Expert Podcasting Practices For Dummies®

Chapter 37. Connecting with the Media

In This Practice

• Preparing press releases

• Making cold calls

• Creating a press kit for you and your podcast

• Following up with media contacts

While podcasting is gaining momentum and notoriety with every episode that finds a place in the iTunes directory, getting the word out that you have a podcast worthy of attention remains reliant on the traditional media. Print. Radio. Television. The big three. Contacting the media isn't difficult; the challenge lies in getting the media to contact you. Podcasting is still new to the world and a growing movement in media, marketing, and promotion — and now the big three are beginning to take notice.

There is a science in reaching the media. You need a certain amount of patience and thick skin as you go about trying to convince the media that this isn't a run‐of‐the‐mill podcast you're recording in your basement (even if that's where you did it), but a podcast that they need to listen to.

Getting the media's attention is not an easy task, but it's not impossible either.

Writing Press Releases

Press releases are the tried‐and‐true devices used for connecting with the media. The typical press release can be easily broken up into several sections: who, what, where, and when. Sounds like a promo (as described in Practice 29)? No surprise there. Much like the minute‐long audio commercial, a press release needs to be a short, efficient statement about your podcast.

Title

The title of your press release can sometimes be the ...