TV is Not Dead
Print is slowly dying and the screen is king. Newspapers and magazines were once held up in high regard as the disseminators of information. With the introduction of the television into households during the 1940’s and 50s, the way in which we consumed information changed forever.
Today, we gain a lot more of our news from digital sources: YouTube, Facebook, Buzzfeed, etc. and although, the TV model is not exactly what it was years ago, it is definitely not dead. According to a recent study by Ball State University on media consumption, television remains the dominant medium in most U.S. households. On average the general population spends over four and a half hours a day in front of the tube!
With that in mind, booking clients on TV segments is an extremely relevant and effective PR tool. Booking time on local TV news segment is a great way to target local viewers and raise awareness about a company or business relevant to that demographic. Booking a spot on national TV has the potential to get millions of eyes on whatever you are trying to promote! Also, businesses continue to put a lot of their advertising dollars into TV commercials because they are still seeing a great return on their investment.
From a publicist’s point of view, booking clients on national and local TV segments is still a great accomplishment! Here are a few tips on how to get booked on a TV segment:
Make a list of local and national TV outlets that are your target
Start researching each outlet and find out what news shows they host and what types of segments they cover
Find out who the segment producers are, they are usually the ones who book the guests
Once you get their contact info, craft an enticing pitch about why your clients should be on the show – what type of product or service do they offer and why would their viewers find it interesting
If you do not hear back right away, follow up with another email or a phone call
Follow up a few times, if the pitch you sent is enticing enough, it will be no issue booking a segment!
In a nutshell, here are 4 Reasons why TV is not dead and is still a great PR & marketing tool:
Reaches a much larger audience than local newspapers or radio stations
Reaches viewers when they are visually attentive
Allows a message to be conveyed through sight, sound and motion
Gives a company the ability to show their personality to viewers
The digital age is definitely growing but don’t give up on the tube, it’s still relevant and will be for a while....”Viva the TV!”
