Learn What the Media Is Looking For

There are a number of very useful services that can let you see what reporters and bloggers are looking for, every day. They were begun as a way for journalists to put out the word about stories they are writing and find expert sources to interview, but they also serve as an excellent way for potential sources (like you) to offer to help. In fact, one of the services is called “Help a Reporter Out” (known as HARO).

HARO is famous in the PR world and if you haven’t seen it I recommend checking it out. HARO is an email newsletter that goes out three times a day, listing journalists working on stories for which they need experts to interview. If you subscribe to this free email newsletter, you can scan it for journalists who need help on your topic and respond quickly. It was started as a Facebook group in 2008 by Peter Shankman, and now is a mailing list with over 100,000 members. It is now owned by Vocus.

Another service, “Reporter Connection,” works the same way, although this free email newsletter comes out once per day and was started by Bill and Steve Harrison of Bradley Communications. There’s also ProfNet, a paid service offered by PR Newswire, which helps connect experts and journalists.

Where do you go to learn what the media is looking for?

photo credit: Felipe Morin via photopin cc