“Social media is exploding, it’s not just a passing fascination, it’s a way of life,” Jon Friedman, Media Web Columnist for MarketWatch, told the Publicity Club of New York. Friedman and several colleagues explained how to get press coverage in the Wall Street Journal’s new digital network.
“Everyone has a story to tell,” Friedman said, adding that having a digital format gives him more page views and the ability to try different things. He said he’s open to pitches about the media business, but wants public relations professionals to be creative and think like journalists. “Why should my readers care? Why is it important? What’s the meaning and the dollar value?” he asked, adding that he prefers pitches via email at jfriedman@marketwatch.com
Twitter and email (not facebook) are good ways to reach me, said Peter McKay, a staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal, who covers Wall Street, stocks and commodities for wsj.com, the print edition and the WSJ’s MarketBeat blog (www.wsj.com/marketbeat). “I’m looking for traders and money managers who are running a significant amount of money,” McKay said, adding that he wonders if a tweet of a press release would fulfill regulatory requirements. He can be reached at peter.mckay@wsj.com
“Don’t lead with a press release. A news tip can turn into a story,” said Peter Kafka, a senior editor who covers media and technology for All things Digital (AllThingsD.com). The web site is owned by Dow Jones, but functions autonomously, providing news, analysis and opinion about digital developments. Kafka added that “Twitter serves as a good megaphone for digital writers and occasionally as a resource for stories.” He can be reached at peter.kafka@dowjones.com
“Good PRs understand a good story, know how to find people quickly and are responsive,” said Simon Constable, afternoon host of "The News Hub,” a live, daily online news broadcast that airs weekdays at 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET on WSJ.com and MarketWatch.com. “The guests should be entertaining,” added Constable, who writes about the economy, the Federal Reserve Board and the Treasury Department in ways that any can understand. The broadcast is also available on demand and the content is also carried on Dow Jones Newswires. He can be reached at simon.constable@dowjones.com
About 500 videos are produced a month, said Julie Iannuzzi, Video Editor for The WSJ Digital Network. She also oversees the News Hub along with WSJ.com's Shawn Bender. Iannuzzi said she looks for stories where the video will complement the hard copy of a WSJ story or be able to stand on its own. She works with editors to get them thinking about video at the start of a story. “Video can drive a story,” said Iannuzzi, who can be reached at Julie.Iannuzzi@dowjones.com
All Things Digital grew out of the WSJ’s All Things Digital conference and has become a combination of blogs and newspaper columns, providing news tips, facts, opinion and analysis in text and video.
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Contact Pam Snook Public Relations for more information and an assessment of whether digital/social media PR is right for your business – pamvsnook@gmail.com or 917-544-1923.
