Presenting your bailiff-related news to the media
If you have previously worked as a bailiff or for a bailiff company and possess insider information regarding the activities of a rogue bailiff company, journalists are often eager to pitch the idea of initiating an undercover investigation or producing a television documentary to their editor.
In cases where you have experienced unlawful enforcement actions and your complaint was dismissed with inadequate explanations, shedding light on these issues in the media has the potential to instigate change.
Only consider reaching out to the media if there are no current legal proceedings underway.
To capture the attention of the media, approach them in a professional manner.
Present your story in a straightforward and factual manner, allowing the journalist to embellish it if necessary.
Provide evidence to support your story, as journalists are particularly interested in videos and photographs documenting instances of bailiffs behaving inappropriately.
The more compelling and sensational your bailiff story, the greater the likelihood of media coverage.p>
Journalists prioritize the newsworthiness of a story as their primary concern.
Initial contact with the media is best made via email or telephone.
Media professionals are primarily accountable to their publication or station and to the interests of their audience.
Maintaining editorial distance from the stories they cover is a responsibility of journalists. They strive to uphold professionalism, objectivity, and emotional detachment.
Your bailiff experience serves as the foundation of your story, and conveying it effectively to your audience is key when collaborating with the media. Finding a balance between your narrative and the media's requirements is essential.
While your story may hold personal significance, to the media, it is simply one among many.
It's important to remember that media producers edit content according to their own agenda, not necessarily yours.
Writing your initial approach email:
When pitching a story idea to media professionals, they often prefer receiving details via email rather than over the phone. Providing a clear and concise account of your story in written form saves them time and effort in piecing together the information from a conversation.
Email correspondence allows them to review your material at their convenience and provides your formal introduction to the media contact. In this email, introduce yourself, outline your story, and explain why it would appeal to their audience. Your objective is to convince them that your story is both newsworthy and of public interest.
It's important to target the appropriate media outlets for your story and identify the relevant contacts within those organisations. For topics related to bailiff and police corruption, targeting populist tabloids rather than broadsheets is advisable, as they often cover such issues under the category of 'malfeasance in public office.'
Ensure you have the correct spelling of the recipient's name, their title, mailing address, and phone number, if different from the one you initially contacted. Attention to these details demonstrates professionalism and avoids the frustration of receiving communications with errors.
Your approach email should be succinct, limited to around 500 words, and include any supporting photos or videos as attachments.
Send your pitch to the main editor of a local newspaper, the news director of a local radio station, and the individual responsible for the assignment desk at a local television news programme. You may also consider reaching out to a newspaper feature editor or the coordinator of an afternoon radio talk show. Additionally, once you have developed a print-media kit, which will be discussed later, you can attach it to your approach emails for added context.
Developing a press release:
Press releases are typically formatted in PDF and serve as a crucial element of a PR campaign, representing the primary method of conveying your story to the media. They adhere to a standardized structure.
It is essential for press releases to be double-spaced and presented on a plain white background with black print. Given that editors review numerous press releases daily, readability is paramount; if yours is challenging to read, it may be disregarded.
Including your letterhead at the top of the first page is recommended to establish your identity. You may opt to create a distinctive letterhead specifically for this purpose.
Attention to detail is critical; press releases must be free of typos and grammatical errors to avoid a negative response.
When generating the PDF, ensure it originates from a fresh copy. Avoid distributing poor-quality scanned photocopies with dark staple marks or blotches, as they can detract from the professionalism of the document.
Your press-release must contain the 6 key elements:
Emphasise the most crucial details in the lead paragraph of your press release, with the importance of information diminishing as you progress down the page. This approach ensures that if your release exceeds the available space, an editor can trim from the bottom without sacrificing key points.
Include a contact source in the top right-hand corner of the first page, providing your name, telephone number, and email address. This allows editors to promptly reach out for additional information or to arrange interviews.
Include a dateline at the beginning of your press release, indicating the date it was written. This detail is essential for editors to gauge the timeliness of the information.
If your release extends beyond one page, include "more" at the bottom of each page except the last, and conclude with "end" at the end of the final page. Number each page in the top left-hand corner to maintain clarity, such as "Page X of Y."
Enhance your chances of attracting media attention by incorporating a picture or high-quality screenshot of a bailiff document. Newspapers typically use black and white images, while magazines may prefer colour slides or prints.