Newspapers: For non-breaking news, such as an event you are publicizing, give reporters and assignment editors two to four weeks notice. Don’t expect to call up a newspaper the day of the event and get them to cover it unless you are Tiger Woods calling a press conference! Nothing is more irritating to hard-working journalists than to have a PR person, paid or volunteer, who has known for weeks about an event call and “alert” the media hours before it is to begin.
TV and Radio: Broadcast producers prefer a day’s notice on breaking news, but are set up to respond within minutes or hours to true breaking news. Be sure to give them four weeks on seasonal or non-breaking news.
Magazines: Editors of major monthly non-news magazines generally work three to six months in advance, although the lead times are typically shorter, one to two months ahead, for regional magazines.
Bloggers and other online media like to get the scoop when the news breaks. However, bloggers are the lone rangers of the media world, so their preferences vary. Ask them for their preferences and whether they even accept pitches, as some do not.
