By Gayle Goodman
GGPR & Social
As much as the Associated Press is known for covering the world, its huge and modernistic New York newsroom is an insulated, windowless enclave to which outsiders, or at least PR people, rarely gain entry.
The PRSA/New York programming committee, headed by Henry Feintuch, president, Feintuch Communications, helped open doors to this insider’s universe with a tour and panel discussion at the AP facilities at 450 West 33rd Street, in its program Nov. 15th, "Inside the Media: Associated Press."
Designed in symbolic black-and-white, the space expands with a spectacular farm-like sprawl at 100,000 square feet. AP reporters toil in digs strikingly similar to the set of HBO’s "The Newsroom."
Feintuch Comms. president Henry Feintuch
with AP tech and media editor John Simons |
The 9:15 morning meeting takes place in “The Fish Bowl,” a bulbous glass-walled conference room, where “agenda-setting” happens, said tour leader Erin White, media relations manager, AP. With a congestion of work stations, LED readouts keeping international time, and signs of uncontrollable information, some possibly provided by PR firms, such as piles of books, files, papers, posters, you could sense the drumming activity in this 24/7 temple of news.
Panel participants included Amanda Barrett, editor, New York City news (abarrett [at] ap [dot] org; 212-621-1966); John Simons, technology and media editor (jsimons [at] ap [dot] org; 212-621-7313); and, as a last-minute substitute, Beth Harpaz, travel editor, lifestyles (bharpaz [at] ap [dot] org; 212-621-1832).
Moderated by the energetic Scott Berwitz, corporate communications director, Mindshare, his questions bounced like bullets off the podium. The panelists deflected all shots with an intensity of guidelines and what they need to give a story a go.
Tech and media editor John Simons manages a staff of reporters. He is looking for stories that are happening now.
“What are the issues of the day, that we might need help with?,” he specified, adding, “Think sources and data. Those are important to us on major news stories.”
Newscast president Jim Sulley
with AP travel editor Beth Harpaz |
Tying into trends will capture his attention. “Most stories we put out are daily news driven stories. In tech, 30 to 40 are trend stories: app development, small tablets. These are timely.”
Simons added, “Put us in touch with real people, consumers who use your client’s products.”
Travel editor Beth Harpaz emphasized her need for stories with a “national or international focus. We don’t do local stories.” Do not send her airfare and hotel deals. Think big. She gave examples of pitches that worked. When Lou Hammond, president, Lou Hammond Associates, NY, pitched a story about a cruise on the Mississippi, Harpaz first saw this as a local story. But, she said, “Hammond pitched the story as a great American story, about the Mississippi River, about Mark Twain. I got it.” It then had national interest for the AP.
Harpaz also discussed covering the “crisis of the cruise ship in Italy,” the Costa Concordia which sank. “No one would talk about it,” she said.
She uncovered a source who would give background, illustrating how PR people could assist with a sensitive story, while building an editorial relationship for the future.
AP New York City news editor Amanda Barrett |
Amanda Barrett, New York City news editor, defined her beat as covering police, City Hall, Long Island and Westchester. Yet, she said, “We are not local news, or a local news station. We are looking for a big bang, something that can translate and go a long way.”
Stories should point to a trend or situation around the globe. “We are knee-deep in Sandy stories,’ she said. “We are looking for people in construction. There may be intersections where you (or your client) may fit in.”
Here are 10 points these editors urge you to follow to get hits in the AP:
1. Pitch as short as a Tweet -- John Simons received a pitch through email, written like a Tweet. He jumped on it. Editors and the audience were enthusiastic about this pitching style, which appeared as a revelation to both sides. “I love the idea of a pitch boiled down to a Tweet,” said an approving Harpaz.
2. Subject Line -- These editors get 100s of emails a day. The subject line of an email is imperative to convey the news, or “it will go into the ether,” said Harpaz. “I can tell from the subject line if it’s relevant to me.”
3. National angles -- AP stories need a national angle, unless you go thru a local bureau. Do not pitch more than one editor at a time.
4. Don’t call -- “Phone calls are not welcome,” stated Harpaz. “Unless it’s breaking news, you’re better off with an email rather than calling us.” Also, Harpaz says to eliminate small talk, such as, “How are you? And how was your weekend?” She’s busy. She wants to know fast, “What is the story?”
“We really don’t have time to sit on the phone or read email pitches,“ said Simons. See Subject Line, above.
5. Off the Record -- “If you can’t say something, don’t say it. Let’s have a free-flowing conversation,” said Simons. He adds, PR staff should make sure “the person you are shepherding doesn’t say something that’s sensitive.” Or, like most reporters looking for a good quote, he may print it.
6. Respect Breaking News -- Recognize when reporters will be working on a breaking news story. “Last Friday,” said Barrett, “I was covering Sandy, trying to get reporters to Far Rockaway or Staten Island and get enough gas.” This was not the time for a PR rep to call and insist on selling “the best story ever,” said Barrett, but one did. She will remember who that is.
7. Embargoes -- These are “overused and used in situations where there is no need for it,” said Simons. However, feelings differ. “If somewhat exclusive, we can work with some limits,” said Harpaz. An embargo, she explained, “Gives me time to plan the story coverage. I’ll play with the embargo, as a thank you,” she said, to get something like “a Harry Potter story” in the future.
Barrett asserted, “I’ll still ask to be first, and see how early we can get the story.”
8. Sources and Experts -- “Be willing to go beyond your client,” suggested Harpaz. If you’re working on a story which fits into a trend, or you know experts in the field who may be influential, but may not be clients, providing a source will increase your value to the reporter. “If you help me do my job better,” said Harpaz, “I’m not going to leave your guy out.”
9. Surveys -- “Almost no survey a commercial entity would do will meet our standards,” said Harpaz. “We are not permitted to use 99% of surveys” submitted. Simons said, “It doesn’t mean we won’t use anecdotal info.” Barrett had a different take, and said, “We will coordinate with our polling department to evaluate the information before using it.”
10. Editorial Decisions -- The first piece of guidance Harpaz gave to the audience was, “Google your subject and AP.” Barrett cautioned, “Stories need to stand out to justify doing them. We’re dealing with smaller staffs and have to have a big bang if I’m putting a reporter and photographer on it.”
|
At this event, the sponsor, Jim Sulley, president, Newscast, had direct experience at AP, where he worked as a photographer early in his career. Sulley did not know Beth Harpaz would be speaking, as she replaced another editor at the last minute. This became a happy reunion, as both had worked in their first jobs at Staten Island Advance, Sulley as a photographer and Harpaz as a reporter.
Additional tips included subscribing to the AP Planner. Contact Howard Goldberg, hgoldberg [at] ap [dot] org. Send events to be covered to Tom McElroy, editor, AP Daybook at APNYC [at] ap [dot] org. The date of the event and what it is should be in the subject line. Do not send attachments.
To find a reporter relevant to client stories, check out the FAQ on ap.org, which recommends contacting reporters on Twitter and gives a list of their handles at ap.org/company/FAQs.
* * *
Gayle Goodman, GGPR & Social, New York, reps creative companies and people in TV production to fashion, advertising to technology. Contact her at [email protected].