As part of our continuing series profiling reporters, we spoke to Emma Hilary Gould, a reporter at WatersTechnology. Here, she talks about working with companies and public relations people and what she finds interesting.
What’s the most common mistake you see in PR pitches?
I have a couple of close friends working at public relations agencies. It’s hard work. We’re all trying our best. I can’t speak for everyone, but the more human words the better. I have a radical pitch: just call it a chatbot! You know what they say, though, I haven’t walked a day in those ‘best-of-breed’ shoes.
What makes a pitch feel genuinely relevant to your beat or audience?
In my experience, the best pitches are about the companies we write about. I receive dozens of pitches a day from retail trading sites (we’re only wholesale!) to shower filters (…I get it). The public relations companies who have worked with Waters over the years tend to know who we cover. It’s great to hear what those companies are up to, especially since many of the folks we write about are also our readers. Our editor-in-chief often says we’re just another local paper, and he’s totally right.
What elements make a press release/pitch truly newsworthy in your opinion?
The winter before last, I received a pitch about a client working on an upgrade to the US options data feed, OPRA. Little did I know that pitch would yield months of stories and reporting.
I can’t speak for every magazine or journalist, but Waters‘ editors prefer that any company news we publish is exclusive to us—at least for a day or two. In my experience, though, pitching a knowledgeable source can be a great way for a PR to engage a journalist on topics like AI or blockchain. I can’t speak for everyone, but I always have a lot to learn. Just make sure to manage your client’s expectations – our editors might not let us write that standalone story about your bespoke user-interface update!
What does a “good” long-term relationship with a PR pro look like to you?
I haven’t been in the game for long, but I respect the public relations professionals who are honest about their role. Every story has multiple sides. Public relations professionals are hired to represent their client’s side. Journalists are hired to report all sides. It’s important for journalists and PRs to respect this relationship and handle it with grace and honesty. As Taylor Swift reminds us, reputations are big business.
What does a day in life of a journalist look like?
I work with some fabulous journalists. From what I’ve seen, the best are as creative as an artist and as organized as a lawyer. Every day is a little different, but mine all start with coffee. Sometimes I call my mom at lunch; sometimes I catch up with coworkers. It’s cliche, but I’m always reading. I read public transport ads, Bloomberg News, company logos on people’s backpacks, New York Times comments, restaurant menus, JP Morgan reports, Reddit threads, ingredient lists, occasionally my book club book … every day is a story.
This interview was conducted by London-based Account Manager Katie Moxom
