Deborah Berry
Deborah Berry

Speaking at a PRSA National Capital Chapter (PRSA-NCC) “Meet the Media” virtual Zoom meeting on Oct. 1, Deborah Berry, award-winning national correspondent for USA Today, provided insight into her day-to-day life as a working journalist and offered tips on the best ways to send her press releases, news conference announcements and story ideas.

In the session moderated by Denise Douglas, a PRSA-NCC board member, director of communications for the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office and a former reporter, Berry emphasized that she values her public relations and communications contacts, whether from an agency, corporation, government agency, educational institution or more.

She added that PR pros and journalists can have a mutually beneficial relationship that is based on honesty and trust and a willingness to get to know each other.

“Some of the best stories I’ve worked on have been because I’ve had a relationship with a PR person,” she exclaimed.

“It pays to nurture that for both of us,” she added.

Berry’s Passion for Journalism

Based in Washington, D.C., Berry has more than 30 years of experience in the news business. As a national correspondent for USA Today, she covers voting rights, civil rights and politics.

During the session she spoke about how her passion for journalism began at an early age. She started out writing about sports for her high school paper.

“I really care about telling people stories,” she asserted.

She spoke about how when she was a regional correspondent working for Gannett she covered Washington, D.C. and also Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana and additional Southern states.

“I covered issues that were relevant to that region,” she explained.

“The Deep South is ripe for voter rights and civil rights. So, I began to cover that as part of my beat. It became such a rich, rewarding beat to cover. It became my passion, my specialty,” she added.

Changes in the Newspaper Industry

Berry spoke about changes in the newspaper industry and how the Internet and social media have changed the business.

“I’ve been in business for a long time, so I’ve seen a lot of changes,” she said.

She asserted, “Online is our way. The industry has moved a lot towards online and digital.”

However, she added that print is still important. “We still value the print production. We love to still pick up a newspaper.”

With the focus on digital there is a need to get stories out fast, accurate and make them attractive to readers.

She added, “We’re in this news cycle that never stops.”

“We’re competitive, we’re a business. The fundamentals of journalism are still the same. We need to be factual, we need to have it right,” she said.

She continued, “We still want our readers to benefit from what we produce.”

What She is Looking for in Pitches from PR Pros

When asked what type of stories she is looking for, she added, “News is about timeliness.” This is the same for local newspapers as it is for USA Today.

She emphasized the importance of pitching local newspapers and news organizations with story ideas.

For impact, “Go for the local news organizations.”

By pitching local news sources she added, “That will help you go a long way in getting some local coverage, which often times leads to national coverage.”

Also, when sending a pitch, make sure to address your e-mail with her name. “Take a minute, two minutes, to look up who you’re pitching it to,” said Berry. People pitching her must understand her beat and the stories she covers.

Invitations to events or press conferences should be sent to her well in advance so she can plan to attend, as she also has to pitch her editor on story ideas and events.

Of utmost importance is the headline of a press release. It should contain the right keywords so she can see immediately if the topic is appropriate to the issues she covers.

And she cautioned not to do a “bait and switch” with the headline, where the headline appears to cover one topic, but the release is about something unrelated. That will affect the credibility of the PR or communications professional.

“Trust is mutual,” she said.

Press releases should get to the point right away in the first or second paragraph Berry continued. She doesn’t have time to read through five or six paragraphs to find out what a release is about.

“Don’t bury the lede,” she asserted.

Of course, as PR pros know, the press release must include detailed contact information, including an e-mail and a phone number, and the city and state of the subject or company named in the release. Those quoted in a press release should be available for further comment in a timely manner.

Berry does appreciate a follow-up e-mail, not of course, a lot of them, but a single reminder e-mail works as she is constantly busy researching and writing her stories and meeting deadlines.

Meeting in Person Still Important

Berry talked about how she enjoyed and still enjoys getting together with her contacts one-on-one in person, even if just for a brief coffee chat when possible.

This ties in with her belief in the value of PR pros and journalists getting to know one another.

Even a quick Zoom chat can be productive for both parties.

“Sometimes 15 minutes can go a long way,” she asserted.

Deborah Berry has worked on several award-winning projects, including Seven Days of 1961, 1619: Searching for Answers and Deadly Discrimination, a series on how racist policies fueled the spread of COVID in communities of color. Before joining Gannett News Service/USA Today, she worked for Newsday, Knight Ridder Washington Bureau, The Providence Journal and others. She has won many awards, including a Pulitzer as part of a team at Newsday and several from the National Association of Black Journalists. She is a 2023 Nieman Fellow.

Chartered in 1949 by The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), PRSA-NCC is one of the oldest, largest and most diverse chapters in the nation. Members include professionals from agencies, non-profits, associations, corporations, federal government offices, the military and independent practitioners.

The chapter hosts more than 40 professional development programs each year, both in-person and virtual, along with networking events and professional growth opportunities.