Goodbye summer, hello fall. Well, maybe not quite yet. Here in Phoenix, it’s still 115-degrees, after all.
But in TV land, this is the time of year when producers go back to work on segment planning. Let the pitching begin! In addition, networks roll out their new shows. In this year’s line-up are an array of new talk/news shows hitting the airwaves. Plenty of opportunity for great exposure.

Here’s a quick look at what will be on TV this fall:

The Rosie Show is launching October 10 on Oprah’s OWN.

Newsman Anderson Cooper has a new talk format daytime show, called Anderson, which premieres September 12. Cooper says the show will be more Oprah and less Wolf Blitzer. Katie Couric has a similar show in production which won’t air until 2012. Another former talk show host, Ricki Lake, will be back on the air in 2012 with a new show as well.

ABC is serving up a new talk show called The Chew in September. It’s similar to The View, but focused on everything and anything food related. YUM!

Former Entertainment Tonight Anchor Leeza Gibbons is teaming up with The Apprentice winner Bill Rancic for America Now, launching September 12. It’s a lifestyle show covering such topics as health and beauty, family and home.

Ellen DeGeneres, The Nate Berkus Show, The View, The Talk, The Doctors and more will also be back on the air in the months ahead.

In print, there are also some new publications debuting this fall including HGTV Magazine, a design/home publication from HGTV and Hearst.

This is an exciting time to be spreading the news. Don’t miss out on the action.

Ann Noder

Stocks are down. Unemployment is up. The news about our possible “double-dip recession” is enough to send anyone into a panic.
But while the economy struggles, PR flourishes. In fact, many recent articles have pointed to public relations as a recession proof industry.

PRSA (Public Relations Society of American) predicts annual spending on public relations services in the U.S will increase 55% between 2008 and 2013 to $8 billion.

So why the upswing in PR spending, when businesses seem to be cutting back on everything else?

1. Compared to advertising and other marketing strategies, PR is the cheapest and most effective, period. It typically produces the strongest, most tangible results. Many large corporations have shifted marketing dollars away from traditional ads to more powerful PR campaigns.

2. Now more than ever, businesses must stand out to survive. Consumers are reluctant to spend. So if you’re not fighting for dollars, someone else will. This isn’t the time to settle into the shadows. Grab the spotlight while your competitor waits… and reap the benefits.

3. Many media outlets have cut back on staff and rely more heavily on PR professionals and outside content. The editorial opportunities are broader and more attainable. Savvy PR professionals will take advantage of your company’s angles to get you widespread coverage.

4. Positive PR matters more in a down economy. When consumers have endless purchase choices, and limited pocketbooks, they do their research before they buy. That means turning to the news (TV, print, online) to find recommendations, reviews and write-ups. The power of PR can help convince potential customers to pick you!

5. The current economy is sparking new start-ups. Layoffs and cutbacks mean more people are finally leaving their jobs behind and starting the business they’ve always wanted. Whether it’s a basement boutique or an online service, new business means new PR. Afraid to start a business now? Consider this: More than one-half of the current Fortune 500 companies were launched in a recession!

While Washington power players argue over who or what is to blame for the economy and chief thinkers suggest new solutions, businesses are doing all they can to not only survive but thrive. That’s good news because the more companies grow, the more they hire and that’s more money pumped back into the economy. PR is playing an important role. We’re thankful for the business and up to the task!

Ann Noder

There’s a current trend among national magazines, and with the hurting economy and US debt dispute there’s no wonder why. Discounts and giveaways are popping up with some of the most prominent and popular magazines as their readers look for money saving ideas and good deals. Even on TV, Extreme Coupons and Savvy Shoppers are flooding the airwaves as it seems everyone is jumping on this penny pinching bandwagon. Pitch PR clients are benefitting as we leverage the money-saving trend into editorial opportunity!

Top magazines like Woman’s World and All You are dedicating entire pages to discounts and coupon codes for readers. You can look for these great finds in the months ahead – with products at 10%-30% off. Additional magazines like Allure, Glamour, SELF, Seventeen and so many others, are opting to offer reviews of hot new products along with giveaways of the product, giving readers a chance to enter and win!

The TODAY Show is experiencing huge success with its relatively new ‘Steals & Deals’ segment, where they feature products and give viewers a chance to purchase at deep discounts. Pitch client Neater Feeder was recently included – and sold out!

It’s a win-win all around – for the publication, product, and the consumer. The media outlet often experiences an increase in readership or viewership. The product/company gets more exposure through the giveaway or an increase in sales from a discount offer. And the consumer gets a great deal. The promoting of these discounts on social media pages is helping this as well as consumers spread the word virally about offers they find in magazines or on TV to friends and followers.

Good deals abound!

Andrea Toch
Publicist

Is your Christmas tree up? Holiday lights strung?
Get out the tinsel, we are in full holiday mode here at Pitch Public Relations. It’s not because we’re calendar confused. We realize it’s July. But many national magazines are already working on holiday coverage and we’re knee deep in pitching.

Long lead publications put their issues together three to six months in advance. That means these books are are now assembling feel-good holiday stories and rounding up product picks for their coveted gift guides.

Our clients are reaping the benefits of our contacts and savvy story placement. The innovative pet dish, Neater Feeder, is in the holiday gift line-up with All You Magazine, Golf Today Magazine and Real Simple.

Count Me In’s founder Nell Merlino is getting a full one-page spread in Woman’s Day Magazine for November as someone “Making a Difference.”

We have other fall/winter stories in the works with Better Homes & Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Cookbook Digest, Kidsday, Taste of Home Magazine and many more. We’ll have finalized details in the weeks ahead.

This is just the beginning as magazines will be working on these type of stories for the next few months. Then, other mediums like newspapers, TV, radio and online start turning their attention to the season. So, there’s still plenty of time to take advantage if you have a product or business that would benefit from coverage.

The Pitch team certainly won’t be starting our own shopping or holiday decorating anytime soon. But we are celebrating our favorite gift – holiday story placement in July.
Happy Holidays!
Now get back to summer fun.

Ann Noder

Here at Pitch Public Relations, nothing pleases us more than to have a pitch result in a media hit for a client. The end product is publicity that we are able to deliver in the form of an interview link or a copy of a publication that can be used for a variety of marketing purposes, but often it is first and foremost proudly posted on the media/press page of their website. As it has been discussed time and time again, the value that this kind of positive editorial coverage can provide is one of the strongest marketing tools any business can utilize to showcase and sell their product or service to consumers.

However there is a time and place where restraint should be used when showing off the publicity goods. Typically it’s not in the early stage of acquiring coverage but as the press portfolio grows there are times where media interest can waiver or disappear once a journalist sees the amount of coverage already garnered. If trying to get the scoop or at least be one of the first to report on what you have to offer, seeing a long list of media accolades can result in that journalist putting on the brakes and moving on to a different story.

Another problem that can arise is a media outlet discovering they’ve already featured your product or service before. We experienced this first hand with a client who had posted a write-up in the New York Times on their website. Fast forward a couple years later and we had generated new interest from this publication. It was a fresh and different take on the product for another section of the newspaper but once the connection was realized, the opportunity was not able to be realized.

Are we saying you should stop bragging on your website about the media coverage you acquire? Heck no! The moral of this blog is to review this section of your website on a regular basis. Keep in mind that potential customers aren’t the only ones checking it out. Members of the media who you may have reached out to may be reviewing your past coverage as well.
When actively pursuing new media opportunities, do some housecleaning to make sure your press page highlights a diverse range of stories but it may be time to remove some older media hits to make sure they don’t get in the way of new and more relevant ones from being added to your media wall of fame.

Marybeth Grass
Media Coordinator