The unspoken rules for hunting news

Recently, I met Katya, a correspondent for a news agency, and tried to bring her to a frank conversation. The question was clearly marked: why some press releases of companies fall into the news line, while others do not. I was mostly interested in the way journalists choose press releases, and which ones they don’t even pay attention to. She explained to me that there are generally unofficial rules for working in the media. Most long-playing smishnikov know these basic theses of the game. Contrary to the opinion of some ignorant people, journalism is very similar to the hunt. The most agile, fast, courageous wins. That is the job of a journalist.


')
First and foremost, a hunting journalist is not the person who enters the forest and starts shooting at everything that moves. Any beast, even potential prey, requires respect. So, according to the rules of the unspoken game, a real journalist will never write about personalities, taking advantage of their plight. As a rule, many do not know the internal rules of journalism, and therefore press releases with announcements of their projects are doomed to not be included in the news feeds and magazines. So, more about the most common unspoken rules of the game.

The first rule: faster

In Russia there are many news agencies. Every day they release on their tapes several thousand news on a variety of topics. All news agencies are the toughest competitors. Every second they are fighting for their positions in the information field, trying to produce more news, better quality, and most importantly - before others. At least for a few seconds. And the speed of the agency is estimated by their tapes. Watch through Yandex or Google, who previously published - not quite right. Materials are published first of all on tapes, and then they get on the Internet. Editors clearly track where, when, and when this or that news has passed. If the information has spread around two or three news agencies, then there is a chance that other agencies will no longer take your news into account.

Getting information at a press conference is one of the easiest ways for a journalist. Of course, there are big and small tricks in the media, but you should not focus on them. For example, there are still 20 minutes before the start of the press conference. But the cameras of the channels are ready for work, microphones are installed. And here comes the commentator in the hall. He is ready to make an opening statement and answer journalists' questions. It is worth noting that after the first few key words, journalists quickly leave the press center. What for? It's very simple to transfer information promptly. Journalists start counting for seconds. Who will write everything faster and pass. Those who are late with the transfer, as a rule, can be punished with a fine. At best, the "plume" from the leadership.

The second rule: the quality of information

A journalist, like a hunter, needs good booty. Catching the beast is not the same as successfully hunting. Many seek to issue exclusives on their tapes. They are more interested in how much your company has accounted for revenues and expenses. Your press release is more likely to get into the tape, if there is an exclusive, social orientation, originality. For example, during swine flu, commercial press releases were absolutely free. There is an important rule: to be at the right time and at the right hour .

Kate gave me an example of a timely press release: Yamamay's new fashion trend - masks against swine flu. Further description: The accessory most demanded and popular this winter is not a bag, not shoes, but an antiviral mask, which will enable its owner to protect himself against viruses such as, for example, swine flu. These antivirus masks are a new product with an ironic initiative from Yamamay, a popular brand in Italy, a manufacturer of underwear and swimwear, which has always been very attentive to market demand and this time did not miss the opportunity to release the product in demand, due to the fears around the "A" virus. A new protection product can already be found in Yamamay stores, as well as shopping centers at the airports of Milan and Rome.

In this connection, I recalled the case from my own experience. Last summer, a meeting of the Council for Innovative Development was held, at which President Medvedev pointed out the need to create such services as an online appointment with a doctor and an electronic school magazine. Broadcast meeting took place on Friday. Literally after 3-4 hours, a representative of the online project of pre-registering clients approached me and asked me to prepare a press release. Over the weekend, an announcement was made and on Monday the news hit the Regnum news feed, and then iXBT , CNews and Computerbild . As they say, were at the right time and at the right time.

The third rule: know the magic words

I recently read on the Internet that American researchers found out a range of keywords that help companies' press releases get into the pages of the world media, even if they don’t have any news at all. It's funny, but it says that lately the media has also willingly “swallow” information using the words “green” and “environment”. “Magic words” that attract the attention of news editors are “money”, “secret”, “cancer”, “fats” and “sex” in the USA. David Schiemann, author of the book “Dirty fine tricks of big noise”, considers “safe”, “easy”, “secret”, which by themselves suggest that it is something new. Scary messages with the words "dangerous", "toxic" also have the right to life.

As stated in the article, if you are talking about something “for the first time”, “premiere”, “fastest”, “highest”, “unique” - this will undoubtedly attract attention. However, it is worth noting that not all “magic words” are universal, no one here gives patterns. It is necessary in any case to fantasize and select their own approaches.

Well, professional duty is fulfilled - you can forget about the rush, competition and quietly smoke, the favorite phrase of journalists. Successful to you press releases!