In our first blog about the Business Wire Media Survey Results, we highlighted the key ways where reporters mostly gather content from, such as the fact that the majority refer to press releases for content, and rely on the number of page views to help decipher the success of a story. Because of this shift in how journalists and reporters are finding information for stories, PR and communications professionals must reach targeted media in different ways now as well.

Some of the additional takeaways from the 2014 survey results include:

  • When it comes to how the media prefers to actually receive the news, 64 percent said they favor email alerts, and 28 percent said they favor press releases.
  • Sixty-nine percent of the media like email alerts when receiving pitches, and only 22 percent respond better to press releases.
  • Social media is the least preferred method for receiving pitch stories, although it is used for research purposes – by 74 percent of the participants.
  • When researching topics and organizations, 92 percent of survey respondents indicated they look to the main website first, while 77 percent first look to the online newsroom.
  • Surprisingly, 96 percent of respondents view the online newsroom via their desktop computer rather than their mobile device. Eighty-eight percent of respondents say they look for press releases, followed by 87 percent looking for breaking news.
  • Fifty percent of those surveyed indicated that online newsrooms should consistently contain regularly updated content. The actual performance of an online newsroom was considered as well, with 74 percent of respondents saying a site should be equipped with an efficient Advanced Search and a keyword search function. The content in the online newsroom should also be easily accessible, with 70 percent preferring to be able to effortlessly download and re-use videos and images.

In order to be media-friendly, an organization needs to have a regularly updated and functional newsroom, filled with the types of content media are attracted to (press releases, press kits, fact sheets, images etc.). Just as an organization pushes out content towards audiences and media, so too do organizations now have to “pull” in media and audiences with timely, relevant information and content.

Does your organization’s website have a newsroom? Do you update it regularly? What do you find to be the most popular type of content in your online newsroom? Let us know in the comments section below!

Did you miss our previous blog about reporter’s preferences? Read it here:

Business Wire Media Survey Results Part One Reporter Preferences Today

If you’re in healthcare, insurance, technology or other professional services industries, and need help with a PR, marketing or social media campaign, contact Scott Public Relations.

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