A TV Insider’s Guide: How to Get a Story in the News

A TV newsroom never sleeps. Things move very quickly. Nothing is ever set in stone. Breaking news supersedes everything. Early workouts. Lunch breaks. Dinner dates.

The only constant is chaos. And lots of adrenaline. I spent nearly a decade working in television news, and the only guarantee was hundreds of press releases clogging up my inbox every day. Very few would get airtime. 

Knowing how to get a story in the news is the hardest nut to crack. But it’s well worth it. TV is a mass medium like no other, which gets you in front of millions. Five minutes on the BBC Breakfast sofa, or Sky News, whether you’re a government minister, business CEO or charity fundraiser, will really help propel your organisation and message.

Take the England footballer Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign. His compelling BBC TV interview raised awareness, won huge public support, and forced the government into a high-profile political U-turn on the issue. 

So, how do you master this tricky medium? Here are some handy tips for getting your story on TV.

Nailing the TV Pitch

The Killer News Hook

Be sure you have a strong story to tell and sell. Is it newsworthy, different or quirky? Does it impact people’s lives? Is the headline strong enough to grab the attention of a big TV audience?

Timing is Everything

Before you approach a busy newsroom with your story, take a moment to do some horizon-scanning. Look ahead at the planning diary for newswires such as PA or Foresight News: Is your story up against a top-of-the-grid government announcement pencilled in for the same day? If so, pick another day, or it will get lost in the maelstrom of breaking news. 

Factor in lead times. TV usually has longer lead-in times than daily newspapers, so it’s definitely a good idea to start pitching early if possible. When is the best time to approach them? A week out? In the highly competitive world of TV news, offering an exclusive to an outlet can sometimes help in landing a story. If you are pitching it out early and it’s a strong story, you may want to put an embargo on it.

Think Visuals

How will the story *look* on air? Present your pitch as your top line (the strongest news hook), followed by a couple of supplementary key messages, but also think visually. Be ready to give a producer suggestions for filming locations. Does your organisation have any B-roll background footage they can offer up? Editors may choose to run a story if the pitch includes new background footage they can use.

Strong Case Studies and/ or Spokespeople

Always put up your strongest spokesperson for a national TV interview. A big story should be fronted by your CEO or Chair. If it’s a reactive interview request and your CEO isn’t available, a subject-matter expert can step in. Whoever you put forward, they should be media-trained. It’s a must for television. There are plenty of external media training services you can hire to come into your organisation for a day and train your spokespeople on the art of media interviews.

Storytellers are central to your TV pitch. They give a human face to your story – and a powerful voice. Do you have compelling case studies, and what’s their availability for interviews? What makes your storyteller and/ or spokesperson unique and stand out? Talkability and shareability are key for both broadcast and social. 

Tailor and Target

Zoom in and tailor your approach to the media outlet. Don’t clumsily carpet-bomb news desks with the same press release. Lack of research will be sure to annoy. Know the outlet you’re pitching to. What is their audience? What kind of stories usually lead their bulletins? Watch the output before pitching. Local news vs national? If your target is local TV, your story should appeal to a local audience.

A good PR pro will be targeted and strategic with a clear idea of who the audience is and what media assets will work. When approaching a particular journalist, look them up on social media to see what recent stories they’ve worked on. It can be a good icebreaker for a conversation with them! 

Social is a key part of the modern newsroom, so think about what social media assets you can offer them to complement your story. Pre-edited clips with storytellers? A flashy infographic to highlight new data? 

Location, Location, Location

Whenever possible, do a physical recce of a filming location beforehand. When scouting a location, check out whether the premises you have in mind will permit filming. Say you’re a start-up planning a big blowout launch party at an art gallery or a local community hall: If you plan to invite broadcast media, remember to obtain filming permission well ahead of time. Work out the logistics. TV means at least a cameraman and a reporter carrying heavy equipment with a TV news truck in tow, so having a handle on local parking arrangements is a good idea.

TV News Scripts: the Nuts and Bolts

When you tailor a press release for TV, it’s good to bear in mind some basic newsroom essentials.

The structure of any TV news script or package follows this format – this will help you frame your press release:

• The lead: What is the main point of the story? What hooks the viewer in?
• The middle: Best of the interviews/ most interesting quote that can be trailed in later bulletins and online
• The end: Final thought for viewers [aka the call to action]. What lasting impression do you want to leave on the audience?

News desks often refer to the 3 ‘C’s: CLEAR, CONCISE, CORRECT. 

Before sending a press release out, ask yourself: Does the story contain these three basic elements? If not, go back and make sure your copy covers all bases.

Lights. Camera. Action.

Yay! So, you’ve landed the golden ticket, and a national TV broadcaster wants to cover your story. Congrats. But the work doesn’t end there. 

It’s time to prep your spokespeople. That means ensuring they’re confident to go on air and represent your organisation. Put together a comprehensive Q&A, keeping the brief to three key messages (it’s hard to remember more than that!). Accuracy is important: tap into the expert knowledge of the subject-matter specialists in your organisation and make sure they input into your media brief. Prepare a couple of punchy lines that help land your message.

Whether your spokesperson is a rookie or has extensive on-camera experience, it’s always a good idea to do a mock interview beforehand. It’s an excellent opportunity to refine your spokesperson’s delivery, tighten the messaging, and help them anticipate any curveballs that may come their way. It also really helps settle those pre-interview jitters!

TV interview tips: 

• Eye contact: Any interview can be improved by positive body language and non-verbal communication. Be sure to look at the reporter, not down the barrel of the camera. Avoid looking down (a familiar habit when someone is trying to remember something!). 
• Voice: Speak clearly and with confidence – slow down for emphasis when making important points. Don’t rush your answers. Pause to gather your thoughts rather than use phrases like “ummm”…
• Expression: Assume the camera and microphone are always ON. Facial expressions convey a message, so be sure it’s the one you want. And remember, nothing is ever off the record. 
• Body position: Stand or sit straight and align your body with the interviewer.
• Gestures: Natural but not big gestures. Don’t use your hands too much. It detracts from your message.
• Remember names: Make a note of the interviewer’s name, other spokespeople, and/or case studies. Builds empathy.
• Attire: Look the part and dress smart. It’s a visual medium, and your message will be taken more seriously if you are dressed appropriately.
• Working from home: For live interviews at home, be sure you’re free from any unwelcome interruptions. Namely, pets and children. Have a tidy background, no background noise, and ensure you’re in a well-lit room that isn’t too dark. If you happen to do a lot of TV interviews at home, it might be worth investing in specialist home studio lighting.
• Name-check often: In pre-rec situations, name-check your organisation regularly, as this important mention can frequently get lost in the editing process. The more you say it, the less chance it’s edited out. Name recognition is good for your brand, so don’t miss out on a valuable opportunity to promote your organisation.
• Active listening: If it’s a live interview, pay particular attention to the story intro, package, and if storytellers/ other spokespeople are on before you, commenting on the story. Make sure to listen carefully as you may be asked follow-up questions. 
• Yes or no: Don’t fudge it. If the answer to a question is a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’, give a direct answer. It builds trust with your audience. Politicians all too often don’t respond with a clear yes or no, and interviewers will, quite rightly, press them on it.
• Don’t know: Equally, if you’re unsure about the answer to a question, it’s best to say you don’t know rather than risk being wrong and corrected live on air!
• Be prepared to be let down at the very last minute. Expect a call to say you’ve been bumped because a breaking news story has just hit the wires. You could even be on route to the studio. Don’t take it personally, it happens all the time and is very much the nature of the beast!

Jargon-busting

It can seem like an alien language. There’s a dizzying amount of technical jargon in newsrooms that can often leave outsiders baffled. It helps to have a handle on these when pitching to TV folks, so we thought it’d be useful to end our post with a few pointers.

Our top tip is to acquaint yourself with a TV news script so you can see how it looks on the page. There are plenty of examples of scripts online. Scope one out and you’ll see how different it is. 

Here is a glossary of the most popular terms to help you decode industry jargon:

• VO: Voiceover
• VT: Video tape
• SOT: Sound on tape. This is a soundbite. Usually, accompanied in scripts with an ‘in’ and ‘out’ time code. 
• TRT: Total running time. For instance, how long a package runs.
• SNAP: Breaking news live on air. Usually from a newswire like PA, AP or AFP. A text producer in the gallery will write the breaking news headline strap that appears on screen.
• POC: Piece to Camera 
• PKG: Package. A news package is a pre-recorded, edited segment that tells your story.
• TEASE: This refers to any programme trial, or promo of what’s coming up.
• NIB: News in Brief. Very short story.
• NAT SOUND: Natural sound. Usually, in the form of ambient sounds from the film’s location, for instance, passing cars, traffic in a crowded street, etc.
• LIVE: Live interview
• TWO-WAY: A live interview with a guest or reporter who isn’t in the studio with the presenter. Can be with a correspondent who is live at the scene with breaking news.
• PRE-REC: Pre-recorded, not live interview
• RUNNING ORDER: This is the log where the show’s running order lives. It changes or is updated every few seconds/ minutes. If it crashes, all hell breaks loose in the news gallery, and disaster strikes as the show goes straight into a hard ad break. It’s that important!
• TX: Transmission
• GVs: General views
• A-ROLL: A-roll is the primary, core footage shot specifically for the video or package. It drives the narrative and ‘tells’ the story. For example, an interview with a storyteller or spokesperson is A-roll.
• B-ROLL: B-roll refers to the secondary, additional stock footage – think background shots, establishing shots, cutaways of relevant locations. Some organisations provide broadcasters with B-roll footage they’ve filmed themselves, as it can really help a PR campaign. For example, a health charity might film B-roll at a local GP surgery. It may be background GVs shots of a consultant talking to a patient while taking their blood pressure or other vital health checks. Or, your business is launching a new product, and you can produce B-roll of your factory production line. The video is often short (5-7 mins long) and edited with natural sound. The golden rule is that it doesn’t look staged, corporate, or overedited and is broadcast-quality video. B-roll is an excellent visual media asset for producers, who are always keen to source additional footage. Specialist video services can help your organisation produce B-roll. 
• VOXPOPS: Usually, short interview clips with members of the public, sometimes on a busy street, that run in packages.

Hopefully, this summary was helpful and hasn’t left you even more confused! 

Remember, if you need expert help with your broadcast PR strategy or want a headline-grabbing press release, contact us at hello@gofetchpress.com.