August 03, 2007
Interview

PR Interview: How to Get Featured in Jack Myers’ (Highly) Influential Newsletters

SUMMARY: Jack Myers is changing his popular Media Business Report newsletter into a non-paid one, and circulation will double to 40,000. Plus, he publishes 14 other newsletters. We asked him how you should pitch a story so you can reach buyers and execs who want the inside media scoop.
Contact information
Jack Myers
President, Myers Publishing LLC
125 W. 80th St.
New York, NY 10024
212-875-8002
jack(at)mediavillage(dot)com
http://www.jackmyers.com

Background
Myers received his bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Communications and his master’s from NYU. Before starting The Myers Group in 1981, he worked at GM, Hallmark, CBS and ABC.

He serves as a board member on a variety of organizations. Who’s Really Who in America identified him as one of the “1,000 Most Creative Individuals in the U.S.” Myers also has won numerous awards, including George Foster Peabody Award, and he runs a TV fan site (MediaVillage.com).

Circulation and readership
Paid circulation: more than 20,000 daily readers. Media buyers and executives make up Myers’ target audience. However, Myers says that he is in the process of converting Media Business Report from a paid subscription model to free over the next six months and that the newsletter will increase to 40,000 readers. It will be available via email, at http://www.JackMyers.com, via RSS, mobile and other platforms.

Also, Myers says JackMyers.com will launch in September 2007 and he estimates that it will attract 200,000 monthly unique visitors.

Examples of editorial coverage
Myers’ 15 newsletters focus on relevant influential media trends and forces; forecast economic trends; report on advertising, entertainment and financial communities; and political topics. Titles are:
Jack Myers Media Business Report
Jack Myers Emotional Connections® Research Alerts
Jack Myers Media Spending Forecasts
Media Industry Buzz (weekly)
Jack Myers Think Tank (weekly)
Shelly Palmer Report (weekly)
Jack Myers Lunch at Michael's®
MediaVillage® TV Buzz
Ed Martin's WatercoolerTV
Jacki Garfinkel's Confessions of a TV Maven
Savoring Soaps
Classic Jack
Virtual World Report
MediaVillage® Photo Gallery
Media Curmudgeon by Charlie Warner

Deadlines
Myers says he doesn’t limit himself with deadlines. He publishes content that he deems to be most important at the moment. Since he does not have an editorial calendar, he often adjusts his schedule according to the current happenings in the industry.

How to pitch
The five adjectives that best describe the types of pitches Myers wishes to receive via phone or email are: unique, exclusive, relevant, personalized and concise.

To elaborate:
#1. Pitch stories and interviews that distinguish you from the rest.
#2. Don’t offer your information to anyone else.
#3. Provide prospects to his readers.
#4. Reflect your knowledge of the newsletters’ style and content.
#5. Keep it short and sweet.

Anything other than what’s in the list above will probably be ignored. “I do not typically respond to group emails, press releases or general story pitches. I respond within the same day to specific offers, opportunities and ideas that are customized to my publications. We are not a news aggregator and rarely consider press releases for story ideas.”

Because of his specific editorial point of view, position your story pitch so it provides a perspective that can help readers succeed in their daily business and form their views on industry topics, developments and news. “Pitching me a personnel announcement or a news story that is being offered to the other trades simultaneously contradicts our editorial position. Publicists and executives who know our publications know to come to us with an exclusive opportunity.”

How NOT to pitch
#1. Do not send personnel announcements.
#2. Don’t follow up just to see if he received your pitch. Make sure you have a relevant reason to call him.
#3. Don’t send news for the sake of reporting it. If you must send a newsy email, make sure your information is a means to an end, not an end in itself.

“I look for an exclusive news trigger that leads into a more in-depth exploration of a company, executive point of view, profile or industry trend. The news offers a reason why this story is being told, and I want to share with readers why it is important to their business.”

How to contribute to Myers’ publications
If you have any interesting research, send it to Myers, even though he writes the material for his newsletters himself. He will add his own insights to your studies.

Press kits
Myers resents the waste of resources spent on printed materials.

Where to meet Myers
Myers prefers to meet in his office or over lunch nearby; often, he chooses Michael's. He is also available at conferences and trade shows, such as TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design is a by-invitation event), IAB (Interactive Advertising Bureau helps online, Interactive broadcasting, email, wireless and television media companies increase their revenues), CTAM (Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing) and TvB (Television Bureau of Advertising). Can’t make it to New York? “Phone interviews are also advantageous.”


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