How Crunches in Media Effect You

Although it has presented a load of opportunities for businesses and individuals, the Internet has been very hard on traditional media, especially newspapers and TV. Those who failed to embrace the Internet right off the bat are making staff cuts that can hurt your chances of achieving positive public relations, unless you're knowledgeable and sensitive.

Today's editors are not only doing their jobs but in most cases the jobs of their staff, which have been pink-slipped. In smaller daily papers across the country you will notice more and more wire stories peppered throughout the publication with only truly local news handled by staff writers. The cuts have also lead to an increase of freelance writers, who were more than likely prior with the publication.

So what does this mean to you and your business? It means that it can be harder to get an editor on the phone to discuss your news, that freelance writers are nearly impossible to get to directly and that you need more patience in waiting to get your story placed. Remember that these media are now in competition with the Internet, in some cases, and they're looking for stories that are right now, the newest thing and they want it before anyone else gets it.

The good news is that as many of these media begin to embrace the Internet, with news that rotates out faster and is updated more often, they will be looking for more news and content for their websites. The other good news is that as journalists break off on their own and launch their own news sites and e-zines, there is even more opportunity to generate positive press for your business.

I also believe that every business should have an online pressroom and press kit that is attached to an RSS feed. This will help distribute your news directly to the editors, bloggers and writers who are interested in your industry/category.

It's always fun to see your name in print in the local daily newspaper, but we all need to begin to shift our perception of what that means to us personally and what it means to the success of our businesses.