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Monthly Luncheon Report

(Wednesday, Dec. 13 PCC Monthly Luncheon)

Targeting National News Magazines: Local Bureau Chiefs Tell All

MODERATOR

Ron Childs
Media Relations Director, Flowers Communications Group

PANELISTS

Mark Tatge
Midwest Bureau Chief, Forbes

Karen Springen
National Correspondent, Newsweek

Joseph Weber
Chief of Correspondents, BusinessWeek

DESCRIPTION

Local Bureau Chiefs of national news magazines will share in a "tell-all" session with luncheon attendees at the Publicity Club of Chicago's upcoming December program. Our panelists will delve past the regular media relations questions and give us specific tips to implement, improving our awareness and chances for coverage in their publications.

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Ron Childs (from left), Joseph Weber, Karen Springen, Mark Tatge (Photo by Ted Lacey)

Chicago-based Magazine Bureau Chiefs Have Lean Staffs and Are Open to PR Pitches

By Sue Masaracchia-Roberts

National media coverage does not always originate in New York. Quite the contrary is the case, as evidenced by remarks from the Chicago-based bureau chiefs for Forbes, Newsweek and Business Week made during the December Publicity Club of Chicago luncheon. Moderated by Ron Childs, media relations director for Flowers Communications Group, the trio offered a number of tips on how to secure placements in their publications.

Ron Childs, Moderator

As former assistant director of publicity for Johnson Publishing and current media relations director for Flowers Communications Group, Ron Childs in an award-winning writer, editor public relations practitioner and photographer whose works have appeared in numerous publications like EM-Ebony Man, Jet, N’Digo and Black Enterprise.

He began the discussion by asking about the future of journalism, as traditional media outlets undergo dramatic changes in their approach to news reporting. All agreed that the field is changing and there are more pressures due to all the various platforms now available – the web, print and video. The group reminded PR professionals to consider the pressures under which they are working with leaner staffs and more options for news consumers.

A former staff writer for the Chicago bureau of The Wall Street Journal, and an investigative reporter for the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Statehouse bureau and staff writer for the Dallas Morning News, Tatge joined Forbes in June 2000. He has written numerous corporate profiles on Forbes 500 companies like 3M, Motorola, Sears, Boeing and FedEx. Having received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Illinois University and Ohio State University, this award-winning writer also serves as an adjunct professor of journalism at Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

Tatge likes to write about people "making and losing money." His stories are normally less than 1500 word essays told through the point of view of the person running the company. His favorite stories expose the big idea: who goofed and what lessons were learned along the way. He contributes to Forbes both in print and on the web, but they are not merged nor integrated.

Forbes does not have any "beats." It does, however, have bureaus in California and Chicago and everyone at the bureau is on general assignment. Tatge suggests that the best way to get coverage is to establish a relationship with a reporter regarding your area of expertise. The best way to do that is to READ THE PUBLICATION!

"We don’t cover breaking news, since we come out every two weeks," said Tatge, "but we do write longer features about the news on our web site. Before pitching us, consider where the story has run and who has run it in the past year. We want what’s different, what will be that next big idea. Often, we’ll do a contrarian story if you can make a case."

When asked about the impact of staff cuts, Tatge explained that Forbes’ structure is somewhat unusual. There is a pressure organization-wide, however, to work with fewer people. Four people cover everything! Issues are themed. The writer has the ability to bring in ideas and make decisions. For deadlines, every two weeks on Monday is the day. However, Tatge invited attendees to send information or call whenever they want. "We’ll get back to you if it’s not a good time."

Tatge strongly suggests knowing what you are doing and what you are talking about. "Before you call, know the size of the company, the revenues, the big idea and strategy of the company. Have access to top management," he urged. "Get us to the people we need to talk to. Do your homework; don’t tell me you’ll have to get back to me with answers. I love working with people who can get questions answered quickly."

"A good PR person is someone who can be a broker between me and his clients," said Tatge. In a pitch, "Get to the point quickly and show me the fit."

Tatge prefers to be contacted by e-mail. He can be reached via e-mail at TTatge@forbes.com.

A veteran of 21 years at Newsweek, Karen Springen has reported for every section of the publication. Although she frequently covers health and social issues, some of her other stories include coverage of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, the Oklahoma city bombing, serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and the AIDS epidemic. In addition to her writing and reporting responsibilities with Newsweek, she has appeared on many radio and TV programs and web chats, as well as writing articles for other publications. Samples of her freelance work can be found in House & Garden, Vegetarian Times, Working Woman and Elle.

Springen accepts all ideas and will forward the ones she can’t use to peers elsewhere at Newsweek. "The news peg is the key, and the information must be interesting. Make it easy for me when you pitch," she said. "Tell me in a sentence what it is you are pitching – like the fact a new presidential coin is being printed by the mint. But also tell me who else you are pitching to."

There is less space in the magazine these days, but more stories can be covered on the website. Preference is given to exclusives. Stories can appear in both venues in different forms. Estimating about 18.5 million readers for print and 10 million on the web, Springen contributes to both, which are integrated. As far as format, the newly arrived editor-in-chief has told staffers to think of Newsweek.com as the daily paper and the print copy as the Sunday edition.

As she does so many medically related stories and is the only person in the Chicago office, Springen loves the monthly digests she receives from medical associations. "They are short and well done! I love to get these regularly!"

As for deadlines, the entire magazine closes on Saturdays, but she invited attendees to e-mail her at any time with ideas.

She urged PR people to share their cell numbers with her, and provide contact information for anyone who might be needed for the story. She likes "weird but good" and does get about half her stories from PR pitches. The best way to pitch Springen is by e-mail at Karen.Springen@Newsweek.com.

As a writer for Business Week since June 1987, when he was a Dallas-based correspondent, Joe Weber became Chicago bureau chief in January 2000, and took on the additional task of Chief of Correspondents in early 2006. In that role, he oversees a five-person reporting staff tasked with covering business, economic and political news across the Midwest. His area of expertise is business and economics coverage.

Although Business Week is just that, a weekly, news can be changed minute-to-minute on the web. That translates into more readers on the web – about seven million – than who read print. Also, this is a NEWS magazine. "We want breaking news and news someone wouldn’t have read elsewhere," said Weber. "It’s important that what we offer is novel and fresh. The magazine itself offers in-depth, investigative stories" like the best and the worst of the year and the personal lives of company presidents.

All pitches should be sent to Weber. He will pass good story ideas on to other writers as appropriate. With a staff of five, including himself, each reporter has areas that they prefer to cover. For example Michael Arndt covers manufacturing, McDonald’s and the economy, while Roger Crockett covers high tech and small business. Robert Burner covers Wal-Mart and Proctor & Gamble, while Adrian Carter covers finance and agriculture. Weber covers whatever no one else wants to.

While deadlines are staggered throughout the week, "drop dead" deadlines are on Wednesdays. The staffs of the web and print are currently separate but will be integrated at some point. Everyone writes for both.

"The best thing you can do is to read the publication," said Weber. "Where do you see the story? How is there a fit with education in the mix? Send well thought-out pitches!" It is a bonus if you can show him the dramatic tension in the story, like who is winning and who is losing.

A slave to his computer, Weber reads all his e-mails, especially those talking about trends. He needs numbers like sales, profits and how big companies are in order to have a sense of comparison, like a scorecard. However, he does not want a story that is being pitched somewhere else. "If there is no value to add, I won’t do the story."

Weber, who can be reached at Joe_Weber@businessweek.com, added, "There is a different group of readers on the web. This group tends to be younger, more affluent and technology-oriented, and a little more male than print readers, however," added Weber, "that’s THIS week . . ."

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