July 26, 2012

Have Your Way with the Local Newspaper

By Theodore Dawes
As a newspaper reporter, I often find myself interacting with people who often interact with newspaper reporters. I'm often surprised at how bad they are at it.  Especially the politicians. Does it really need to be said that you should never, ever ask to see an article before it appears in print? Really? A Google search turns up a number of sites purporting to provide valuable advice on dealing with the press, but they deal more in wishes than in the real world. A personal favorite: "Assume good intentions on the part of the reporter." If you are running for office (and if you now hold office, you constantly are), you should know that newspapers can be your friend -- a very valuable friend.  But first you have to know how they work.  Toward that end, here are a few tips for getting your story in the paper, and for having it told (to the degree possible) the way you would prefer to have it told. If you are an elected official, assume that the reporter with whom you are...(Read Full Article)