Steve Drummond is a senior editor and government producer at NPR, the place leads the training reporting staff. A senior editor at NPR for over 20 years, he’s obtained three Peabody Awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award and the Edward R. Murrow Award.
He’s additionally creator of “The Watchdog: How the Truman Committee Battled Corruption and Helped Win World Conflict Two,” which was revealed this month.
Forward of his media panel on the June 5-6 PR Every day’s Media Relations Convention in Washington, D.C., we sat with Drummond to the whole lot from the right way to develop sturdy relationships with busy journalists to the very best methods to spark curiosity in newsrooms on your information:
What’s the most important risk to the media at this time as you see it— and what does that imply to the PR execs who work with busy, harried and even anxious reporters at this time?
There’s a great motive it’s the FIRST modification — it’s among the many most vital rights we now have as residents and as a individuals. That stated, the most important risk at this time, I’d argue, is the disinformation and misinformation flooding the Web that makes it tougher for individuals to determine what’s true and what isn’t. These different points are definitely massive, however in my private opinion it is a main risk.
How can the press earn again public belief amid all this dis/misinformation?
By doing what we’ve at all times achieved — cowl the information pretty and brazenly and actually. Sure that’s tougher to do than ever, however that’s what makes it extra vital to take action.
Are you anxious in regards to the potential affect of AI on journalism? If that’s the case, how will we reply to that potential risk—what ought to newsrooms be doing?
I believe there’s a variety of hypothesis proper now about AI, and definitely a variety of considerations. Like so many technological advances, it has each the potential to do good and the potential to be disruptive and dangerous. As somebody who shouldn’t be an knowledgeable on the topic, I believe I’ll simply have to look at and wait and see how this challenge includes.
Shifting to the PR perspective, what’s your recommendation to media relations professionals about constructing a trusted relationship with A-list journalists?
Constructing a trusted relationship is a two-way avenue. Essentially the most useful factor in my expertise is transparency — the willingness to inform the journalist what you’ll be able to, and to be open and trustworthy about what you’ll be able to’t or received’t say. Essentially the most irritating, and I believe dangerous, factor is when info or solutions aren’t forthcoming and there isn’t a great rationalization for why.
Do you might have any storytelling recommendation you’ll be able to share with PR execs?
Effectively, I’m in radio journalism and the medium is closely narrative pushed. Explaining how a narrative will have an effect on precise human beings strengthens the story for us tremendously. After all that doesn’t essentially imply discovering a handy individual to interview — that may assist, however it will possibly additionally look like spoon-feeding. That stated, an actual try to elucidate how an initiative, product or program will have an effect on our viewers instantly is extraordinarily useful and is one thing PR execs must also be mindful whoever they pitch.
OK, digging deeper into that—any further recommendation for crafting compelling pitches?
I’d argue that what works finest are the identical ideas that work finest for us in telling a narrative to our viewers: Keep away from the jargon of your commerce or occupation, maintain the numbers to a minimal, clarify how the story impacts individuals and supply the context and background that the reporter will want. Usually, the easiest way to craft a compelling pitch is to maintain the lanes clear by chopping down on the extraneous or superfluous pitches, so reporters know there’s a great motive whenever you attain out to them. That manner, the pitch doesn’t get buried beneath all the opposite pitches in our inboxes.
Be part of Steve Drummond at PR Every day’s Media Relations Convention in Washington, D.C. on June 5 and 6. He’ll communicate alongside media and media relations insiders from The Hill, from the U.S. Navy, APCO, Mars Inc., Southwest Airways, Raytheon, The North Face and extra.
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