Calling to tell a journalist you'll be sending them a press release is only ever irritating. Yet it's common, it's all too common, and it's totally f*cking pointless. It does not mean that when the journo sees the press release that they're more likely to notice it among the millions of others, it means they know they don't even have to look at it in the preview window.
As I type these words, minutes after putting the phone down, the time is 11:34. Apparently, an obscure IT company is going to be issuing a press release at 1pm folks. Yep, 1pm the news will break!!!!
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE.
That's right, in about an hour and a half an obscure IT firm will release a press release unto the world at large......
The call I took was offering me a peak into the future. Jeesh, wow, no need for a crystal ball either. The PR was offering me 90 minutes of advance warning.
I work on a magazine. I know the printers and distributors can manage a quick turnaround when pushed, but to be totally honest, there's not much chance that I'd get the 'news' out into the world before 1pm today, so this particular generous offer wasn't especially exciting.
The Pitch That Cried Wolf
7 years ago
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