The web has brought about big changes in lead times for the media - breaking news now hits instantly. When planning a strategic public relations campaign that still follows traditional schedules, you can impress the media with your public relations savvy by understanding the fundamentals of their lead times. Among print, radio, television and online, lead times can vary considerably - from months, weeks, days to minutes!
A Quick Lesson on PR Lead Times
The next time you're pitching a story or sending a news release, show an editor you have publicity savvy by knowing their lead time. You'll not only score points, you'll avoid missing great media opportunities.
Lead times vary considerably among print, radio, television and online, yet are fairly consistent within each individual category of media. For example, trade magazines generally have different lead times than consumer magazines. The same is true for newspapers. One exception is if a story fits into the "breaking news" category, standard lead times don't apply at all.
Here are a few guidelines for lead times: