The average percentage of respondents who rated news sources as trustworthy or very trustworthy in a new survey from consumer intelligence org Simmons Research was just 40 percent—a clear sign the news media is in crisis. The firm recently released its News Media...
How hyperlocal PR drives meaningful and measurable results
In the PR landscape, we know what media hits are considered big wins. You know, the ones that establish credibility, result in high-fives around the office and move the needle for the company featured—Forbes, Fast Company and Wall Street Journal, to name a few. But...
5 confessions of a former healthcare trade publication editor
Prior to joining Amendola Communications, I was a senior editor at Medical Economics, the largest monthly business management journal for primary care practices. Before that, I was a senior editor at a couple monthly city business publications as well as a daily...
Media relations mentoring—the perfect pitch in 5 GIFs
The art of the pitch is a frequently covered topic. But the trouble is that most of those pieces focus on “rookie” mistakes to avoid: misspelling a reporter’s name, falling victim to a sloppy cut and paste, or inadvertently sending the dreaded mass email blast. With...
A good answer to “Can you guarantee this won’t happen again?”
After a crisis or negative incident, many reporters ask a variation of this question: “Can you guarantee this will never happen again?” The problem with that question is that life offers no guarantees—and no matter what procedures and protocols you put into place,...
Bigger stories on a small budget—5 rules for research-led coverage
Three things are now inevitable in life: death, taxes and shrinking budgets, and nowhere is this truer than in the PR space. However, tight budgets don’t mean that you compromise on the quality of your work, and the same holds true for research. You don’t need to be...
Media mentoring—who really decides on coverage in newsrooms?
Who really decides which stories receive play in the media? Technically, executive producers (broadcast) and editors-in-chief (print and online) reserve final judgement. Realistically and more complex, anyone with authority in a newsroom can accept or kill a pitch at...
Media relations mentoring—6 common pitching errors to avoid
We’ll be offering tons of great pitching advice during our journalist panel on July 25. Registration is free. Sign up now! Pitching stories is one of the essential skills of a PR professional. Yet it is surprising how many PR people neglect the basics of how to pitch...
How community relations can outpace even your best media hit
If the early-in-my-PR-career me were looking at the current me writing this article, he would either be laughing or looking at me incredulously. In the earliest days of my career, I was a media placement machine. Getting a client placed was as simple a proposition as...
Journalists warn that brands’ online reputations can kill coverage opportunities
A poor online reputation can wreak havoc on your company sales and employee morale—and new research finds that it can also damage your coverage chances with many reporters. The poll of more than 200 journalists nationwide from digital comms firm Lumentus reveals more...
Editors and TV producers reveal how PR pros can get their stories told
What could the producers and editors of The Wall Street Journal, “The Dr. Oz Show,” BuzzFeed, Parents magazine and NBC’s “Today Show” teach you about successfully pitching a story to the most sought-after media outlets in America? Plenty! I had the privilege of...
How to run an effective PR campaign—5 tips from a client perspective
Gaining more visibility in your industry can be tough, and an effective PR campaign can be the solution. Working to create a cohesive campaign can be taxing for any company, so it’s a great idea to plan it all out ahead of time. Then, you can watch the magic happen!...












