The news that that our regional ITV news coverage could be further eroded due to a shortage of advertising prompts fears of quality of output being compromised - particularly as it was not that long ago that a television news team in our region underwent the trauma of re-applying for their own positions and cutting jobs. As a former regional TV journalist with organisations including the BBC TV news in Manchester and  HTV, the announcement that ITV is shrinking news output from 17 separate programmes to just nine begs the question of how viewers will react to having stories imposed on them with little ‘local’ interest if geographical boundaries are further stretched. 

With union warnings of 250 journalists and technical staff being axed, discerning producers will, more than ever, welcome story outlines from savvy PRs who understand this visual medium and who can present stories which will ‘stand up’ and come to life through great pictures and strong interviewees who are well versed in the art of producing ‘soundbites’. Companies wishing to maximise opportunities are also advised to undertake expert media training to ensure they handle their media interviews confidently and competently.                   

So maximise the wealth of regional TV opportunities by thinking pictures and soundbites – and visualise how fabulous it will be when your organisation’s story makes the flagship news programme!    

Having spent a delightful weekend in Paris, it gave me the opportunity to catch up on reading (tip: Small Island by Andrea Levy). Devouring this week’s Media Guardian highlighted several interesting articles – two covered the rise (and rise) in importance of PR versus advertising, which Richard Bailey has written about, and the falling circulations of local newspapers.

While not totally universal, it’s clear that like most other daily newspapers fewer of us read our local and regional newspapers. However, what the article went on to say was that when big issues hit a particular region, city or town, we turn to our local journalists whom we trust to tell the story impartially and honestly. It cited the example of Mansfield’s paper following last week’s earthquake – and I should expect something similar is happening in Dewsbury following the worrying disappearance of Shannon Matthews. The report also said that more and more newspapers are turning ultra local to offer themselves as community sites – certainly the Yorkshire Evening Post has started this process though hasn’t yet built one for my part of Leeds.

The two issues are definitely connected in my eyes and also relate back to the power – and responsibility – of PR. As we all continue to live more disparate and largely unconnected lives from our neighbours and local residents preferring to travel the world and ‘social network’ with our far-flung friends and relatives, we still yearn for the over-the-fence type gossip, news and information that only comes from those people whose eyes and ears are firmly stuck to our small corner of ground and who are the ‘bedrocks’ of our communities. Local journalists provide that missing link and, when there is a story of local importance, we turn to them to trust their more focused perspective. When the national journalists swoop in with a remit from their editors to ‘outscoop’ their competitors at all costs to secure an original or new angle, they are unlikely to have the right contacts and insider information to deliver a more rounded appraisal of a situation. In circumstances like this, their cynicism and competitive nature contrasts starkly with the local media who are more objective because they will still be reporting on local issues and be entrenched in – and accountable to – the local community long after the nationals are gone.

So in an effort to offer the old-fashioned over-the-fence news in a modern format, the local newspapers should no doubt capitalise on being the community messengers and purveyors of news. Equally, for the PR industry it also highlights the importance of local knowledge and contacts. As we work across all regions of the UK we spend considerable time examining the local newspapers and business magazines before pitching a story and ensure it matches their focus. Us PR-types are often considered geographically benighted – and while I’m sure it’s true of some – the rest of us have to maintain our commitment to delivering locally-focused stories and approaches.

Let’s not underplay therefore the impact to our clients of securing positive coverage in local media – maybe those who read it are more likely to act upon it.