Lights, Camera, Record: How to be Seen and Heard with Broadcast PR

Why is broadcast PR activity so important? Well, nothing beats the thrill of getting your brand on TV or radio. Whether it’s a national radio station or a prime time news show, having your story shared by a leading broadcaster to an audience of millions is guaranteed to give you a buzz. And the benefits from a PR point of view are second to none.

A powerful tool for driving awareness and behaviour change, it’s no surprise that broadcast PR is the holy grail for brands. But high-profile coverage comes with risks. So, when opportunities present themselves, you need to get it right.

This post covers:

• What broadcast PR is and why it’s important
• The benefits and challenges that come with broadcast PR
• How to land broadcast coverage
• Broadcast PR case studies
• How to prepare for broadcast PR business opportunities.

Let’s dive in.

What is Broadcast PR?

Simply put, broadcast PR is a strand of media relations that’s dedicated to securing TV and radio coverage. However, thanks to the ever-expanding digital world, broadcast PR is no longer limited to these two mediums. There are social media platforms like YouTube and TikTok, with influencers boasting follower counts in the millions. And then there are podcasts, millions of them, covering a million different topics.

The options for broadcast public relations are endless. Let’s look at them in more depth.

The Many Faces of Broadcast PR

1. TV

When you think of broadcast PR, a spot on the telly is the first thing that comes to mind. It’s the pinnacle of PR coverage for many. And with around 27.2 million UK households owning a TV, why wouldn’t it be?

Even if just 1% of Britain’s TV owners watched your five-minute appearance on BBC breakfast news, that’s exposure to 272,000 households. You can’t argue with that ROI.

2. Radio

Want your story to be heard by a large group of engaged listeners? Radio is the place to be. Local, regional, national, digital, internet, community, hospital: there are plenty of places to get your voice heard.

If you want to nab a spot on a major radio station, it’s worth reaching out to a professional broadcast PR agency. Well placed to land you quality time on the airwaves, an interview can net you access to 49.7 million captive ears.

3. Podcasts

Podcasts are a big deal. There are five million floating around in cyberspace, with more than 460 million listeners around the world. And podcasts are the fastest growing media format.

The beauty of landing coverage on one is it’ll get you heard by people that traditional radio doesn’t reach.

Find yourself an industry-relevant podcast series, connect with the host and start a conversation. If you know your stuff, they’ll be more than happy for you to educate their audience.

For example, if you’re a business owner in the media tech sector, you may fancy landing a spot on Matt Deegan’s ‘The Media Podcast’ series. A broadcast and media technology PR expert can help you get featured and heard by people that speak your language.

Want to know what else is out there? Here’s a rundown of 50 of the best UK business podcasts.

4. YouTube

Influencer marketing is huge. Statista says of it: The global influencer market value has more than doubled since 2019, standing at around 13.8 billion U.S. dollars as of 2021. As influencer endorsement continues to mature as an industry, the size and value of influencer marketing platforms also continues to expand every year, making collaborations between brands and creators more profitable than ever.

There’s no shortage of influencers on YouTube, with followings capable of igniting global conversations about your brand.

Being interviewed, or even mentioned, by popular business YouTubers like Tim Ferriss or Noah Kagan is guaranteed to catapult your business to another level, both in terms of brand awareness and credibility. But these are just two in a sea of popular channels on the video sharing platform. Every industry is covered. Every niche is talked about.

The key is finding the right influencer. You can use a tool such as Talkwalker to help you identify influencers that are already engaging with your brand.

5. TikTok

Speaking of influencers and influential video platforms. TikTok has over 1 billion users and is available in over 150 countries. If your target market is Gen Z, collaborating with a TikTok influencer is the perfect way to reach them. Why? Over half (58%) of Gen Z consumers are on TikTok, and they’re almost twice as likely to make purchase decisions based on influencer recommendations.

Once you’ve found the right one, your job is to come up with a mutually beneficial broadcast PR campaign, then let them do what they do best: create content.

The audience is readymade. The influencer knows how to influence them. TikTok creator partnerships make perfect PR sense.

For more on the PR power of TikTok, read: It’s Time to TikTok for PR.

Why is Broadcast PR Important?

Here are a few statistics to highlight why broadcast should be part of your next public relations campaign:

• People watched an average 2 hours and 48 minutes of TV a day in 2022
• 5 million UK adults listen to podcasts each week
• Almost 700,000 hours of video are streamed on YouTube every minute
• TikTok has more than 227 million users in Europe alone.

Those numbers alone are enough reason to jump on to the broadcast train. That level of reach outweighs print and online publications by a long way.

That’s not to diminish the importance of landing coverage in the print media. That’s important too.

But imagine the results if you can have a PR campaign that combines the two.

The Benefits of Broadcast PR

We’ve touched on one of the key positives of broadcast PR: the huge reach. But that’s not the only advantage of broadcast public relations. There’s the trust that the public have in these media formats.

A survey by the European Commission found that radio is the most trusted medium in the UK, with 61% of us trusting radio over any other form of media. And TV isn’t far behind on 53%.

In terms of the most trusted channel, the BBC comes out on top. The British icon delivers tons of content daily on television and radio, and is trusted by 426 million people around the globe to deliver truthful news and information.

And don’t forget in addition to the terrestrial channels, you have iPlayer and BBC Sounds, which leads to another point: There’s a multitude of digital TV and radio stations to explore, expanding your potential reach even further.

For more public relations talk about the BBC, read: The BBC and PR: Why it’s a World Icon, and How it Can Stay That Way.

The Challenges of Broadcast PR

For every positive there’s a negative, even with broadcast public relations. The main one being that it’s difficult to get the attention of TV and radio decision-makers, especially if you’re a new start-up with no prior coverage.

This is where an experienced broadcast PR agency comes in.

How to Land Yourself Broadcast Coverage

So how is TV and radio coverage secured?

Here’s how to get yourself PR-ready for the broadcast media.

With a broadcast worthy story

First and foremost, you need to make sure you have a strong story. Remember the journalists’ mantra: ‘We’re trying to source interesting news stories; you’re trying to get coverage for your brand.’

New stats, facts and topical talking points can give your story the appeal it needs to stand out to journalists.

Make sure you’ve pulled out the angles that work for the media you’re targeting to give your story the springboard it needs to generate coverage.

Have the right spokesperson

There’s no magic formula for picking a media spokesperson, but there are a few key considerations that can help you select the best person for the job:

• Knowledgeable: Pick someone who knows the business inside out and can explain it clearly and simply to people who may know nothing about it. This is particularly important if your company makes science or technology-related products.
• Solid communications skills: Choose someone who’s passionate about your brand and is eloquent and quick thinking when answering awkward questions. Ideally, your spokesperson will be media trained.
• The right personality: Some people have a commanding presence and exude authority. However, in an interview situation, it’s important to strike a balance between assertiveness and modesty. Come across as over-confident and it might be mistaken for arrogance. Come across as timid and your answers may not gain the traction they merit. The ideal is a spokesperson who will be calm, confident, and unflappable.

Get these things right and you’ll be one step closer to bagging that prime time interview on the BBC, ITV or Sky News, just like PR Superstar client Ross Mendham from Bare Naked Foods, who featured on BBC Breakfast talking about appearing on TV’s Dragons’ Den.

Need some advice on talking to the broadcast media and public? Read: How to Get Over the Fear of Public Speaking.

Top Tips for Landing Broadcast Coverage

As a business owner, it’s possible to get TV or radio coverage with an interesting backstory and an understanding of your market. But what else will pique journalists’ interest?

Here are a few tips from the best broadcast PR agency in London.

Know your audience

Familiarise yourself with the shows you’re pitching to and the topics they cover. The last thing you want to do is spam producers with calls and emails that are (and never will be) of any relevance.

For example, Radio 4’s hugely influential Today programme won’t be interested in a fluffy celebrity feature story.

Broadcast first

Broadcasters love exclusives and the latest, hottest stories.

If your story has already been splashed across every red top in the country, media broadcasters will see this as old news. Unless you can offer a fresh angle, insight or comment, they won’t be interested.

Offer a fully formed idea

When pitching for broadcast media, it’s vital you present producers with a fully formed segment idea. Don’t just pitch slap them with your product. Give them a well-rounded idea of what the story is, what it will look or sound like, and how it’s relevant to their audience.

Make their job easier, and they’re more likely to feature it.

Broadcast PR Case Study

Let’s finish up with a look at one of PR Superstar’s Broadcast PR case studies: Diamond entrepreneur Vashi Dominguez.

Diamond Coverage for Diamond Manufacturer

To raise awareness of Vashi’s online diamond business, PR Superstar focused on establishing him as an industry expert, and sprinkled in some storytelling, to share his inspiring personal story. Here it is:

A former law student with a passion for precious stones, Vashi did a night course in gemology in his early 20s and embarked on a tour of the world’s diamond centres, in an attempt to break into the tight-knit industry.

Using the knowledge and contacts he gained along the way, he built up a multi-million-pound eCommerce business that now goes head-to-head with the likes of US jewellery giant Tiffany & Co.

Vashi’s rise to success caught the attention of CNBC, who invited him to talk about why diamonds are a worthwhile investment.

His passion and expertise came across well on-screen, and he was subsequently invited to talk about all things diamonds on Sky News, CNN International, ITV, Channel 4, Bloomberg TV, BBC1 and BBC2.

The coverage transformed Vashi’s business. Millions of people watched him share his expertise, and he became a respected celebrity entrepreneur.

A shining example of successful broadcast public relations. Read: Vashi Diamond Manufacturer case study.