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Nurturing a 'Green' Reporter

1989 
Nurturing a 'green' reporter The prospect of dealing with an inexperienced reporter or editor often strikes fear in the hearts of public relations practitioners. No sooner does the reporter's ignorance of his or her beat become apparent, then visions of articles containing erroneous information, or worse, misrepresentations of your client or corporation, start dancing in your head. But before you despair, remember this: you can do more than apply your hard-won communication skills to warding off disaster. You can also turn just about any contact with a "green" reporter into a golden opportunity for publicity if you develop the relationship properly. Inexperienced reporters and editors are less jaded than their seasoned counterparts, and therefore more open to ideas for articles or other forms of coverage you propose. Equally important, they are usually more than willing to be educated about an unfamiliar product, technology or industry. Fledgling reporters present you with a rare chance, especially in your role as educator, to get your client's strategic messages across without having to battle preconseptions. You also have a made-to-order opportunity to establish your client or company spokesperson as a valuable source of industry information and insights. Once a reporter learns that he or she can depend on you for such assistance, you can look forward to coverage that is accurate and ongoing. Building such mutually beneficial relationships takes hard work. You need to focus your energies on three primary areas: * quickly determining if a reporter is inexperienced, then responding appropriately and stretegically with both verbal and written communications; * redoubling your efforts to ensure that all written communications you send to such reporters or editors--especially company backgrounders and other press materials that serve as article resources--are as clear and comprehensive as you can make them; and * educating your client or corporate spokesperson about the value of handling neophyte reporters with tenderness and care, instead of irritation or frustration. Preparing a clear plan of action that covers these areas involves some simple steps: Determine the reporter's experience To avoid misunderstandings right from the start, try to determine if a reporter is new to a beat before you make your initial telephone contact. That way, you can modify your article pitch beforehand so it conforms to the reporter's probable information needs and level of knowledge and expertise. Two rules of thumb can help you make a prior assessment. First, green reporters are most common in the trade and technology press, both because of the high staff turnover rates on these publications, and because of the rapid rate of change of technology itself. Second, if a new name appears in a magazine's staff box or as a byline on a newspaper article, and no one at your firm or company recalls any previous communications with that person, the likelihood that you've stumbled upon a fledgling is virtually certain. Of course, you can't be 100 percent sure until the initial contact itself. This is where things get tricky. Inexperienced reporters have egos too, so candid admissions of neophyte status are rarely forthcoming. (Think about it: when was the last time you called a reporter and were greeted with: "Well hello! Am I glad to hear from you! This is my first day covering VCRs, and I don't even own one, so I don't have the faintest idea where to begin..."? Generally, the indications are more subtle than that, such as a faint but unmistakable impression of bewilderment following your identification of the company you represent and the market or business it serves. At this point, you'd do well to confirm your suspicions with a diplomatic, "Is this a new area of interest for you?" If ther eporter perceives the query as an insult, you can immediately smooth ruffled feathers. …
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