So-Called Media You Should Avoid

We’ve been so busy beating up bad pitches, we forgot to warn you about the “so-called media.”

Some call them pay-for-play media. They are trade magazines and cable television shows that really want to do a story on your company, the CEO and their story—for a price.

Pay-for-play requests can cause more trouble than they’re worth. Some of the YoungPRPros asked us to unmask these Fourth Estate pretenders so you’ll be ready when you get the call. And if you’re doing your job, you’ll get the call.

Who Are They?
The outlets all have very general business names like U.S. Business Review and American Executive on the print side. TV brings us World Business Review and Pick of the Week. No big names here. And trolling their sites, the companies they profile are equally below the radar.

How Do They Work?
The reporter/producer takes a top down approach. Their assumption is that the CEO has an ego and they will delegate the opportunity to their PR people. They also assume that if the request comes from the CEO’s office, their request suddenly takes on more importance and urgency.

The CEO’s office should delegate all media requests automatically—as should the rest of the company. It’s our job to screen every request against the organization’s communication goals and objectives and only move ahead on the ones warranting our expert’s time and attention. These opportunities rarely do.

Why Do They Suck?
OK, suck is a relative word, subjectively defined. But we see a few problems.

1) No Focus: An article about shipping and logistics will run next to an article about medical technology and financial services. The content is so broad, and the circulation so small, that it’s very doubtful you hit your target market.

2) Multiple Ways to Make Money: Some, but not all of the print opportunities require actual payment. This gives the sales people wiggle room and a way to keep you on the phone.

Some of the magazines will request your company’s vendor list. They then call the vendors and ask them to support their client by running an ad with their client’s editorial.

Then after the article runs, there are reprints. All of them will push you to get reprints. And these folks are aggressive. A client of mine actually sent them a cease and desist letter.

3) Star Power: The TV shows are “hosted” by “celebrities” like Louis Gossett, Jr., Alexander Haig, Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. and Terry Bradshaw. The shows are broadcast in the wee hours of the morning/evening.

People question the effectiveness of a Super Bowl ad; why would you spend thousands of dollars to be included in a TV program you’ve never heard of that will be broadcast when no one is watching TV?!

How Should I Handle Them? If Schofield Media, Red Coat Publishing, or a production company you’ve never heard of contacts you with an opportunity that sounds too good to be true, get to the point. Ask them if there is a cost involved.

Then tell them the truth. You’re focused on earned-media opportunities and you/the client/your company does not have funds budgeted for paid media requests.

If your client or CEO is interested in it, show them it’s simply not worth it.

“Once you factor in cost and projected outcome, it's easy to demonstrate whether a given effort will be the best expenditure of resources. If you start at the right place, the result is easy,” notes Rich Barger on YoungPRPros. “If you're programming based on objectives -- helping your client change actions, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and opinions in measurable ways -- then it's easy to point out how such "opportunities" do or do not help the client achieve their goals.”

Trust me. I speak from experience when I say, just say no to pay for play media requests.

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