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Please, download the Contacto PR News' Electronic Brochure HERE
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Understanding
the U.S. Hispanic News Media
Things You
Should Know Before Sending Out News Releases
U.S. Hispanic news organizations know that media relations professionals
do a valuable job. Hispanic news producers, editors and reporters
expect you to send news releases about corporate and/or community
events, new products and services, and other important announcements.
Over 200 U.S. Hispanic/Latino publications are members
of the National Association of Hispanic Publications. Other
200 to 250 Latino periodicals also circulate in the United States,
serving the 41.3 million members of the Hispanic community.
There are also six U.S. Hispanic TV networks (Univision, Telemundo,
Galavision, Azteca America, CNN en Espanol and Telefutura) with
hundreds of affiliates across the country, airing up to four
Spanish-language newscasts per day. Large newswires such as
Assocciated Press, United Press International, Reuters and Agence
France Press run their Latin American services in Spanish to
serve the U.S. Hispanic news media. Additionally, two other
Hispanic newswires, Spain's international news agency EFE and
Mexico's international news agency Notimex, also serve U.S.
Hispanic news organizations in Spanish.
Giant search engines like Google, Yahoo and MSN run Spanish-language
news sections.
Some small publications would like to publish news releases
on community events of interest to their readers. News releases
from nonprofit organizations such as the American Red Cross,
the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association
are very welcome among Hispanic news organizations. The code
of ethics that applies to the English-language mainstream news
media also applies to large news organizations serving the Hispanic
community.
This means that assignment editors will read your news release
to decide whether it is newsworthy. If it is, editors will assign
a staff writer or a contributing writer to cover your story.
Bingo! Your news release will generate a story with the credibility
editorial contents usually have.
We suggest you, as a media relations professional, to take the
following steps to get the editorial coverage your company or
your clients deserve:
1.- A news
release is always part of a well designed campaign, so make
sure that your news release is a)
newsworthy, b)
newsworthy, c)
newsworthy.
2.- Write
your news release as a news story with basic information in
the lead, as professional journalists do. Do not forget to explain
"what" is all about, "when" it will take
place or took place, "where" it occurred or will occur,
and "who" is involved in your news story. News features
published by dailies, weeklies and magazines present a different
writing style, but you need TV producers, editors and reporters
to understand your message immediately. They do not have time
to read a "fairy tale."
3.- Never
send out a Spanish-language news release, original or translated,
if you are not sure your release contains a high-quality Spanish.
Grammatical errors, poor vocabulary, translations replacing
an English-language sentence with Spanish words resulting in
a disastrous syntax, will be taken as a lack of respect.
4.- Avoid
adjectives and self-compliments media professionals hate. Do
not say yours or that of your client is the leading company
in its industry unless it really is. Never say, for example,
"our talented and brilliant CEO..." or "the best
product consumers have ever seen." Those phrases may take
your news release to the trash can.
5.- Keep
in mind that professional journalists are as busy as you are.
Four hundred to five hundred words should be the average length
of a standard news release.
6.- Always
include a contact person and his/her telephone number in your
release. Do not call editors and reporters more than twice during
the follow-up process, unless you want to get the following
responses: "we'll call the contact person if further information
is needed"; or this punch on your liver, "thanks for
your pitch, but we are not interested."
7.- Small
publications continuously say U.S. corporations send them news
releases but only occasionally buy ad space. Never promise a
large or small publication that advertisement will come later
on, if your news release is published. Publishers and editors
understand this as "blackmailing." It is a very old
trick they know. If publishers and editors request your help
to reach the ad agency handling your company's or your client's
ad campaign, share the information with them.
8.- As
a PR professional, your goal is to get news coverage from high-quality,
credible news outlets. In the follow-up process focus your energy
and time on such outlets.
9.- Never
underestimate a news organization. Send out your news release
to as many news outlets as possible.
10.- Do
not underestimate the Latino community as the final destination
of your PR message. Latino immigrants used to consume a high-quality
journalism in their native countries. In the United States,
they demand the same high-quality. Serious news organizations
know that.
Hispanic Fact Sheet
If you need further information on Contacto PR News, a Hispanic
news release distribution, writing and translation service,
please call 818 241 4073 or
use our electronic form to send
an email message. You can also download the Contacto PR News
Brochure in a virus-free, printer-friendly pdf file here.
© Contacto PR News |
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