in: Public Relations
by: Katie Hellmuth Martin
As the media contracts and consolidates its properties in an effort to save money, editors and producers are put in charge of more than one publication or TV program. For example: when you pitch the producer Alvin Patrick at "60 Minutes," he also is a producer at "CBS This Morning," "CBS Evening News With Nora O'Donnell" and "Face The Nation."
Does this mean you can pitch him 1 idea that would work for any of those shows?
No. Each program is wildly different. For instance, "60 Minutes" does long-form stories. The evening news produces shorter clips, and they do have different tones and cater to different audiences in different frames of mind. While it may seem convenient to blanket-pitch one pitch that you suggest could work for any of those media properties, it won't help you land the pitch.
Producers and editors get a lot of emails every single day. Plus DMs and other passive pitches. For them to do any extra thinking would be hurdle in your pitch. Your pitch needs to be so spot on, that they don't need to give it any second thoughts of how it could be crafted to work in another format.
Tin Shingle's Media Contact Idea Center does try to show you different media outlets where people work, so that you can be aware of where else a story idea or angle may fit.
PS: FWIW, we here at Tin Shingle think it's a bad idea to put people in charge of so many properties. It causes brain confusion and states of being overwhelmed. People can work best when they specialize. Corporations who own media properties should get creative and less corporate about their brands. They should untangle how the business side has been working.
