Kayla Cobb

📺The lightning speed at which we see the media landscaping changing is making the jobs of both journalists and public relations pros challenging on the best days. Public relations experts are being forced to rethink earned media strategies. The common response from media organizations to many pitches is "we are short staffed." 📰So, how can you help tell your story? I think the key is understanding how "your story" is really "their (media) story." It's imperative for public relations folks to understand the demands on today's media professionals. It's important to understand what their daily editorial needs and pressure are (and they do change daily.) If you can anticipate this, you can craft a winning strategy. 📻"Newsjacking" may be the new buzz word, but it's really a tried and true practice that requires daily discipline. 1. Tie your messages to stories that are at the top of the news cycle. Don't assume the media will make the connection. 2. Deliver your message with real value (if you try to fake it, you will lose credibility and cost yourself future appearances.) 3. Make yourself available when the media is willing to interview you (You only get on the media merry-go-round on their schedule.) "Newsjacking" creates a real-time, mutually beneficial relationship between the media and your message. Here is an example from Florida Poison Information Center tying their poison prevention message to a CDC warning about online pharmacies. https://lnkd.in/edPGpRwC

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This upcoming webinar from The Association of Health Care Journalists promises to be informative and helpful for anyone looking to learn more about health care costs

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As an exit assignment last week, I tasked my students with writing down questions they have about journalism. Maybe you can help me answer a couple of them? (Some questions have been edited for clarity.) What is journalism all about? Why is journalism important? What’s the best way to share journalism with people? What is doing journalism like? Is it hard to be a journalist? How do you become a journalist? How old do you need to be a journalist? Do you have to be a perfect writer to do journalism? Can you go on an adventure if you’re a journalist? (Folo: Flat Journo project? It would be my dream to get a student's Flat Journo on Air Force One.) How long is your shift?

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Public relations professionals, from someone who receives dozens of your pitches on a daily basis, I beg of you; please stop referring to the analysis or raw results of your internet polls as "studies." Claims like "XX% of Americans prefer this...." based on your polling are similarly going to get your email address blocked very quickly. It's pseudo-science that the caliber of journalists you want to work with have no interest in dispersing. A legitimate study may use surveying, but it's far more sophisticated than throwing up a series of multiple choice questions online and hoping you get some responses. Real anthropologists and sociologists deploy methods so that in their evaluation of their data, they can easily share with the community: Exactly who took part in the survey and exactly who didn't When the survey was conducted, how it was conducted, and whether people were compensated for their participation What the exact language of the survey questions were and why that language was chosen over other ways to state the same questions Why a specific study group was used in a particular survey How they included a control group to measure the data from the study group against and what was different in the control group's experience How they accounted for people misrepresenting their actions or opinions in the survey along with the perceived biases of the groups that took part in the survey If your process wasn't at least that vigorous, you didn't conduct a study. That doesn't mean your work has no value. It simply means that you need to be honest and transparent about what you are sharing. If it's just an online poll that was open to the public for a few hours, please don't embellish it. You'll get a lot farther with the journalists you want to work with in being honest about what you are presenting than trying to sell them the digital equivalent of snake oil.

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QUICK LOOK: Anchoring and investigative reporting... here are just a few examples of what I've been up to in the last year at WAFB #Anchor #InvestigativeReporter #Journalism

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T-minus...not very many hours until Election Day. Are you ready? ***Those in the PR/Comms industries: How are you handling Election Day for your brand/org, your employees, and most of all...yourself?*** [Me: We have the editorial calendar planned this week with flexibility for important election-related pieces if they come in. I'm working on several election-unrelated pieces. Taking time out to vote on Tuesday. Taking walk breaks/cat cuddling breaks Tuesday and Wednesday. Buying MORE candy. Already decided on ordering out for dinner Tuesday night with husband. ] Take care. Be gentle with yourself and others. Eat as much candy as you want.

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New, from me: The industry's tools, resources and training for stronger enterprise and investigative journalism must adjust to a local news ecosystem now dominated by tiny newsrooms.

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Suffice it to say that it has been an extremely busy 2024 so far in the journalism world. So, I decided to take time this holiday weekend to share some of my favorite work via my personal website. Check it out by following this link: https://lnkd.in/e_NQFQw6 #journalism #storyteller #newspaper #media #wordpress #sportsmedia #newsmedia #journalist

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If you're a local or trade news publisher and want to reignite your readership and reinvent the way you source and generate news, check out the Newspage News Desk. News Desk is a white label editorial solution for publishers, powered by Newspage, that enables publishers to turn their readers into an extension of their news teams. Our proven and proprietary tech helps publishers unlock their subscribers’ intel, derisk their content, streamline their editorial processes and drive ad revenues through increased relevance, engagement and shareability. Imagine that. We'll be offering progressive publishers, both vertical and local, exclusivity on our tech — and an opportunity to own their sector rather than churn out the same old crap that nobody cares about. Read all about it on the link below. If you want to discuss, message me. When I'm sober, I'll message you back. If you're a percentage player, message Jonny Stevens. He's a lager top so will get back to you in 30 seconds flat. #newsavoidance #newsmedia #media #publishing #newspublisher https://lnkd.in/eD3FC4H5

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On Monday we announced The Podcast Professionals Association had officially launched! We are here to support the backbone of the podcasting world—producers, marketers, editors, and more. We’ve filed for 501(c)(6) status and are the Podcast Industry's only Non-Profit Organization focused on Podcast Service Professionals. This critical step allows the Podcast Professionals Association to advocate for our members and promote industry standards with integrity. #PodcastAdvocacy #Nonprofit #PodcastIndustry As a Podcast Professionals Association member, you can create a detailed profile that showcases your skills, experience, and services to the entire podcasting community. These profiles are a powerful tool to attract collaborations, clients, and opportunities within the industry. Stand out and let your expertise shine! 🌟 Connect. Collaborate. Grow. #PodcastProfessionals #MemberBenefits #Visibility #PPA Increase your Podcast Business or Career! As a member of the Podcast Professionals Association, you get access to an exclusive Member Profile page where you can showcase your skills, experience, and services to the podcasting community. This is a powerful tool to attract collaborations, clients, and industry recognition. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to elevate your visibility and grow your network. Join the PPA today and start shining! 🌟 https://lnkd.in/grC-p6ZQ #PodcastProfessionals #JoinPPA #Visibility #PodcastCommunity

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At some point during a PR pro's day/week/month/career, they've asked themselves this question: “What was wrong with my pitch?” It could be the wrong contact. It could be the timing. It could even be that you've missed that one detail that pulls the story together. On Wednesday, October 2 Carve Communications, Inc.'s very own Mariela Azcuy will be hosting a Carved Out Conversations with Tech Target’s Don Fluckinger to get a journalist's perspective on what PR pros may be missing in their pitches. With decades of experience across the tech landscape, Don has received his fair share of “near misses” – those pitches that almost succeeded but didn’t cross the finish line into published stories. Some great discussions will include: ⭐ Turn a “near miss” into a hit ⭐ Build solid relationships with journalists  ⭐ How to keep yourself off the blocked list with Don’s tips and tricks Register now and come with questions – take advantage of the opportunity to pick the media’s brain live! https://lnkd.in/eMGFARsT #marketing #pragency #pr #mediarelations #strategy

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Fascinating piece by Axios’ Sara Fischer about Substack and its growth. ❓ A question for my PR friends out there.... Has it become a go-to venue for you? Have you had success offering clients as sources to the newsletters? Key takeaways: 📈 "More than 22 politics, news, business and tech Substack newsletters have "tens of thousands" of paid subscribers." …And “More journalists are heading to Substack following layoffs and volatility at their former outlets, instead of freelancing.” Please share your thoughts/insights in the comments…   #mediarelations #PR #publicrelations #marketing

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In this monologue, Dan Harris, political and current affairs commentator and co-host of the 'Over Here, Over There' podcast, discusses the anxiety surrounding the upcoming 2024 presidential election - and has a clear message for President Joe Biden: https://lnkd.in/eyasNc6G

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The evolution of influence - how is public relations changing? The new Notified/PRWeek report examines this very question. We surveyed 155 leading PR pros to learn how to build stronger trust with stakeholders, the best ways to combat misinformation and how corporate storytellers feel about AI in 2024.   Get the findings now: https://lnkd.in/gayFpq9J #PublicRelations #PR #AI

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Journalism is not a crime.

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The communications/marketing hill I'll die on: I hate "giving days." Having been in the non-profit and education sectors for parts of my career, I understand why they exist. I don't fault organizations (especially smaller ones) for doing them, and I certainly don't fault those who give on these particular days to support causes they're passionate about. They can work...if they're done right. From a marketing standpoint, though, so many companies do it wrong. Communications are often wildly impersonal, and leave the recipient thinking they're seen as nothing more than a wallet. Constant "give us money, give us money, give us money" asks burn out one's donor base quickly, and the analytics behind those messages and social media posts often aren't pretty (I know, I've seen them). If you're going to have an event like this, don't be pushy. Tell stories. Yield to your communications and marketing types, not your bean-counters. Engage people, make them feel valued, and be transparent about why you need their money and where their money is going. Yes, engage your base to spread the word, but have those personal messages come from people at the top. Don't solely rely on others to do that work for you. Also, just throwing this out there: Three or four emails on a giving day are enough. You don't need more. Flooding inboxes with more than that (in at least one case where I was a target audience, up to 10 in a day) is "diminishing returns" behavior, and it only serves to check a box put there by someone who doesn't understand how the sauce is made. #communications #marketing #development #givingday

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"Best Practices For Pitching In 2024, a cold outreach email probably isn’t going to suffice. With journalists receiving hundreds of email pitches daily, we must get creative to ensure our messages stand out." Read more at the Forbes article here: https://lnkd.in/e7PQGP53 #pr #mediarelations #pitches

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My latest PR Newswire blog post has you covered with 7 tips to polish your writing like a pro! 💥💡 https://lnkd.in/eiYBHQkJ

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