Well, OK, most of them. If you’re a public relations director for any organization here in South Mississippi, feel free to ignore this. For the rest of the public relations universe, read and heed.
If you’re going to pitch a satellite interview to the producer of WDAM’s News 7 Today (that would be me), please make sure there’s either a Mississippi connection. If your suggested interview involves some sort of TV program, make sure it airs on NBC or is a show we at WDAM air in off-network hours. Otherwise, you’re wasting your breath and my time.
I’ve already told my tale of this dimbulb from last year. Try to book interview time via satellite with Holly Robinson Peete on a show on The WB network. Yeah, like we want to encourage our viewers to flip the channel to something else.
Earlier today, essentially the same thing. I get an e-mail from D.J. Hamilton at Direct Media Services in New York that started, “How are you? I have an interview opportunity that would be fantastic for the morning show that wants to give their viewers the fashion edge!” Turns out it’s an interview with Stacy London, hostess of TLC’s What Not To Wear, on fall fashions.
Whoop-dee-doo!! No offense to the What Not To Wear folks. But if people are interested in this sort of stuff, they’ll tune in to Stacy’s show.
Sorry, but I can’t allow WDAM to be a “pawn” in publicity for a show that airs on cable. Besides, it’s my understanding as News 7 Today airs, all our satellites are taking other feeds. So, any deviation’s going to jeopardize our whole station operation.
So, to the P.R. universe at large (again, excluding those here in the Pine Belt…you live in this area like us), for a *really* good satellite interview idea, make sure your suggestion includes some sort of Mississippi connection. What do I mean by that? Well, an interview with a newsmaker with ties to our state should, at the least, get your “foot in the door”. Newsmakers can be politicians and/or celebrities. You can do the research from there to fill in the blanks.
If you’re going to pitch an idea that includes a TV show, again, make sure there’s an NBC connection. If it’s a syndicated show, might want to make sure it airs on WDAM.
Otherwise, your idea’s going straight to File 13 without passing Go, without collecting $200 and certainly without further discussion.
OK, end of rant. Carry on.