I was sent a free copy of the Irish Media Contacts directory this week and thought I’d blog about it as I’m already a use of it. I was working off an older one so this is handier for me now. While I have a nice press list I built up over time (and thanks to some silly communications managers using the CC field instead of the BCC field it has grown another good bit in the past 6 month) this book is more than email addresses. It’s a very good way of seeing how the press actually operates in Ireland and puts names behind those generic email addresses too.
In a way it’s like having profiles of the orgs you are sending a release to and that is very important. I’ve previously written a post on how best to approach Irish Journalists and the 100 quid a year for a May and November edition is well well worth the money. Think how much you’d pay to get hold of a press list of business journos and then see what this has 1000s of contacts.
As Piaras points out, the website itself is worth checking out, especially if you are looking for a PR/media job. If you are thinking of doing a press release or a campaign for your org or are a journalist looking for work, I think this should be one of your first purchases. Anyone got other suggestions for good resources?
I was reading through the links within the links within the links as it were and found a pattern emerging, a lot of people still aren’t taking in the basics.
The largest irritation for hacks is the classic ‘Did you get my email?’ call. What’s most infuriating is the way this method perpetuates. Often it’s one of the fresh faced younger types in the PR firm that makes this call, often at their employer’s behest, they learn that this is an accepted form of approach and thus when they climb the ladder within an organisation they pass this on to the new fresh faced younger type who repeats the process again.
In general though the basics are the key. In my own relations with Eircom League football the implementation of basic ideas such as giving journalists interesting things to cover, not making THAT phone call, and generally working to keep avenues of communications open and worthwhile has made a big difference. If you nail those aspects hacks like me will love ya like Kojak loves lollipops.
hallo,how can i register with you to get new informations on public relation?
Recently sent one of these for 09. I’m thinking it will come in very useful 🙂 Fair play to mediacontact!
I appreciate this post is a couple of years old, but these charlatans are still in business, so a bit of accuracy in the coverage as opposed to the ‘Whoopee! I got a freebie’ cheerleading above might be in order.
This directory is annually riddled with errors. I believe they once got the gender of a national newspaper editor wrong, and they continually publish the wrong details for the wrong people, such as one hack whose personal email went out on it and basically ended up having their privacy invaded by spam.
It’s such a pity the PRII don’t clamp down on these jokers for good.