How (and Why) to Pitch a News Story to the Media or Your PR Department
No matter who you are or how great you believe your “pitch” to be, approaching a member of the media (or, in some cases, your own PR department) with a medical story idea can be intimidating.
How to Pitch a Story to the Press
Even if you have valuable health information to share, it is easy to get stuck wondering, ‘Would anyone really be interested in this?’
How to Handle a Media Interview
Imagine this scenario: A reporter and her photographer show up for an interview with the doctor, who’s agreed to squeeze them in between patients on a busy day. As they scan the tight hallway for some place to shoot, the doctor comes hurriedly out of a patient room, the collar of his polo shirt askew, looks at the crew and asks, “Now, what is it you wanted to talk about?” Later, the doctor is dismayed when his short sound bite makes little sense, the story is missing facts, and/or his shirt collar is still askew.
Is the Press Trying to Trick Me? (and other concerns for doctors who talk to the media)
I can’t tell you the number of times that, heading into an interview with a physician, just before I gave the signal to my photographer to start recording, the doctor leaned across the desk and said, “Now, no trick questions, OK?” This was inevitably followed by a nervous chuckle.