Pitching story ideas to reporters. The 2nd presentation from the 8th annual media relations summer camp for nonprofits and community groups presented by the Hamilton Spectator and Mohawk College.

1. How to Pitch a Story
Media relations summer camp
2015

3. Email your pitch

4. 90.7% of reporters prefer
pitches by email.
Less than 10% prefer phone.
2.7% prefer social media.
Vocus State of the Media Report 2014

5. One email per reporter.
One email per newsroom.

6. You have about 30 seconds to make your pitch.

7. • Subject line is your headline.
Treat the subject line like your headline.
One screen. No scrolling.
No attachments. Links okay.
Make your point with bullets.
Don’t write the story yourself.

8. WSIC
Poster child
One sentence bio + contact info
When to interview
Where to interview
About you – one sentence
boilerplate

9. Email 3-4 business
days before
your event.
Never the day of
or hour before.

10. Be available on weekends.

12. From: Robb, Jay
Sent: May 1, 2015 9:06 AM
To: ereilly@thespec.com
Subject: A pretty cool Mohawk prof wins North America award for online learning
Emma:
Prof Shaun Iles just won a North American award for online learning excellence. He's one
of four educators and the only prof from a community college.
Shaun was a high school drop-out working at Limeridge Mall. He went back to school at
Mohawk and then on to Mac and I believe U of T. He's now seen as a leader in
developing online courses. His Mohawk course is on sustainability and there's been a
marked increase in student retention and higher grades. Shaun's invited to conferences
around the world to talk about the work he's doing.
A great guy who we'd really like to clone at Mohawk. Here's more on the award:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2015/05/prweb12689306.htm
Shaun's at: @sustainprof on Twitter, (905) 575-1212 ext. 3984
shaun.iles@mohawkcollege.ca

13. From: Robb, Jay
Sent: June 4, 2015 2:12 PM
To: Carla Ammerata; MacIntyre, Nicole
Subject: Mom, daughter graduating from Mohawk next week
Carla and Nicole:
Mohawk's Convocation ceremonies are next week. We have approx. 5,000 students graduating.
We have a mother and daughter graduating. Mom returned to school after being in a serious car
accident. She'll be completing her fifth diploma / certificate at Mohawk with honours in all 5 programs.
She also volunteers with the Mohawk Student's Association and the college's Student Engagement
Office - does campus tours for new students and helps at college events and serves as a class rep and
tutor.
The mom persuaded her daughter, son and partner to go to Mohawk as well. At one point, they were all
at Mohawk and studying in their living room.
Mom is Tammy Cox, 46. Cell is 289 xxx xxxx. Grade average is 89. Graduating June 10 from the Paralegal
program.
Daughter is Victoria Ligaj, 20. Graduating June 11 from Recreation and Leisure.
Below's my email exchange with Tammy for more background info....
Cheers,
•