What is news and where do you find it?

What is news? It can be just about anything that catches your eye. The trick is to keep it interesting....that can be hard.

One of the primary job duties of any public relations professional is to write news releases. Sometimes the subjects to write about are obvious; a new ground breaking policy, the appointment of a new CEO, a crisis of some sort. However, not all public relations professionals deal with hard hitting news, at least not all the time. So where do you come up with new ideas? How do you keep your company or organization’s name in the public eye? It can be a real challenge to find truly interesting news pegs. I’ve compiled a list to help those new to the profession, or those who merely need a little bit of a refresher.

1.Staff meetings: Never underestimate the resources you have all around you. If you are at loss for information these meetings can be a wellspring of tidbits you can build off of. These meetings can be especially helpful for those in charge of internal employee communications such as newsletters. If you can, try to attend staff meetings with departments you are not directly involved with. It can be eye opening to see the organization from a different perspective.

2.The water cooler and/or coffee maker: While all information has to be verified obviously, any informal gathering of employees can yield a story that may not be obvious from your desk. In addition to discovering an employee’s long record of service with the local Habitat for Humanity, developing those relationships is always helpful when you need information from departments or sections of the company you may not always have access to.

3.Cruise your company’s website: Sometimes the most obvious sources are overlooked. Check into areas that receive little traffic to see what you can call attention to. Say you are working for a large environmental non-profit, if you bring traffic to a little known study about plant fungus, the botanists who may receive very little press will be grateful for the exposure.

4.The community calendar: I am always on the lookout for any little thing that may have an impact on my organization. If the local Boy Scout troop is planning a park clean up and several of my employees have children who will be involved then that could potentially be news, or a partnership opportunity. Wouldn’t the CEO like to know how he or she could make a difference in the community, perhaps by providing trash bags or gloves?

These are just a few ideas to check into. There are several more. The most important thing is to always keep your eyes and ears open and ready for information. Sometimes you find great stories in the least expected places.