has (or had) a reputation of being isolating and possibly elitist. Often snubbed by public schools for after school activities, will they now be accepted after families have pulled out to control the educational narrative at home, but want to benefit from tax-funded community events happening at public schools?
These are questions you can pose. Use examples of the past, and what is being asked for now. Use statistics and studies to back your claim, and provide names and links to those studies. Even if you have no studies, use voices from your community.
The Media Learns From You
Yes, it’s true! The media learns from you! Reporters are trained to hear topics that resonate with people; that will make a difference in their lives; or that their readers don’t know much about. You can inform the media about this. Even if you think a reporter knows about it already. They might not. Or, they may have heard about it, but don’t know how to approach it from a different angle - because they don’t know the different angle to come at it from.
You can pitch the ideas you wish the media would write about! Need help? Use Tin Shingle’s Pitch Whispering benefit that comes with your membership.