Media Relations
Overcoming Fear: Calling a Newsroom’s Assignment Desk
As I’ve laid out some of the inner workings of the newsroom the past few months, many of my new PR colleagues have expressed to me the same fear: calling the assignment desk. Many have run into the same issues, connecting with an assignment editor who doesn’t have the time to talk, being told flat …
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Confessions of a Former News Producer: One Local Reporter’s Take on The Changes That Could Win You Media Coverage
My Q&A with WRAL’s Sloane Heffernan Sloane Heffernan and I met when I was a budding news production assistant at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC. Still to this day, Sloane’s infectious smile, pixie haircut and Boston accent makes everyone want to be around her and share their stories. She has been a reporter with the station …
Confessions of a Former News Producer: Two Secrets to Helping Reporters and Producers Tell Your Story
I’m not going to lie. TV news is hard. I’m sitting here pondering all of the chaos probably going on at my former station right this second: “one shot” ringing out over the scanner, the news chopper flying over a midday police chase or house fire, a Presidential tweet, etc. You get the picture – …
Meet Our Newest McKeeman Maven, Katie Parker
McKeeman Communications, a 23-year agency specializing in public relations and communications, is proud to announce that Katie Parker has joined the company as a senior account executive and media relations manager. An Emmy-nominated television news veteran, Parker spent the past 13 years working in broadcast news in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC. McKeeman Communications CEO and owner …
Three Realities That Cut Your PR Agency Search Time in Half
First, Get the Right Fit Partner This is part one of a three-part series on healthy, successful business relationships between companies and outsourced partners. Spoiler alert: you won’t be finding any agency-client horror stories here. Helpful tips? Yes indeed. Ready for some straight talk? We’re all busy executives and business owners, so let’s just get …
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3 Steps to Avoid Getting Spooked by Crisis Situations
Let’s face it, tackling a crisis situation is not only daunting, it can be downright scary. Nothing gets the blood pumping like a social media issue going viral, or the local TV station calling for “your response” on an employee’s blunder. Crime situation? Alleged product tampering? Food-borne illness? Employee outburst caught on video? What about a poor sanitation rating or recordable …
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Crisis Management 101
Natural disasters just happen. We can prepare, but oftentimes we can’t prevent them. The same holds true for crisis situations. While you can take steps to cut issues off at the knees – before they become full-blown crises – sometimes they erupt with no warning. Now what do you do? 1. Kick your crisis team …
5 things NOT to say to a journalist
As you can imagine, in the public relations world, we are continually interacting with and building relationships with journalists. During my 25-plus years of media relations and crisis/issues management experience and into today, there’s one thing that’s remained consistent: the same media missteps continue to rear their ugly heads. What can you do to avoid the “media spokesperson …
Today’s Special: Media’s calling… now what?
For many business owners, an unexpected call from a reporter is about as fun as being caught going through a red light camera. To avoid the internal fire drill, we always recommend having a media protocol plan for your business or organization that is simple (remember the KISS philosophy?) and shared by all. Don’t know where …