Customer Reviews

Making News: A Straight-Shooting Guide to Media Relations

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
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Yes, that's high praise, but I worked in news for 22 years (reporter, videographer, newspaper columnist, radio and TV news director, anchor, producer, assignment editor) before I went into media relations. Since doing so, I've attended a lot of media relations conferences and I've had great success in generating publicity for my company because of my news experience.

I only say all of that to set up this comment -- "Making News" contains more good information than you'll get out of a $2,500 trip to a media relations conference, and it's a LOT cheaper. David Henderson sees the news media through the eyes of someone who has been in the news trenches, and it shows from the opening page. Anyone who reads this book and puts the advice to use should be able to generate publicity worth thousands of dollars, if not more.

The author didn't just stop with his own knowledge of news and PR. Like a good reporter, he digs deeper. The book contains great insights from many working journalists.

This book should be given to anyone who needs (or wants) to work with the news media as part of their job. It should be required reading for students of public relations. And he has a darn good blog, too. Check it out.

Before I read this book, I had a very uneducated view of how to get on the news. This book has helped me get 2 different "earned" media coverages on my business in a matter of weeks! A must have for anyone who is running for office, owns a business, or somebody who just wants to get on the news.

This book is filled with helpful information for those trying to connect with the media in one way or another. However, it is also helpful in the education process of understanding what we see when watching or reading news stories. If viewers and readers think it's only about the news, they are mistaken and Henderson explains why.

I took notes while reading this book, writing down information that will save me time and money when it comes to ways of doing promotions. Henderson has the experience and savvy of knowing how to reach the media and shares it implementing a compelling writing style that's easy to read.

Gone are the days of the newsboys in the street shouting, "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" Or, maybe not. Maybe yesterday's newsboys are today's bloggers.

Being a blogger, when I think of it that way, I am filled with a sense of awe and responsibility.

Henderson's "Making News" is a helpful tool to bear that in mind.

I could have skipped getting my master's degree in communications and just read this book. TONS of useful information and great tips from real journalists David has worked with. Appreciate David's real world experience on both the PR and journalism side.

If your business is dealing with the media, this is one of the best books you can find out there. It reviews, in a very modern way, how media relations should be practiced, with special attention as to what the reporters think from their end. PR folks can be pests at times, and this helps them keep focus on what's really important. It's a good book all the way through.

As a former journalist and corporate communicator, I found this book to contain many useful insights on how to gain effective news coverage for an organization. What's more, it is well written and very user friendly. I particularly liked the section on "The Pillars of Media Relations." Henderson's emphasize on the difference between a mission statement and a positioning message is an important one, which is often lost on new businesses. A mission statement is where you want to go; whereas, a positioning message is where you are now, what differentiates you from your competitors and makes you valuable to your customers, today. In other words, the positioning message is what is genuinely newsworthy about your organization. I definitely recommend this book!

I ordered this book because I desperately needed some practical advice on how to interact with the media (I'm self-taught when it comes to PR and media relations). Up until now, I had been making media lists and sending out great press releases (no bias there! :), but the results have been hit or miss. I needed to learn more about the industry from the inside so I can eventually get some BIG mentions or stories written about my employer, which they're worthy of. Well this book provides more than practical advice - it actually gave me confidence to do my job. I am now starting to build real relationships with reporters and have new ideas of how to better understand our industry's news media. I highly recommend this book! The fact that David Henderson interviewed dozens and dozens of reporters just makes it even more valuable - you can trust what you read in this book. Stop annoying the media (like I was doing) and start being an actual resource and help to them.

Very relevant and easy to comprehend content. Was a text book for a graduate course I took. Found the text a big help in passing the course with a B+ grade.

David Henderson could not provide a better book at a better time! Companies looking to shave money when it comes to their media relations and public relations efforts should not only own a copy of this and Henderson's other book, "Media Savvy Leader", but put its practical applications to use!

Henderson is right on target with his message that many companies have spent millions of dollars on public relations efforts trying to win favorable positioning in the marketplace by using the awesome reach of the news media.

Henderson provides great insight as to why this has become commonplace and helps companies comprehend the difference between what is truly a story and what is PR fluff.

I highly recommend this book without any reservations. If you have any questions about its value inside your organization, you may contact me at 469-951-7900.

I liked this book because it was extremely helpful, low-cost and also concise and to the point. Being new to a media relations position, I was happy to find such a great product that gave me insight into working the best way with the media from a pro who's been on both sides of the fence.