Biz news media coverage from a PR person's perspective

PR person Kyle Flaherty writes what it’s like to get coverage of a client in the national business press.

Flaherty writes, “No matter the PR job I had, no matter the company I was representing, there was always one achievement that drove the adrenaline, securing a business press opportunity. Let me be clear that not once have I had the pleasure of working for a large public company, so an interview with mainstream business press was always my Everest. My mind clearly replays a Friday in 1999 when my first Journal hit appeared. I doubt I did one thing the rest of that day.

“Time has altered us all, as is its natural tendency, and not only has business press not become as important to me personally or professionally, the business press themselves have endured their own deep scars. Today there are fewer publications and within those publications even fewer journalists. The odds now have become event more challenging and the return on the time it takes to generate ink is difficult to justify. This new landscape however does not change the thrill and pure joy a business press opportunity still brings to an old PR flack at heart.

“Today I’m not even the one directly involved with landing such an opportunity, but when an email crosses your inbox with ‘BusinessWeek Opportunity’ in the subject line it is funny that the heart still jumps like it once did. My gut tells me, from experience, that this is a long process and even with a great interview coverage is still a rarity.”