A media list can make a communications team feel prepared. There are names, outlets, beats, and maybe a color-coded spreadsheet. But a list is only a collection of possibilities. It does not tell you whether the story deserves attention or why a particular reporter should want it.
Good media work starts with the audience and the change. What is different because of this news? Who will feel it? What can the organization explain that other people cannot? A local business story, a technology story, and a leadership story may all be true at the same company, but they are not the same pitch.
I also want to know what the story gives the reporter. Is there a useful pattern? A real consequence? A person who can explain the issue without turning the conversation into an advertisement? The best pitch respects the work of the person receiving it.
That takes more time than sending a release to every contact in the spreadsheet. It also produces better relationships. A thoughtful no is more valuable than a pile of ignored emails, because it helps the team learn what the story is and is not.
Build the list, certainly. Just do not mistake having names for having a reason to call.
- Start with the audience, the change, and the consequence.
- Match the story to a reporter's actual beat and interests.
- Use the media list as a tool for relationships, not a substitute for a story.