Knowing what a reporter wants in a pitch is only one piece of the equation. It’s also important to provide a newsworthy story about safe sleep promotion. Ask yourself what will make the reporter want to tell this story right now.
Here is a list of qualities to help you determine the newsworthiness of your story. Each of these elements alone may not make your story newsworthy, but if several apply, you probably have a story worth pitching to reporters.
It’s newsworthy if …
- It’s new — something that no one has ever said or heard before (e.g., new report, new data, new survey, etc.).
- It’s timely — yesterday’s news is old news. What’s timely about safe infant sleep now?
- It involves a public figure, a celebrity or a well-known organization.
- It’s unusual or ironic.
- It has a strong human-interest angle (e.g., you can provide local families as spokespeople).
- It’s visual (for television and photography).
- It centers on an event or happening.
- It affects a large number of people (e.g., local statistics by ethnicity/race).
- It’s dramatic or compelling.
- It’s a variation on a theme already receiving media attention.
- It’s interesting on an otherwise slow news day.
- It benefits a large number of readers, viewers or listeners.
- It pulls at people’s heartstrings.
- It includes compelling data that support your messages.
- It provides the ethnic and/or local perspective on a broader, national issue.