Master Media Engagement
October 17th, 2019Good news: we have some strategies to help you get there. But first, some context. For three years in the mid-1980s, I worked for the world’s largest PR agency. My job consisted of getting client spokespeople on TV, on radio and in the newspaper. Before social media democratized people’s ability to get attention, big corporations […]
read more...So, you want to be on television…Better Writing
September 20th, 2014I first learned this lesson from the Miss Canada beauty pageant, but on Thursday three Informed Opinions’ “grads” reminded me of it… If a reporter calls or emails to solicit your informed opinion about an current controversy or topical story, that’s an opportunity for you to provide additional analysis — that you have more control over — […]
read more...What’s the easiest news hook for your next op ed?Improve your Writing
July 28th, 2013I have no legal training or experience in the sex trade. No one would ever mistake me as a candidate for the corner office of a large corporation. I am not a celebrity and have never been pregnant. And yet in recent months, major daily newspapers have published my commentary about: a supreme court hearing […]
read more...Expert status less important than insightful contextImprove your Writing
January 19th, 2013… of the news story, that is. It’s a great strategy to increase your likelihood of publication: if you know that a research report, government announcement or legal decision is about to be released, and your informed opinion about the issue can offer insightful context and analysis, contacting op ed page editors in advance of […]
read more...Getting AheadImprove your Writing
August 30th, 2012At our Informed Opinions Writing Compelling Commentary workshops, we ask participants to identify a news hook related to their thesis that will ensure editors view their op ed as timely and relevant. It helps to give them a reason to publish the commentary now, versus three weeks from now (which often translates to never.) Because […]
read more...Google delivers news hooks as they happenMaster Media Engagement
February 18th, 2011At 3:18 pm Wednesday, University of Victoria law prof Rebecca Johnson sent a three-sentence email to Dave Obee, op ed page editor of the Times Colonist, expressing her interest in writing a commentary about a news story that had appeared in that day’s paper. He responded almost immediately, asked her what angle she was interested […]
read more...How to have impact in under 24 hours