How Media Relationships Do—And Don’t—Work to Drive Coverage

By Chris Moyer

“We’ll pay you $2,000 if you can get [reporter name] to run a story about us in the next two weeks,” a prospective client told me. The proposition immediately set off red flags.

After nearly 20 years in communications and media, my internal reaction was immediate: Do they really think that’s how this works? And if that’s how they understood earned media, what else would we be misaligned on in our work together? Any communications professional worth their salt will run from an arrangement where compensation is contingent on placement. While communications professionals work hard to shape coverage, we have no control over whether, when, or where a story gets published. (Try paid media if you desire such control.) I declined the offer.

Experienced communications professionals routinely tout their robust reporter relationships when talking with potential employers or clients, who view relationships as a must-have for any senior communications roles.

Our team is no different; we regularly emphasize our deep connections within the clean energy and climate media, from top-tier national outlets to well-read trade publications. But there is a persistent misunderstanding about what these relationships actually achieve. Some believe that if we know a reporter, they’ll automatically write the story we want. But those relationships just get us on base. It takes additional work to round the bases and score—to land the story. 

The Benefits of Strong Reporter Relationships

Strong relationships help us know which stories reporters are likely going to be interested in. We know what they’ve covered before, what their general approach is on a subject, and whether a pitch is likely to turn out well for our client. But just because we know a reporter doesn’t mean they’re going to write a story for us out of the goodness of their heart. They have editors to answer to and general editorial standards they must adhere to. The pitch must be newsworthy and the right fit for the outlet. 

Having a relationship with a reporter means they’re more likely to respond to you. We have their phone number and can call or text them, not having to worry about our message being missed in their overflowing inboxes. They may tell us why they’re not interested in a story, which can be incredibly helpful. We can often get an answer more quickly. If we’re offering an exclusive story, it’s helpful to get swift responses if the answer is no, as it allows us to move on to another reporter in a timely fashion. The reporter who knows us doesn’t want to blow us off, because they will want us to come back to them with a pitch they’ll want in the future. 

Because we specialize in clean energy, climate and conservation, we become more valuable to reporters, and vice versa. Even if they’re not interested in a particular pitch, there’s likely something in a few weeks or months that they’ll really want. They have more reason to build a long-term relationship with us. 

We can more easily set up intro conversations with a client CEO, for example, because we can explain to a reporter why they’d find the conversation useful, and they’ll believe us. We’ve built up credibility with them and they trust we won’t waste their time. Compare that to a cold email to a reporter trying to set up a similar call. If it’s a big-name CEO, then sure, that’s easy and any comms firm could set that up. But most of the time that’s not the case.

We also know what stories reporters are working on because they may tell us. They may share insights off the record that are either helpful or just interesting. Then we can think about whether there’s an angle for inserting our clients into that future coverage. 

The Overstated Limits of Not Having Reporter Relationships

On the flip side, the limits of not having reporter relationships are often overstated. What it ultimately comes down to is, do you have timely, interesting news to share that fits a reporter’s outlet and audience? And are they getting this news first (not required but often helpful)? If I were working with the scientist who had just discovered the cure for cancer, it really doesn’t matter if I know the reporter well or not—they’re going to take that news any day of the week (assuming, of course, our basic credibility checks out). 

While we have strong relationships at top-tier national outlets and the robust trade outlets in the energy and climate space, we will often go into a market where we’ve never worked before. This is where our abilities as earned media pros are put to the test. 

Recently, we were trying to place stories for a client in Michigan. Our team lacked close relationships with reporters in the Detroit market. But when we needed to drive media coverage, we were able to do it. We wrote a succinct pitch that was timely, and we knew what to emphasize with reporters. In this case, it was the controversy about a decision local officials were about to make that would affect the community. Relying on our experience with local news, we identified reporters at key outlets we assumed would be interested in a pitch. The reporters responded, we set up interviews, and they wrote the story. All of this happened without knowing any of them beforehand.

Having knowledge of a media market saves us valuable time. At this point, we’ve worked with clients or in our previous jobs in about half of all states, so we have a decent feel for the landscape and how to deliver coverage pretty much anywhere.

Relationships More Important Than Any Single Client Request

Some firms operate like they’re in the retail business and the customer/client is always right. We do not operate like this. We view our role as trusted advisors, not order-takers, and we look out for our client’s best interests. 

We sometimes get requests from clients for very specific things, like wanting to talk to one specific reporter. A client, after the 2024 election, demanded an audience with a prominent podcaster. We said no. It wasn’t a good fit, and suggesting it would be would damage our credibility with the producer and booker, who wouldn’t even bring it to the host for consideration. 

Yes, we can pitch a specific reporter. But if it’s not a good fit, and they don’t have legitimate news, it doesn’t help them. And it could hurt both the client’s and our relationship with the reporter or outlet.

How We Build Trust With Reporters

Speaking of credibility, we build it by being honest. We never lie, period. Over time, this builds a lot of trust. We also avoid being the cringe PR-types that come across like nails on a chalkboard because they’re so, well, PR-y. 

We also seek to be helpful—to serve as a resource. Reporters are busy and doing a difficult job. If we can make their lives easier, say by providing timely information or context, then that builds trust and appreciation. We also respond to their inquiries in a timely manner. Building a strong rapport means they’re more likely to consider something we bring them in the future, although it still must be newsworthy. I can’t emphasize this enough: A reporter isn’t going to cover something because they like the communications person. 

Finally, we notice their work. We’ll send them notes from time to time if we enjoyed a story they wrote, even if it has nothing to do with our clients. Everyone likes getting feedback, especially when it’s positive.

As the traditional news media ebbs and influencers, podcast hosts, newsletter writers and others—who typically do not maintain the same journalistic standards—gain greater prominence, misunderstandings of how earned media works will only persist, if not grow. However, traditional earned media and the role of ethical, dogged and fact-based reporters remains invaluable. It behooves all of us to understand how they operate and how to engage them effectively. 

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