With the media landscape constantly changing and our access to information and news now readily available at our fingertips, how do you make your release news-worthy and secure that coveted key coverage. 

With the ‘journalist’ almost becoming an ‘extinct beast’ and those that remain, getting a million emails a day from PRs, how do you cut through and make yourself stand out amongst them.  

Engaging the press in constructive conversation can smooth the way for positive, well-informed coverage that helps you reach your campaign goals. So how do we do it?  

On 26^th April 2023, The Work Crowd and the PRCA NextGen and Independent Consultants Groups hosted an event on How to Engage the Press. 

On the panel our industry experts Adam Fresco, Deborah Binner and Arun Asthana discussed: 

• Insights and key trends in the current media landscape 
• What stories journalists are looking for and how to capture their attention. 
• How to build constructive conversations and relationships with the press 
• Practical hints and tips on how to make your brand newsworthy to get the best coverage.  

Feel free to view the recording here for all the insights and key take-aways discussed. 

Meet the Speakers: 

Adam Fresco

One of the most respected PRs in the industry, with a global contacts book of senior 'Fleet Street' journalists and editors and journalists from around the world, Adam has planned and executed PR campaigns in Europe, North America and Asia. Media trains and handles crisis comms for global brands, HNWIs and celebrities, including reality stars. Gets stories published while keeping others out.

With 25-years experience in 'Fleet Street', Adam worked at several newspapers and ITN before a 20-year career at The Times. He worked as a news editor, for both the paper and online, and as a senior reporter before becoming the Crime Correspondent. Also wrote business and travel features for the newspaper before spending five years at a PR company with offices in London, New York and San Francisco. He led global media campaigns, conducted crisis management and media training. Clients included Belvedere, Battersea Power Station, Matalan, Equinox, Caprice Holdings, Victoria's Secret and Amazon.

Deborah Binner

Deborah is a former TV news journalist and presenter with a special interest in health policy. In a career spanning some 25 years she has also headed up communications and media departments in the NHS, The Department for International Development and in the private healthcare sector. Currently a freelance communications consultant she has led several media campaigns in the medical research space that have successfully leveraged the power of the media to create practice and policy change.

She coaches boards in the UK and internationally on how to find the stories, craft the content and to establish a presence as a "go to" media performer/expert. She has assisted on the production of a BAFTA nominated BBC/Open University documentary on assisted dying and has made a series of films on childhood cancer as part of a wider change campaign. She is passionate about film and story telling and their place in the communications/marketing mix.   

Arun Asthana

An author and communication strategist with 27 years of experience, Arun brings deep expertise in journalism, corporate communications, and branding. After working long years with brands like BBC World, Star News (NewsCorp), and Tata group, Arun currently works at the higher education organisation Global Education Holding Ltd (GEDU) in London. Arun provided strategic consulting to over a dozen TV/OTT ventures and trained over 1500 mid-career news and media professionals worldwide. As a commentator, Arun contributes to the media outlets like BBC, France 24, Canada Broadcasting Corporation, RTE, CBS network, and Fox News.

A member of the Society of Authors UK, and the screenwriters Association (India), Arun has four published books, including one from Penguin. He has been speaking at forums like the European Business Summit, CSR-Europe International Conclave, SAARC CXO summit, Digital Matters Singapore, Indus Forum (Indo-Dutch Sustainability), the International Film Festival of India, Indian Institute of Mass Communication and many more.

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