What are journalists searching for? According to Cision's 2023 State of the Media report, they (still) want and need sound, factually accurate data. It bolsters their credibility during a time when trust in media is at an all-time low. What's more, they're on the hunt for publishable charts, graphs, short videos and the like – i.e., ready-made data visualization – that take into account just how overtaxed reporters and their editors are right now.
Why the push for Dropboxes full of multimedia assets? Because nobody, and I mean NOBODY, in a newsroom today has time to conduct that level of research or analysis. (They used to call it "computer assisted reporting" in the pre-Internet era when media outlets still had resources and more humane deadlines.)
All that being said, journos are still okay with receiving raw data from PR and comms pros, so long as:
✔ the expert sources have bona fide credentials
✔ the source can provide the data sets
✔ and crunch the numbers to articulate trends or big picture context
✔ and clearly/quickly explain their methodology
By the numbers: 43% of journalists surveyed by Cision reported using data visualization in their work in the last year. And press releases with multimedia assets get 6x more engagement with the media. Something to think about if you're trying to land coverage in the press anytime soon.
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