When a journalist or media outlet receives access to news that has not been released to other outlets, it is known as an exclusive report. This is a powerful tool that can be used to drive interest in your company or project, but it comes with some risk. Often, a reporter will decide to only focus on one aspect of the story or they will get pulled away to cover other breaking news. The key is to be transparent and work closely with the reporter to ensure that the information they receive is complete.
It’s important to note that only a very few things are truly exclusive-worthy. Don’t label everything you pitch as an exclusive or it will only mislead and irritate journalists. In most cases, minor items such as a new website re-design or someone moving up in their role within the company just aren’t worthy of an exclusive. Instead, save the exclusives for the big, newsworthy moments – a new product launch or a major industry event, for example.
It’s also important to research each journalist/media outlet to ensure that you are pitching the right person for an exclusive report. If the reporter doesn’t have any experience covering your type of news, they may not be able to do it justice. In addition, it’s important to be able to provide them with the background, data, third-party references, and spokesperson availability that they need to develop the story.
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