Why subject matter expertise is so valuable when pitching to media
Strong media relations are not built on contacts alone. Contacts can be found via media databases for a fee. What you can’t get from a database, though, is true understanding of the issue, spotting the story and shaping it for the right audience.
There is a stubborn myth in media relations that success comes down to who you know. Build a big enough list, hit send at the right moment and coverage will follow.
In practice, contacts help. But no matter how close friends you are with the editor, they will not carry a poor story. Journalism ethics forbid it, for a start – but editors also have to serve audiences, and in an age where audience behaviour is monitored, they can’t afford to carry a story that is not of interest to their public.
So, for the international organisations we work with, successfully placing coverage requires the media relations team to have a real understanding of the issue. In specialist fields like education, humanitarian response and international development, journalists work fast, space is limited and many strong programmes never become news. To earn attention, teams need to know what matters, why it matters now and which audience will care. That judgement does not come from a contact list. It comes from understanding the sector well enough to make good decisions and give solid advice.
The work starts way before the pitch
By the time a pitch lands in an inbox, the most important decisions have already been made.
Someone needs to test the story’s strength, not just its importance to the originator. Someone needs to understand the policy context, the programme details and the evidence behind the claim. Someone needs to spot the difference between an internal milestone and a story that means something externally.
In education communications, story selection and generation is where effort can be wasted. A partnership, report or programme launch may be genuinely valuable. But that alone does not make it news.
Better media work starts with better questions:
- What is the headline, in one sentence?
- Which wider debate does this connect to right now?
- Which market and outlet are most likely to care?
- Who can speak with credibility and clarity?
Sector fluency helps teams find the right angle
Specialist experience helps teams see what will resonate and what will not. A media relations expert who knows the sector well can immediately tell you the headline, the relevant wider debate the story relates to, the market and outlets that will care, and the spokespeople they want to pitch. They can save hours of debate and research by getting straight to the point.
The same education project, for example, can be framed in very different ways. A global development reporter may want to focus on financing gaps, out-of-school children or the consequences of conflict. A mainstream outlet will need a clearer news angle, a stronger human perspective and/or a link to a wider international moment with relatable figureheads.
Knowing this, sector experts can help communications teams translate their specialist work into something journalists can use to tell the true and nuanced story.
We have seen this in our international media work. Coverage is easier to win when three strategic elements are in place:
- The organisation has a consistent track record of credible coverage. This has to be built up over time, with consistent investment.
- Spokespeople are confident and media-ready. This can be achieved through training, practice and experience.
- Stories are created with a clear view of what different outlets and regions will find relevant.
They all take time to build up but once they’re in place, there is a well-oiled machine that can scale up attention and coverage successfully.
Strong spokespeople wanted
In specialist sectors journalists often need a spokesperson who understands the issue, can explain it clearly and will say something worth publishing. Putting a quote in an email might be enough, but often the spokesperson needs to be interviewed directly.
When the media team knows the sector well, they can select and brief the strong voices from within the organisation, matching them with the right media opportunities. For education nonprofits and international NGOs, the default option is often the most senior leader – and that can work, but many stories do better with spokespeople that are closer to the on-the-ground impact: technical staff, or implementers. These voices bring detail, credibility and interesting insights into what their work with communities really looks like.
Generalists also have a role to play
Broad media skills do also still matter. Clear writing, relationship building and good timing are real advantages. In specialist sectors, those skills work well when they sit on top of subject knowledge. But a generalist approach can be cost-effective and efficient in some scenarios too. If a solo media relations person has to handle all the priority regions, topics and campaigns, they can still do well. But it can be useful to have a second opinion on issues that are sensitive or political, and where the organisation needs to invest in a long-term media strategy that matches its goals.
For organisations working in education, humanitarian response and development, the challenge is rarely a lack of impactful programmes. The challenge is turning those programmes into stories that media audiences want to hear.
It’s not (just) about the Rolodex
The best media liaison professionals are highly skilled at making and maintaining media contacts, yes. But in many sensitive or complex topics, the underlying success factors are understanding the sector, understanding the audience and shaping stories with care. For technical or specialist organisations, that fluency is the difference between a worthy announcement, and meaningful coverage.
—
AMS supports purpose-driven organisations with communications strategy and execution, with a focus on the education, humanitarian and development sectors. Our media agency helps teams develop media strategy, shape stories and translate complex work into coverage. To find out more, get in touch here.
