Skip to content

What is Broadcast PR?

In terms of growing your business or raising your professional profile, you need to broadcast PR is an essential component of your marketing mix and is essential to any growth plan that is successful.

What exactly is broadcast public relations, and how can it assist your business? In this post we dive into the essentials of broadcast PR. This includes details you need to know about this discipline of marketing, the most common broadcast PR services offered from specialist companies, as well as the benefits and drawbacks which come with this PR strategy.

Broadcast PR is a type of media relations specifically focused on securing the coverage of radio and television for advertising a campaign, brand, product or representative. The purpose of this coverage is to enhance the visibility for your brand increasing awareness, and possibly generating more sales.

Broadcast PR is a service offered by Broadcast Public Relations.

It’s easy to imagine broadcast PR in the same manner as other disciplines in marketing, in which the strategy is boiled down to creating a targeted media database, pitching to the media and getting coverage. The reality, however, is more complex. The process of securing valuable broadcast coverage a highly skilled endeavor however, there are so many other facets to how broadcasting PR needs to be approached.

The research and insight will make sure that you’re aware of the latest developments in the broadcast world, so that your coverage is current and informative. Broadcast PR strategies could include influencer sourcing in order to find a prominent spokesperson to your marketing campaign. Or perhaps video production, to create an engaging piece of content that can attract the attention of broadcast journalists. Other considerations might include media training to ensure your representative is prepared for interviews in radio or on television, and maybe even the creation of podcasts, in order to offer a popular way of both inform and entertain listeners. In short there are plenty of factors to consider when building the broadcast PR strategy.

This is the area where a broadcast specialist agency might come in useful. The experts in these agencies have the necessary contacts and long-term relationships to initiate conversations with journalists working in broadcast media, and are well-versed in broadcasting trends to produce meaningful and distinctive coverage. From remote radio days to television media tours A broadcasting agency that is specialized can offer brands unique PR opportunities and aid them in reaching crucial audiences.

The benefits of broadcasting PR

One of the main benefits of broadcast PR are the huge rewards it provides. In their own way, broadcast audiences are vast! Radio and TV both have an audience of thousands, if not millions, of people. While the number of print publications has declined in recent years, viewers have continued to use broadcast media – this year has seen more people than ever before consuming broadcast media in the wake from the pandemic coronavirus.

Alongside delivering an enormous audience broadcasting, coverage of broadcasting can be targeted and pertinent. For instance, if you’re trying to get in touch with political key decision makers, you might submit your story to BBC Radio’s “Today” programme. By contrast, if you’re looking to connect with a broad ‘lifestyle’ group, you could contact ITV’s This Morning.

Broadcast PR is also an excellent way to bring your company, brand or campaign to life. Audiences are more open to audiovisual information than written content, especially when it’s given by an individual they are able to trust. These media provide an engaging and relatable experience, connecting a human connection (via case studies or a spokesperson) with captivating music and imagery.

It might surprise you by the fact that broadcasting PR also tends to be a very cost-effective option. As compared to marketing channels such as traditional advertisements, broadcast PR offers valuable and unique opportunities, and is the most effective way to reach a large range of people as well as an extremely targeted group of people.

The issues of broadcast PR

pitching to journalists for broadcast requires special skills and knowledge. Without knowing how to pitch correctly – knowing the complete details from memory and making sure you get the essential information (such as spokespeople) correct – you could make a bad impression and possibly burning bridges in the future. Find that news hook, and then worked with the journalist, igniting their imagination, and finally ticked every box to secure that media coverage.

Another challenge that’s common is preparation and logistics of hosting a broadcast crew. In some cases, they have to park a satellite van for TV coverage, or find an insulated and quiet space to record radio programming. It’s essential to make sure that the logistical aspects are thought through ahead of the event, and attended at the time of the event to ensure everything runs smoothly.

One of the biggest challenges, perhaps, is the fact that journalists on the radio only tend to think about the next 24 to 48 hours. This is a shortfall you have to make up by ensuring that everything is lined up and ready to go within the window of opportunity. Broadcasters can be very demanding. If they have to hire a spokesperson at short notice For instance you’ll have be quick-thinking and fast-acting and seize the opportunity while it’s being offered.

What can broadcast PR do to help your business?

The number of ways broadcasting PR can assist companies that it can be difficult to determine tangible interactions, and then measure the final results. Ultimately, broadcast PR should positively influence how your target audience sees your business, and help you build your desired image by using strategic tactics and communications.

Broadcast PR will drive awareness of your company through ensuring that it’s prominently featured on the platforms your target viewers frequent. The uniqueness of third-party endorsement, whether it’s a broadcaster or journalist, will give credibility to your marketing campaign.

Through consistent key messages, the weight of positive communication around your company will help to strengthen your brand’s positioning. In turn, raising awareness and establishing a positive image will dramatically increase your exposure, with the final result of expanding the number of customers you have and increasing sales.

Broadcast PR presents a tremendous opportunity for both businesses and brands alike, offering the opportunity to get a valuable piece of coverage in front of a vast and targeted public. As we’ve learned, there is much more to this marketing strand than just pitching to journalists and getting a short story on radio or television. To maximize the benefits in broadcasting PR it’s important to look at the many possibilities that are available and develop a strategy that can make your marketing campaign successful.

This article should have inspired you to think about incorporating broadcast PR into your next marketing campaign. If you require help developing and executing your plan, find a broadcast PR agency that can help.