Entertainment Business and Financial Page Writers Reveal Secrets Of Tapping the Entertainment Editorial Radar

Top Tier entertainment editors and writers discuss successful ways to earn ink in their busines and entertainment publications.

(PRWEB) March 1, 2005 -- I think it is arrogant to say dont call me, Ill call when you Im interested in your story," said 12-year veteran Entertainment Writer Claudia Eller, Los Angeles Times, at a recent (2-17-05) PR Newswire and Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS) sponsored media workshop at the Wyndham Bel Age Hotel, Hollywood, CA. Eller got her start in journalism at the Hollywood Reporter and worked previously for Variety and On Location trades. I get 25,000 emails a day, so I want publicists to call me, because Im very open I will tell them if am on a deadline to call me back, because I do see the relationship as a two-way street." One new trend at the L.A. Times Eller has noticed is that the national publication is pushing for more A-1" stories and is running more entertainment stories on page one, which rarely occurred in the past." My job is to gain access to your clients, the executives and you guys are the facilitators and you can help me do that."

I often get calls from publicists asking how they can get their news releases on the AP, which is not what we do," said Business Writer Gary Gentile, Associated Press, Los Angeles Bureau. Gentile said for the longest time AP was not serious about covering the entertainment industry. Weve only been doing it, fulltime, in a serious way for about five or six years."

The oldest and largest news gather organization in the world has bureaus in every major city in the country with print, TV and radio writers and broadcasters. The 157-year old wire service clients include newspapers, radio stations, Television and online news websites. There 242 worldwide bureaus in 121 countries, 1,700 newspaper members, dailies, weeklies, and non-English speaking newspapers.

"We have a global reach which is important to emphasize, because more and more of the entertainment industry has a larger global reach. Companies are doing business all over the world. Its not just about Hollywood or New York anymore. Its about China, India, Hong Kong and all these places that we (AP) are. So it is important for us to not only have a relationship here, but also have a relationship with the AP around the world as well," explained Gentile.

The appetite for business news in the five years Ive been here in the Los Angeles bureau has grown incredibly," said Gentile. And it is not the traditional news anymore.

Newspapers around the country are dropping their stock tables for instance, because it is not relevant to the readers anymore and they can get those financials at YAHOO. So, newspapers, radio and TV stations, and Online news sites are really hungry for business news in general, and especially for business news related to the entertainment industry. Who knew that box office receipts would be such a staple of the media just a few years ago? So, now were looking at things like film finance, DVD sales, product placement, production credits, (Writers) Guild issues and backend deals. Its a broad area of interest."

Gentile also values relationships with publicist, but they need to know that AP is a 24/7 operation, unlike publications that have one or two deadlines during the course of the day. Our deadlines are every hour of the day, and for the most part I seem to structure my day around New York City deadlines," said Gentile. I try to write stories that are going to get in East Coast newspapers and East coast business sections close around 3:00 p.m., which means if you need to get your information or news to me early in the morning or even better the day before."

I agree with my colleagues, it really is a symbiotic relationship with publicists in that we both need things from each other, and I like working with publicists and I appreciate what they do," said Film Business Editor Nicole Sperling, Hollywood Reporter.

Sperling, who has been there for 3.5 years, started out as a business reporter, became business editor and now as film business editor now covering stories on distribution and marketing of films. Prior to the Reporter she worked for Red Herring Magazine for two years during the "dotgone" bubble.

Sperling also spent six months in corporate PR, and It was all that I could take so I respect you all for staying in there, because it is often a thankless job. I often get pitches that are far field from what I do, although Im also willing to direct you to the right reporter." Sperling noted a new trend at the Reporter of spending more time on feature stories and taking longer views, being more analytical longer pieces as well. Were receptive to those ideas that might have broader trends."

The most exciting thing about covering the entertainment industry is the fact that there are so many people who really care about it," said Senior Editor Lindsay Chaney, Daily Variety., whose primary area of responsibilities business news and legal coverage.

Chaney has been at Variety for six years with a previous stint at the Long Beach Press Telegram as City editor on the business section and also covered Aerospace industry. Of any business in the U.S., the entertainment industry, in particular the film industry is probably the subject of more interest by the general public than any other business. If wanted to know how many airplanes Boeing sold last week, youd have to read Aviation Week or if you wanted to know how many cases of soft drinks Coca Cola sold, youve got to read Beverage News. You dont have to read Daily Variety, although it would be nice if you did, to know what the box office of the top movie was last weekend, because its all over the place."

Daily Variety covers production, distribution and marketing of entertainment products, primarily Film and Television, but also legitimate theater and music. So if you have a story that deals with any of these areas were always eager to hear from you," he said. Daily Variety has five publications with a slightly different emphasis. Daily Variety, which has an L.A. and New York Edition, a hard news publication on deals and lawsuits and stories that happen on a breaking news basis. The Weekly Variety has more of an analytical bent and longer stories and a look ahead in trends. There are special sections that run in both the weekly and Daily Variety in stand alone areas or inserts focusing on a specific topic like international film distribution or global media companies and film festivals (a collection of stories about one specific topic). It is also posted on its website. The Life, which is a lifestyle and features publication, geared more toward a consumer rather than trade audience. News releases should be written in AP style and clear enough that an intern could turn it into a story if necessary," said Chaney.

With the exception of Eller all prefer an email pitch first, followed by a phone call, however as expected all of the panelists love exclusives and encourage phone calls.

All panelists encourage publicists to read the publication or go online and search for articles writer before you pitch your subjects.

Claudia Eller can be reached at: Claudia.Eller@LosAngelesTimes.com or 213.237.0715; Gary at: Gary.Gentile@AP.org and 213.346.3125; Nicole Sperlin at: NSperling@HollywoodReporter.com and
323.525.2332 and Lindsay Chaney at: lchaney@reedbusiness.com or 323.965.2446.

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