Jana Schilder

Generating News

Generating news the media will cover is an art form

Lauri Daitchman, a lawyer at Feldstein Family Law Group, was featured on the front cover of The Law Times after she and her same-sex partner used a sperm bank, to prevent potential future legal problems with biological fathers.
Lauri Daitchman, a lawyer at Feldstein Family Law Group, was featured on the front cover of The Law Times after she and her same-sex partner used a sperm bank, to prevent potential future legal problems with biological fathers.

Sure, it’s easy to write a news release when a client calls, and lots of people do it. But at First Principles, we know when to say, “That won’t fly, it’s not enough. Let’s keep working at it.” Why? Because when we help you pitch a story, it’s tailored to trigger the interest of the journalists we’re targeting for you.

More than anything else, this is what sets us apart – and why we consistently deliver results for our clients.

We do this because Jana Schilder has worked on both sides of the desk. Not only is she an accomplished PR professional, she has been a journalist which means she thinks like a reporter. For many years, Jana wrote “Online Trading” for The Toronto Star, and she’s produced TV interview shows.

When we work with you, crafting the media pitch is the last step. Before we get there, we follow a five step process with you:

  1. We listen to what you’re trying to accomplish, and work with you to ensure that it’s the right message at the right time for you – and for reporters.
  2. We do research to learn if similar stories have been covered and, if so, what will make yours different.
  3. We determine which print, broadcast and online reporters might be interested.
  4. We refine your key message, adapting it to the unique perspective of specific journalists.
  5. We tailor how we approach each reporter: We know who wants an email, who only responds to a phone call, what time of day is best to reach specific people, and what to say to each individual.

We’ve helped countless clients garner the media exposure they want – and deserve. Sometimes, that means overcoming newsroom bias to tell a story that runs counter to “conventional wisdom.” Sometimes, it involves changing the perception of an entire profession. And frequently, it means finding a new way to tell an old story.

A media relations campaign is the art of getting your organization favorable media coverage. Knowing what editors, producers and reporters will consider “news” is what makes us stand out from other PR firms.