Help a Reporter Out

January 14, 2009 in 5 out of 5 stars, PR and Publicity

What is it?

Help a Reporter Out: An email list you can join, which sends out several emails a day with notices of stories for which reporters need a source. You can then respond, and potentially be used, linked to, or otherwise publicized in the news piece.

Who makes it?

Peter Shankman

Why is it the killerest?

It has great potential to help you get press, and establish yourself as a source, and authority in your area of expertise.

Some queries are interested in products, services, or just expertise in a given area.

Some of the queries come from large news organizations like MSNBC and FoxNews, magazines like Redbook Magazine and Popular Mechanics, newspapers like The New York Times, and bloggers and podcasters looking for content.

If you’re serious about PR (and if you’re an entrepreneur, why wouldn't you be?) then this can be a great resource.

What could be improved?

This is not a list of the feint of heart. You get about three emails a day, packed full of queries, roughly organized. The potential upside is quite large, but it may take a good week of sifting through these before you find something you really can respond to with authority.

With the growing popularity of the list, there’s no guarantee that responding will get you ink.

How much does it cost?

Free for all parties (sources, and journalists). You just get a big ad at the top of the email to help Peter pay for it all.

Rating?

See a screenshot below from part of an email sent out this morning.