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CONTACT Information
Amy Fenster
Senior Producer
Show Me St. Louis, KSDK-TV (5)
Phone: 314-425-5319
Fax: 314-425-5364
Window Hotline: 314-444-5103
afenster@ksdk.gannett.com
Elaine X. Grant
Editor
St. Louis Magazine
1034 S. Brentwood Blvd., Suite 1220
St. Louis, MO 63117
Phone: 314-727-0900 x6603
Fax: 314-727-0719
egrant@stlmag.com
Joe Holleman
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Everyday Feature Writer
Phone: 314-340-8254
jholleman@post-dispatch.com
Chris Mihill
Executive Producer
Total Information AM
KMOX-Radio
Mon - Fri 5 a.m. - 9 a.m.
E-MAIL:totalam@kmox.com
cbmihill@cbs.com
Phone: 314-444-3278
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Feature This - Media Panel Aug. 19, 2004 - At the Junior League
Amy Fenster, executive producer of Show-Me St. Louis; Elaine Grant, St. Louis Magazine; Joe Holleman, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; and Chris Mihill, KMOX, discussed ways public relations professionals can help the media. They responded to a number of questions attendees and covered a variety of topics.
Grant said to get to know the editors and your target the publications. Use the publications’ editorial calendar and realize that some publications, such as St. Louis Magazine, rarely focus on individuals but incorporate them in roundup articles.
Holleman said his column is all about people. They don’t care about a business; people like to read about people, so focus on people when pitching him. Be creative when pitching the media. What might sound silly in a corporate setting might be of interest to the media; people love quirky stuff.
Fenster said “Show-Me St. Louis” selects subject matter about two to three weeks ahead of time. They focus on places to take the family, interesting people, crafts, recipes, etc.; nothing controversial. She also recommended getting to know the program. She also pointed out they go on the air at 3 p.m., so calling them at 2:45 p.m. is not a good idea.
Several of the panelists agreed they welcome receiving information about subject experts. They suggested submitting names of experts, along with contact information, which they usually file and refer to when needed. They also suggested PR professionals be proactive and alert the media to opportunities to use their experts when news breaks. Contacting the media two or three days after the news breaks is usually too late, they said. Call the day the news breaks, preferably as early as possible. Objective experts are preferred, which is why university and medial personnel often are quoted.
The panelists were not uniform in how they wish to be contacted by PR professionals. Mihill said email is the best. Fenster said she prefers to receive all contact in writing. Grant said phone calls are not good, but email is good. Faxes get lost, several agreed. Holleman said call him: “If you’re not excited enough to call me, why should I write it?” Fenster said don’t call; email or snail mail is preferred.
Fenster said PR people should deliver what they say they will deliver and not over promise. Grant added that PR representatives should realize that the media may not report the story the way the representatives want it reported. “Be sure you want us to write about it,” she said. “We may write what you don’t want us to write about.”
In feature stories, PR professionals should understand that reporters want to speak to the client, not a spokesperson. “Make sure clients understand they need to be available,” one of the panelists said. The media does not want quotes from a PR person; they want quotes from the person, which might be different for hard news, it was said.
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