Behind the ‘Black and White’……

by Dimple Verma

As a newspaper reader or a TV viewer, we often wonder how the media unfolds stories round-the-clock.  Behind any headline that is flashed, there could possibly be a sustained effort by the company in news to make its announcements public. But, is it as simple as it sounds? Editorials, the unpaid space, essentially represent the views of the journalist or the editor. Getting in here is where the challenge lies.  As an organization, if your information blends the basic ingredients of \'newswothiness\' and credibility, chances are that you could cook in the right recipe for the media.

The information transcends into publicity when an article you write makes it to the print, or when the peg that you feed the media with interests them to do a story about you or is based on a publicity release issued by a Public Relations firm you have retained. These high-visible articles, when consistently planned over a period of time, favorably impact lakhs of people reading about you. Often misunderstood as a replacement to advertising and promotions, Public Relations or publicity tactics are strategically and intricately planned to meet objectives that the former fail to achieve.

And how does one go about it? Once the strategy is in place, one has to be cautious that the press release or an article you present is not a facsimile copy of self-promotion or a sales pitch. The golden rule is to create content that not only evokes interest in the media, but also reinforces your point at the same time.

Defending your commercial interests and offering a mutually benefecial piece of news is what it takes to make it to the 'black and white'.