In this episode of PR Rocks, Betty Galligan sits down with Steve Laxton, a TV Assignment Manager who spent 25 years at the news desk of a local CBS station affiliate. They dive into the fascinating world of television media coverage and unpack how news personnel decide which stories and pitches make the cut. From breaking news to the best practices in pitching, Steve shares his insights from the assignment desk side of the media landscape. Whether you're a PR professional looking to sharpen your pitching skills or someone simply curious about how news is planned and covered, this episode is packed with valuable takeaways.

Key Takeaways:

• What happens to your PR pitch
• How TV professionals decide which stories to cover
• News worthiness and other factors in decision-making
• The relationship between PR professionals and multimedia journalists
• Inside scoop on how to build lasting TV media relationships

Betty interviews this 25-year old administrator of Grace Barker Health in Warren, RI about his experiences as a PR client of Newberry PR & Marketing. He talks about his guitar playing, model making, motorcycle racing, drone photography, and car show hobbies - including a brief mention about his friendship with Jay Leno. At the end, he ‘noodles around’ playing several 1980s-1990s rock songs on his acoustic guitar. (Of course, Betty can’t help but sing, clap and hum along in the background!)

Newberry PR’s Creative Production Manager Candace Brooks turns the interview tables on Betty, asking her intriguing questions such as what’s something people misunderstand about PR, what compelled you to start your career, and what would you tell “young Betty” if she was just starting out.

Our landlord Jeff Brown drops by to answer a pop question about what he thinks the Newberry PR team does for a living. Special guest: Einstein, the agency’s African Grey Parrot mascot, distracting us with bird noises in the background. Too bad he didn’t talk – he has a 500+ word/sound vocabulary!

There are 10 good reasons, but this podcast just lists five of them in random order. It’s our very first PR Rocks podcast so don’t judge! Special thanks to Betty’s talented bandmate and lead guitarist, Gary Ross, who wrote/recorded the riffs for the intro and outtro.