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Should you call a journalist on the mobile phone?
By Editor on Jul 21, 2007 in mediarelations
Should we(as PR professionals, corporate communication managers, marketers, bloggers) call a journalist on the mobile phone? This is a question that strikes across for a second whenever PR professionals get ready to dial a journalist.
The question might seem silly at an age where most of us ignore the landline and talk on our mobile phones. If you need to call, just call. What is the need of going through the newspaper’s board number, wait for 5 minutes, go in circles until you finally get to the journalist. Call center people call us on our cellphones. We twit from our cellphones. We get dozens of SMS ad messages on our cell phones. What’s the big deal in calling journalists, or for that matter, our clients, and business partners on their cellphones, talk and just get on it with?
On the other hand, some people say calling on cellphones for work can be considered impolite and too intrusive. So we keep on trying their landlines, or maybe jut send them a couple of gentle reminder emails. There are journalists who freak out on PR professionals calling them on their cellphones. Some journalists vow never to share their cellphones.
The question is should we call journalists on the mobile phones or not? Or does it depend on what are we calling them for? How should we call them in the following situations? 1. Following up on a press release 2. Inviting them for an event/ RSVP 3. Pitching a story Or does it depend on journalist to journalist? Some do not mind it while some are very finicky about it. What are your opinions and experiences? Let’s hear it.
On Jul 23, 2007, jcraft said:
It depends on journalist to journalist. There is no set rule for this. Some journalists are ok while others are not.
On Jul 23, 2007, ashwani singla said:
Mobile phone is a personal device and it is rude and invasive to call a person on it without seeking permission to do so. The correct etiquette is to seek permissionm via txt message (incoming is free!)along with your name and purpose or seek a landline number to call.
Permission is the key. It has always worked for me, irrespective of whether it is journalist or a client or even a friend. People are busy today and it is simple courtsey to seek permission.
On Jul 23, 2007, mesmerized said:
while some journo’s may now appreciate a call on the cell phone, id agree with Ashwani. A text mess before calling is polite.
Though there are a few journo’s who prefer receiving calls on their cellphone. That again brings us back to the point - Its depends from person to person.
The civilized way to go would be send a prior text mess.
On Jul 24, 2007, Rita Bhimani said:
Calling a journalist on the mobile phone is the most natural way of communicating with him or her. We call them because there is something of urgency to be conveyed to them, or something to which we would like to draw their attention, or simply because we might be inviting them to a press meet personally, or even, wanting to have a chat with them.
The question should be posed in reverse: Should journalists call up corporate persons on the mobile? Some will say yes, they should have the right to access CEOs, but I think they should go through the coporate communications personnel and not bypass them by going direct to the Chairman.
Rita Bhimani
PR Consultant