There are still stations that will do something that is worthy of earned coverage, so it seems like a good time to remind you HOW to get press for your worthy things.
I just saw a gas station takeover with DJ’s pumping free gas for the first 100 cars. Will a media outlet care that people can enter their email to win gas? No. I don’t even care.
But traffic snarled up for three blocks in all directions, and crowds of people waiting to get gas? THAT is something they’ll come and shoot.
Back in the Days Of Fax, and even before, you would see stations that consistently got press. Why? Because they:
- Were savvy and didn’t just blast over a press release.
- They usually had cultivated “friends” in the other media and knew when to call in the favors.
- They presented them with “stuff” that was visual. Stuff you could film or take a photo of.
In 2026, sending a press release will basically accomplish… nothing. Unless you’re Data Corp. and you want the Business Section of the daily to acknowledge that Matt Solberg has just been acquired from Digitech and will be overseeing the outsourced fiber optic operation in Burma. (Yea Matt!)
Other than that? Nah. But you should still send them out when you have stuff to cover. But it shouldn’t be the only avenue you work.
First? Don’t overthink this. I do most of my press foraging with an IPA and Netflix from the couch in the evening.
Second, a quick reminder on press releases:
- Don’t “over” release the media. When you have something good? Hit ‘em.
- Learn how to write them. Over-hypey (“those zany morning show nuts, Karl and Googie…”) Details. Facts. Straight-forward.
- Follow up with “stupid viewer/reader” calls. “Hey, I’m stuck in traffic on 35 and was wondering what is with the car hanging from the crane in the parking lot at Lowes? I thought you might know.”
The best way to get press nowadays? Is to work the ‘net. It. Is. Work. But. It. Works.
Make a list of as many pop culture, gossip, and related websites as you can dig up. Save this. And when you have something worth sharing, hit ‘em. And you should also have the “tips” links to USA Today, Associated Press, all the daily papers, suburban papers (for when you have something community-specific), and the TV stations and affiliates.
When Chunky from Now in NY flew a banner over Kim Kardashian’s house last month, Jodi at CBS had a media contact list that was broken down into bloggers, TV, and print by region of the market.
Every scenario requires a different approach. Here are some examples:
Scenario #1: Launching Your Ratings Contest
So you’re bringing back Pay Your Card Off for the eighth time. Cool. No one at TV6 is going to care. Don’t bother them with it. You can desensitize the assignment desk to the point where they won’t even open your emails.
Scenario #2: The Big Culmination Of Your Ratings Contest
This Thursday, Charlie from Jamz 96.3 is parachuting into the parking lot at Albany Square Mall. If she lands in your square, you win a Prius. Send out the press releases. Follow up with the calls the day of. Is the mall in a specific suburb? Hit them too.
AFTERWARD, hit the “stupid video content” websites I’m attaching. Hit CNN’s iReport from on-site. Hit the local paper for the winner.
Scenario #3: Your Backstage Contest Winner
Debby from Forest Lake High School won the passes to meet Olivia Rodrigo at the Target Center. Make sure to hit her school paper with the pic, and also the Forest Lake Times. Besides them? No one will care. But the school and community paper will cover it. Guaranteed.
Scenario #4: The Morning Show Phoner
Melissa Joan Hart is going to be on the morning show on Wednesday to talk about her new movie, Paige Nienaber Is Pretty Damn Cool. Don’t bother with press releases, and, unless anything she says is really shocking or stupid, don’t waste time with other media.
However, there are only about 100 Alyson Hannigan fan sites. Let them know a few days in advance. Send them a link so all their stal…fellow fans can listen online.
Scenario #5: The Topical Bombshell
I got Wired in Philly literally on the news around the world when they bannertowed Charlie Sheen. Ditto with Dave Ryan bannertowing Brett Favre. It got a news story in Greece. It was a killer visual.
First, send it to Drudge, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, The Today Show, and Fallon.
Then what you want to do is climb the Google engine. You do that by posting it over and over x 1000.
For instance, you’re marrying two cats in honor of Taylor Swift’s wedding. Cool. Sit down, hit all of the above media, the local media, and then… Google “Taylor Swift wedding”. Add your link and one sentence blurb to every news story and social media post in the comments. The paper in Hattiesburg, the paper in Toledo, a TV station social media post in Reno… post and post and post and post.
It works. I got KLUC’s 9/11 10th anniversary song covered in Mumbai.
Scenario #6: The Celebrity In-Studio Experience
Jessica Simpson was on the air with Dave in Minneapolis, burped in a water bottle, they sealed it, and posted it on eBay. Go straight to every pop culture site and page and do not pass Go. Start posting. I wouldn’t waste my time on the local media, though.
Scenario #7: Stupid Human Tricks
Hot in Ottawa did “Dancing With Cars.” Q in Memphis did Human Bowling for the Super Bowl. KOB-FM in Albuquerque did “Green Day & Ham” (pig races). Press release before, stupid viewer/reader calls, be alert for local or high school angles, and when you get that million-hit YouTube clip, send it again. Also, if there is a sports angle, look for fan sites of the team in question. For the Lambeau banner tow, I hit every freaking Viking fan site that I could find. The photo got printed in Panama. I kid you not. But it was work.
Scenario #8: The Campaign
If this is not just a one-day thing but is going to spread out over a week, hit them with updates. Create a theme. Have some fun with it. A straight press release that Chet is now on Day 11 of his scaffold sit and has filled nine semi-trucks with donations, is going to end up with the pancake breakfast letter from the Lutheran Church. Have an elf deliver it. Have the total spelled out in candy cane font. Something other than a regular release.
In the case of Conan O’Brien choosing Y94 in Fargo as his replacement gig, that kind of huge pop culture topical thing that brought a whole community together in the process? Daily releases, hit all the ‘burbs, hit the links; spreading the word should take over your life for a week.
Scenario #9: The Big Event
I’ll use the White Castle weddings in Chicago and New York as an example. I was at NOW the day before, and Jodi and her people were barraging the press with calls, follow-ups, info, and invites. And it worked. They busted their butts for days with traditional and aggressive contacts with the media, and in New York City… they got TV.
Because? They had a great visual. Two dorks getting married in a White Castle. You HAVE to think like a TV cameraman. Can you shoot people texting for BEP tickets? No. Can you shoot them holding handfuls of frozen peas (The River in Nashville)? Yes.
And then, when you have your wacky footage, start hitting the sites that take and beg for wacky footage.
There ya go. Your two press-worthy opportunities right now are Gas and Taylor. Go get some coverage. And if you truly have a nuke, email me at [email protected], and I’ll help.
