If you want to get your message into the media, you need to approach journalists. If you wait for them to approach you, it will take a lot longer, maybe the rest of your life.
My advice is to write a one page press release and send it to your local newspaper. Local papers are always crying out for good stories, so if you make it human interest, you will have a great chance of it being published.
Radio stations get a lot of their stories from the papers, and TV news organisations will monitor the papers and the radio, so if you can plant a seed with your local paper, there’s a great chance that radio and TV will follow.
A press release should be on page.
Top- the headline to grab the attention. Put the top line of your story here. State in as few words as possible, why a journalist should ring you to find out more.
Middle- some facts to support your story
Bottom- contact details – your phone number, email and maybe your website if it will add something to the story.
People dream that there is one email list that you can put your press release on and press submit. In fact I’ve seen organistations who advertise that very service. In reality that doesn’t really work. Journalists receive so many emails, that unless it’s personalised to them, chances are they won’t read it.
So you do have to do a bit of work yourself. Every local paper has a website, with contact details for the news editor and features editor. Send your story to them. Send it to the business editor, sports editor, arts editor, etc, depending on the nature of your tale.
To get a news story on BBC London radio TV and online.
YourLondon@bbc.co.uk
Any BBC person’s email is their first name dot last name at bbc dot co dot uk.
ie robert.peston@bbc.co.uk
Declan.curry@bbc.co.uk
Hugh.pym@bbc.co.uk
Robert.Elms@bbc.co.uk
Why not practise for y0ur appearance on radio, by taking part in a radio phone in. All radio stations welcome callers with views. Listen to your local station and see if you have a view on what’s happening on air.
For many years I worked at GLR which is now BBC London, so the phone-in number is burned into my memory.
It’s 020 7224 2000
Or text the show on 07786 200 949
Have a go- see if you can get on the radio.
LBC is firstname.lastname@lbc.co.uk
There isn’t a general news email…but there is a form to fill in on the news page…at lbc.co.uk
Or you can write to them at LBC, 30 Leicester Square, London WC2H 7LA
For newspapers you can find the contact details on their website.
You address the news editor for a news item, if it’s a feature address it to the forward planning dept.
What’s the difference between a news item and a feature?….shelf life.
If there’s a survey out today on divorce rates on the increase…and you are a divorce coach…you need to get on the news today…tomorrow it’s chip paper.
Contact the planning dept for Working Lunch.
Working.lunch@bbc.co.uk
Free newspapers.
The free papers you find on the tube.
They have ugc…which is user generated content.
EG a column written by you…typically 400 words. Give it a go.
The quality paper for London is The Standard.
Editor@standard.co.uk is actually the deputy editor’s address.
The editor is called Geordie Greig and his email is Geordie.greig@standard.co.uk
Business news contact citydesk@standard.co.uk
And for feature stories, features@standard.co.uk
I hope that is useful
Jem
jem@jeremynicholas.co.uk.
