Do reporters like pitches by social media?
In an update to the groundbreaking 2015 Talking Biz News article “The pros/cons of pitching biz reporters through social media,” we again asked several reporters their opinion on receiving pitches via social media. Back in ‘15, X was Twitter and TikTok didn’t exist. Instagram had just launched Boomerang, and Facebook had enabled GIFs. Snapchat was […]
Do reporters prefer an exclusive or embargo approach to pitching?
Between an exclusive and an embargo, intuitively it would seem that reporters would choose the exclusive approach. If an exclusive arrangement is like marriage, then embargoes are playing the field, with more than one reporter getting the goods at one time. Embargoes spread the love to a select group, giving different outlets the opportunity to […]
Your guide to Friday’s 2023 Financial Follies
This Friday, the New York Financial Writers’ Association will host its 80th Financial Follies, a convening of hacks and flacks at the intersection of business and media. The last time this contributor wrote a how-to-prepare guide for the Follies, the event was held at the New York Hilton Midtown, one bitcoin was worth a little […]
Are reporters taking in-person meetings?
Back in March 2017 – when the topic of source meetings was last covered by this contributor – White House press secretary Sean Spicer was charming the press corp, Instagram was cool, and there had been a grand total of 13 SPAC transactions the previous year. But things have changed. With variants varianting, and a […]
Tips on how to vet potential biz news sources
Reporters in the financial media world will inevitably need to source their articles with experts who are new to them, and perhaps not well known in the finance community. So how do reporters audit their potential sources? Does an official bio on the company site do the trick? How about a well-written LinkedIn profile? Do […]
Your guide to Friday’s Financial Follies: Best Practices
“Sorry. This is commentary dressed up as news reporting.” — Gerard Baker, 12:01 a.m. On Friday the world will be treated to the Financial Follies 2017. Hundreds of reporters covering business and finance, as well as the accompanying throng of flaks, will gather at the New York Hilton Midtown for dinner, drinks and — as […]
Meeting sources: Dimly lit parking garage or Soul Cycle?
Many potential sources (PR people’s clients) are keen on meeting with the media while they’re in New York City for business. This also holds for clients visiting other cities that may have a local bureau — San Francisco, Chicago, London, Hong Kong, etc. New York carries a special significance given that it’s home to both Wall […]
The guest column and the business publication
Byline, guest article, blog submission, white paper — clients are often keen on submitting their amazing ideas in their own words. Unlike general news stories where clients/sources provide their expert commentary as part of a mix of voices, with a guest article there’s no risk of a misquote, improper title, or the common refrain PR […]
We shall overcomb: The 2015 Financial Follies
The 73rd annual Financial Follies, a “Dinner and Entertainment Gala” hosted by the New York Financial Writers’ Association, took place this past Friday, Nov. 13. The Follies is an evening of song and dance and food and tuxes that raises money for student scholarships provided by the organization. This was my third Financial Follies, so […]
The pros/cons of pitching biz reporters through social media
At public relations firms specializing in financial services, it’s a good rule of thumb — and often suggested — that PR practitioners also start following relevant business reporters for their clients on Twitter. New PR pros thus glean insight into the daily activity of reporters, including their drinking habits, hobbies, when they ace a Buzzfeed […]
