What do we mean with media?
Daily newspapers, weeklies, regional newspapers, local newspapers, radio and TV guides, specialist publications: these are all media that appear on paper. There are a few new free newspapers such as Spits, Metro and Dag. All daily newspapers are represented on the internet and you find more and more new media on the internet.
Why do we want media atttention?
Free publicity: free positive publicity is more effective than advertising.
- A way of reaching the general public and other target groups (think of the field of
music) and to inform them about you as a musician or about a specific concert/project.
- Creating a profile of yourself as a musician, increasing your status, shaping your image.
- Media attention motivates! This goes for you as a musician and also for the people
you work with.
What could be reasons for the media to pay attention to you or your project?
- you are already famous and have a certain standing.
- you are a remarkable (upcoming/new) talent.
- you do something special or are organising a special project.
- what you do, you do in a special way.
- what you do could be potentially interesting to a wider audience.
- you are receiving support from an influential, reliable, respected person or persons.
- you have a finely tuned and extensive publicity campaign.
But also:
- what else does the day or period offer that is newsworthy?
- are you interesting to the target group of the medium?
- is your project/concert taking place in the right region for a certain medium?
- does your project/concert have a connection with current events?
- personal interest of a journalist in you and/or the initiative you are organising.
- domino-effect: one journalist writes about your project/concert and other media follow.
- be aware that free publicity is not always positive, think of negative reviews.
Tips
You can use this information when you are planning your ‘media campaign’ but also when you are coming up with your project. Look at all points mentioned and think of practical examples you could carry out. For the point ‘current events’ you can think about whether there is a link between your project and a current event. Or you turn things around and come up with a project based on a current event.
It is good to read the cultural pages and supplements of newspapers and TV and radio programmes. Pay attention to fellow musicians who are making the headlines. Musicians often have a special page on their website about the media attention they received, in the recent and more distant past. This may give you ideas about how to present your own activities to the media, but perhaps also for new projects you might start up. Also make a page on your own site about the media-attention you received.