Coming from the big metropolis of Arlington, Texas as the 48th largest city in the U.S. and settling into the small military suburb of White Settlement, one of the questions from my peers I receive most deals with how do I still generate so many news stories? While a blog post on a topic like this could be a dissertation, I will focus on some basic fundamentals of what makes news.
First and foremost, relationships matter the most. As a deputy police chief serving as the chief spokesperson in Arlington for more than a decade, my time as a strategic communication advisor led to development of meaningful, deep relationships with local, regional, and national media. Being able to pick up a telephone and immediately connect with a network of traditional news media professionals that know me cannot be underestimated. With that said, news media in the Dallas-Fort Worth market are professionals. They don’t cut breaks. They approach stories objectively. This means that even if something adverse happens in our department, the story will still run – the difference being that we will be in front of the story – strategically.
The following principles can serve as a reminder on what makes news:
- Currency – The fact that a lot of people in your community are talking about something might lend itself to a story.
- News value – I have developed about ten different news values that are typically found in stories. The more news values present, the better chances that a story will be covered.
- Tips – People call news desks all the time. Hundreds of emails are received by the media. Community members tag media on social posts. Sources, internally and externally, can tip off the media. Good reporters develop positive relationships with your employees and residents, which sometimes leads to tips.
- Monitoring – In the same vein that police departments monitor social media keywords for safety, the news media spends money on powerful monitoring platforms that alerts them about an unfolding incident or situation.
- Slow News Day – The proverbial “slow” news day sometimes occurs – maybe more often in smaller markets. Things that would not normally receive attention are now covered because it’s a slow news day.
- OUE – There’s an old saying that reins true to this day – the odd, unusual, and extraordinary makes the news.
- Strategy – This is where you come in. A strategic leader and communicator can position a story to be covered. Maybe you send B-roll footage along with a well-scripted news release to increase the likelihood of getting coverage. Maybe, a phone call to the news desk or producer can sway an opinion to generate news coverage. Regardless of approach, strategic advisors and leaders who commit to The Art of Strategic Communication can increase the likelihood of being covered.
Our next blog post will cover the ten elements of traditional news values. Until next time, keep thinking and communicating strategically.