Fake The Flowers Not The News
Someone in PR pitches what she describes as a national story to a reporter. The reporter gets “first dibs.”
In the first paragraph, she explains why the story is relevant to the reporter’s city. She acknowledges a local journal already published the story and sends him a link to it. She lists video and interview opportunities and on short notice, even appears to have everyday people available so the reporter can help personalize the story.
But there’s a snag. The story involves visual workshops that haven’t started yet. So the PR pro is thinking of a “mock class” even though she acknowledges faking it isn’t really a good idea.
I’ve known journalists who would blow their tops when someone suggested faking something for the purposes of a news story. But some reporters often allow it to happen. And there’s a philosophical debate about just how realistic any person or situation can be when the biggest camera you’ve ever seen is watching your every move.
Even if you can sometimes get away with role playing for visual purposes, don’t do it. It strikes at the very heart of what news should be. And by just mentioning it, you’ll lose instant credibility with some journalists who will assume you don’t know the difference between Hollywood and the five o’clock news.
I’ve known reporters who needed video of someone on the phone and waited until a real call came in. That might seem silly to you, but if you’re the one who said let’s keep it real everyone, you’d score big with at least the reporters who care about the purity of the business.
Leave role playing to other parts of your life.
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