What is it?
When it comes to getting your story in the public discourse, you’re vying for the same thing PR firms, freelance journalists, and even staff writers seek: the approval of the editor. The best way to get their attention?
Think editorially.
How it works
When you think editorially, you think about things like:
- Where (what section or department) will the story fit in the publication?
- Working title, aka headline (this will likely get changed).
- What about photographers & ways to promote the story (radio, social media…), do you have ideas?
- What journalistic challenges do you help solve? As an anthropologist, you are uniquely positioned to help with journalistic challenges. Highlight those to potential editors. More on pivoting your skills to journalism here.
- What makes your story newsworthy? More on that below.
Make it newsworthy
There are generally four aspects to consider when thinking about what makes a topic newsworthy:
Proximity
Think geography: pitch your story to your hometown media outlets, e.x., publications in the city where your research took place; your institution’s city, etc…
Rarity
If it’s unique or rare, then it’s of interest to the media. Anything outside of a typical audience’s orbit (celebrities, but also minorities and access to unique communities)…
Conflict
The majority of news has an element of friction or controversy. If the main breach in a comunity has been reported on, try looking for new angles in liminal spaces of the social drama.
Recency
Is it related to something that just occurred? Has the topic been in the public discourse a lot lately? News will often jump on a topic or theme for a week or more.
Get help from a journalist
We are here to help. Members of AxJ can access free coaching for help with their story ideas and reporting.