Home
>
Public Relations
>
Put Yourself in the Reporters Shoes

Put Yourself in the Reporters Shoes

Imagine you're the technology reporter at a daily newspaper. You learn that a new computer virus is making the rounds on the Net and you find that it has shut down three local banks within the past few hours. You're desperately searching for information on the virus, names and phone numbers of experts who can tell you about it, ways to prevent the virus from spreading, how to eradicate the virus and repair the damage to computers, and a spokesperson from at least one of the banks so you can get a quote for your article -- all before 5 PM so you can write the story that will appear on tomorrow's front page. Whew!

I'll bet you're feeling a bit frazzled and impatient. Where would you start?

Right. You'll look in your database for a local computer expert to help you understand the scope of the problem, the damage expected and how to fix it.

You call the first one. No answer. You don't have a cell phone number. So you call the next expert. She's not in her office but you call her cell phone and she answers. You get most of the information you need and several website references to look up the rest. This woman is a saint!

Now that you understand the problem, you call Bank #1, but you can't get through to anyone except the receptionist, and she's not helpful. You call Bank #2 and the president takes your call but says, "No comment." You secretly think she's an idiot and vow never to talk to her again.

You call Bank #3 and the marketing director is very helpful. He begins with, "How can I help you?" and then gives you a brief summary of the situation, offers to set up a meeting within the next few minutes with the president and the bank's IT director. "In the meantime," says Mr. Marketing Director, "please take a look at our website. Our Media Room is up-to-date. There you'll find bios and photos of our president, Mr. Boss, and our IT director, Mr. Whizkid. The photos are in various sizes, downloadable and suitable for printing. There's also a copy of our last annual report, information about our locations and number of employees, and much more that might be helpful to your story."

You go to the website. It's very easy to navigate and you find everything you need to complete your story. Now all you need are a couple of good quotes and you're done. The interview goes off without a hitch. Everyone is open and honest. You get great quotes.

Now you have all the information you need and finish the story in time to have a drink after work with your friends. You tell them about the terrific marketing director at Bank #3, saying, "I love that man."

Now step out of the reporter's shoes and think about your company. If you were really in this situation, you'd like to be Bank #3, wouldn't you? What does your Media Room look like? Do you have everything you need there? Is it easy to navigate? To find out what you should include, read "Does Your Media Room Rock?" here: http://ezinearticles.com/?make-sure-your-media-room-rocks&id=2045

Lois Carter Fay, APR, is a 30-year veteran in the P.R. and marketing field. She works with women business owners and small business owners to help them improve their businesses.

She now produces three marketing ezines, Brainy Tidbits, Brainy Flash, and Success Secrets of Women Entrepreneurs. All are free. Visit http://ezinearticles.com/?make-sure-your-media-room-rocks&id=2045 or http://ezinearticles.com/?make-sure-your-media-room-rocks&id=2045 to subscribe and claim your free special report.

move in cleaning service Mundelein ..

In The News:

Quick iPhone and Android battery optimization techniques help your device stay powered all day by turning off hidden features that secretly drain power in the background.

Kodiak Driver autonomous truck achieves perfect 98 safety score, matching top human fleets in groundbreaking AI evaluation by Nauto's VERA system.

New 401k catch-up contribution rules in 2026 will change taxes for high earners over 50. Learn how scammers exploit these changes and protect your retirement savings.

Kurt Knutsson's guide covers social media privacy protection through location settings, account privacy controls and two-factor authentication to prevent scams and data breaches.

Revolutionary retinal implant restores central vision in 80% of patients with advanced macular degeneration, offering hope where treatments once only slowed blindness.

Learn how to use passkeys on Windows and Mac computers without cameras or fingerprint readers. Discover secure authentication methods that replace passwords.

Tesla's FSD v14.1.2 update reintroduces Mad Max mode, enabling higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than the standard Hurry profile setting.

A phishing email scam targeting American Express customers shows how cybercriminals use fake urgent messages to steal personal and financial information.

Facebook's new Meta AI feature analyzes your camera roll photos to create polished collages automatically, but requires cloud processing and raises privacy concerns.

A New Jersey teenager filed a major lawsuit against AI/Robotics Venture Strategy 3 Ltd. over ClothOff, an AI tool that created fake nude images from her social media photos.

Microsoft reports Storm-2657 cybercriminals sent phishing emails to 6,000 addresses at 25 universities to steal payroll credentials and redirect funds.

Astronomers have discovered asteroid 2025 SC79, a skyscraper-sized space rock orbiting the sun in just 128 days. the second-fastest known.

The Fox News AI Newsletter delivers the latest developments form the world of artificial intelligence, including the technology's challenges and opportunities.

A cyberattack on SimonMed Imaging exposed personal information of 1.2 million patients, including medical records, financial details and identity papers.

Spotify's managed accounts for kids under 13 now available in at least seven countries, allowing parents to filter and block explicit content and songs.

Friendly text conversations about BBQs and social events can lead to WEEX gold trading scams that target older adults with fake investment opportunities.

California company Skyeports creates self-healing glass spheres from Moon regolith that generate solar power and support plant growth for sustainable lunar living.

Cleafy researchers discover fake VPN streaming app Mobdro Pro that installs Klopatra banking Trojan, giving attackers full control over Android devices.

Police departments across the U.S. and Canada are adopting virtual reality training to better prepare officers for high-pressure, real-world situations.

House Bill 469 would prevent AI systems from owning property, serving as executives, or gaining legal personhood in Ohio under Representative Thaddeus Claggett's proposal.

Public voter records expose retirees' personal details to election scammers who create targeted cons using names, addresses, and voting history data.

Instead of fearing what comes next with artificial intelligence, think outside the box. Here are high-earning AI jobs that don't require a computer science degree.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says polite words like "please" and "thank you" cost millions annually, while direct prompts may improve ChatGPT accuracy by several points.

Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat exposed intimate conversations and photos, revealing users spent up to $18,000 on AI companions before the breach.

New Instagram parental controls allow families to manage teen screen time and content limits through the Family Center with stricter safety settings.

Put Yourself in the Reporters Shoes

Public Relations