Getting noticed in a shrinking print media industry - Part III

21 October 2009

The media landscape is changing rapidly and fundamentally, posing challenges for both journalists and media relations professionals.

Buchan's success stories in recent months provide some insights into how best to get noticed in a rapidly shrinking media landscape.

1. Build online partnerships. As a consultant on executive remuneration to many high profile companies, Mercer must maintain a careful balance when commentating on the issue, but still find a way to drive debate. Buchan decided to approach a media partner to co-host an executive remuneration roundtable, to raise Mercer's profile as a leading expert and generate a more informed discussion. We partnered exclusively with leading on-line business publication, Business Spectator, which resulted in finance journalist, Alan Kohler, facilitating a discussion between three non-executive directors, a governance expert and Mercer Executive Remuneration specialists. This resulted in detailed coverage in a leading online business publication by one of Australia's most respected columnists. It provided an effective way for Mercer to share insights and commence a dialogue with clients and is an example of how to use media activity to link a business with clients.

2. Provide solutions not just problems. While there is a lot of commentary around how super accounts are shrinking and how retirees don't have the assets to survive retirement, there have been few solutions put forward. Our client, Milliman, was able to offer at least a partial solution with its hybrid financial products and received media exposure in the nation's major media outlets, including the Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, ABC's Lateline and a range of financial industry publications.

3. News must be new. Pursuing media angles linked to the global financial crisis has been both fraught and highly rewarding. While the crisis grabbed attention, it was also over-reported, with many journalists are becoming highly selective. A good example that attracted attention was a story by debt collection agency client, Prushka. It issued federal court statistics backed by comments that showed instances of private schools suing parents for unpaid fees had risen 25 per cent. The implication was that private schools are taking a tougher line on debt and that more parents are struggling to pay school fees. The story provided an insight into a structural manifestation of the crisis and in itself had wider implications. Buchan secured more than 150 media articles from this story over a five-week period, and journalists continued to return to the story for further updates and insights. The coverage helped position the client as part economic commentator and part advocate for the rights of parents and schools. Importantly, it also helped forge stronger relationship between Buchan and several journalists who were hungry for something new to report about the crisis.

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