We asked the question 'is the media release dead' and generally speaking, most practitioners agree it's not dead... yet. For legal and company records alone, the media release still holds validity, particularly in the case of ASX listed companies. In today's pressured media environment, the media release can be a useful tool for journalists who have much less time to do background research. However, not all journalists want information in this format so that's why it's important to get to know journalists and find out how they want you to communicate with them. And while the media release is still relevant in some areas, the form of the 'media kit' is changing. So, what does the media kit look like in this new online world?
The old style media kit, printed material in a bound folder, does not have so much relevance today. Aside from the logistics (and cost) of getting this information to a journalist, journalists want information in electronic format for ease of use. While the media kit has changed, there are elements that translate well over to the digital space and can make your story more appealing. Thanks to digital technologies there's now a range of formats practitioners can use for media material that makes the information more engaging and interactive. This in itself may increase the chance of a journalist running your story. Techniques such as the use of infographics, podcasts, interactive images and timelines, videos are commonly used and provide a richer story than a standard media release. Many government agencies present a wealth of information online about their projects that make it easy for a journalist, or stakeholder to view information.
The ever increasing use of social media (and choice in how people consume 'news') has led to content becoming more visual than ever. This is an enormous opportunity for PR practitioners to redefine how we communicate. Joanna Drabent for PR Daily stated: "A good press release delivers facts, figures, quotes, photos, videos, insights and information about a brand, product or event in an interesting way. These serve as the basis for a story." So it's up to us as PR Practitioners to deliver this information in the most convenient, and engaging manner we can. We will continue to debate the demise of the media release and media kit, until it's gone...or superseded. Watch this space.
The old style media kit, printed material in a bound folder, does not have so much relevance today. Aside from the logistics (and cost) of getting this information to a journalist, journalists want information in electronic format for ease of use. While the media kit has changed, there are elements that translate well over to the digital space and can make your story more appealing. Thanks to digital technologies there's now a range of formats practitioners can use for media material that makes the information more engaging and interactive. This in itself may increase the chance of a journalist running your story. Techniques such as the use of infographics, podcasts, interactive images and timelines, videos are commonly used and provide a richer story than a standard media release. Many government agencies present a wealth of information online about their projects that make it easy for a journalist, or stakeholder to view information.
The ever increasing use of social media (and choice in how people consume 'news') has led to content becoming more visual than ever. This is an enormous opportunity for PR practitioners to redefine how we communicate. Joanna Drabent for PR Daily stated: "A good press release delivers facts, figures, quotes, photos, videos, insights and information about a brand, product or event in an interesting way. These serve as the basis for a story." So it's up to us as PR Practitioners to deliver this information in the most convenient, and engaging manner we can. We will continue to debate the demise of the media release and media kit, until it's gone...or superseded. Watch this space.