PR Interview: Pitch The Denver Post’s Business Columnist

Contact Information
Al Lewis
Business Columnist
The Denver Post
101 W. Colfax, CO 80202
Phone: 303-954-1967
Fax: 303-954-1334
Email: alewis(at)denverpost(dot)com

Background
Lewis’ column, http://www.denverpost.com/allewis, runs on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. It’s distributed by The New York Times and MediaNews Group news services.

A financial writer and editor since 1985, Lewis is a recipient of numerous awards for business reporting. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and political science from MacMurray College and received his master’s degree in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois.

Circulation & Readership
The Denver Newspaper Agency publishes Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post through a joint operating agreement. The Denver Post has the 31st highest circulation in the country: approximately 255,000 daily and 704,000 Sunday. Total Sunday readership is more than 1.36 million.

The business section’s readers fit the following demographics: 56% are male; 41% of readers between 35 and 54 years old, 38% are 55 and older; 59% are college graduates and 59% are white collar. About 73% have household incomes of at least $50,000, while 51% have a combined income of more than $75,000.
Sources: BurellesLuce, Denver Scarborough Report & MORI Research

Current Editorial Coverage
The business section contains the following divisions: Airspace, Airlines, Economy/Real Estate, Energy/Mining, Food/Retail, Healthcare, Money, Technology, Tourism, Telecom and Stocks.

Website
DenverPost.com is the top-ranked website in the Denver market. 1 million adults read it daily, and 1.4 million adults read it on Sunday.

Most published stories remain free to readers for a month. Readers can search Post stories back to 1993. Search results are free, but it costs $2.95 to read the full text of each article.

DenverPost.com boasts a host of Web 2.0 features: reader polls, photo galleries and Web feeds, forum discussion archives and reader avatars. Site visitors can watch the latest local videos, check out current events and see which stories were most popular. Web extras include:

- Talk Back to Al blog:
http://blogs.denverpost.com/lewis

- Business forums: General Business, Economy and Real Estate, Airlines, Al Lewis:
http://neighbors.denverpost.com/forums.php?c=3

- Email newsletter subscription signups: Readers can customize newsletters by selecting the news they are interested in and the time they want to receive their daily emails.
http://dna.ed4.net/profile/signup.cfm?l=28783290

- Readers on the go can receive a mobile edition:
http://m.denverpost.com/

- Readers who sign up for The Denver Post Electronic Edition will enjoy interactive and searchable articles from all sections:
https://www.post-newscustomercare.com/electronicedition/olivestep1.asp?pub=DP&bhcp=1

- Those interested in getting the news ASAP can subscribe for feeds here:
http://my.denverpost.com/NGWhiteLabel/Sites/DPO/manage.aspx?fld=0

- Business Podcast: The morning recap of the region's top business stories provided Monday through Friday:
http://podcasts.denverpost.com/index.php?d1=channel&d2=dailypodcasts&d3=businessnews

- Opinion videos can be viewed here:
http://medianewsgroup.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/medianewsgroup-denverpost-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=opinionvideos

How to Pitch Lewis
“I focus only on the very best ideas that come to me,” Lewis says. “I probably bite on about 2% of the pitches that come my way.”

Unless you truly think your pitch would make a good column, Lewis suggests approaching the newspaper’s reporters or editors. He discourages people from thinking that the Post is monolithic. “Just because one reporter or editor doesn't like an idea doesn't mean it won't find a home with someone else at the paper.” If you are set on pitching Lewis, your query has to lend itself to a story.

One of his biggest pet peeves is PR people who don’t take the time to find out what he writes about. Lewis is not interested in revolutionary new products or fast-growing companies. Don’t send him emails about clients with big ideas, books or speeches.

If you are pitching to advertise something or someone, your effort will probably be futile. “The best ideas will read like a tale when I am done with them,” he says. “I like irony. I like controversy. I like issues. I like human drama. I like raging success and spectacular failures.”

Contribute to the Post
To reach the business section, use business(at)denverpost(dot)com. If you have story tips, email newsroom(at)denverpost(dot)com. Send general comments to dpo(at)denverpost(dot)com.

Meet Lewis
Lewis says he is available for lunch, although he doesn’t go anywhere with any sort of regularity. He’s amenable to meeting people within driving distance as long as they have good ideas for him.