- A survey of over 2,400 journalists found that most now see social media as an acceptable channel for communication with PR professionals and a way to field story pitches. However, journalists still prefer email for receiving pitches and press releases. - Panelists advised that PR professionals should personalize all communication with journalists, focus on addressing reader pain points in pitches, and use social media to familiarize themselves with a journalist's work before contacting them directly with story ideas. Journalists also want the essential details like the 5Ws included in press releases.

1. What Do Journalists Want? New Rules of Media Relations in the Digital Era MEDIA: Richard M. Murphy , Chief Content Officer, Social Media Today ; Contributing Editor, Fortune Magazine Chris Elliott , Blogger, Travel Editor, Business Writer & Consumer Advocate, National Geographic Traveler , The Washington Post Lewis Lazare, Former Marketing and Advertising Columnist, The Chicago-Sun Times MODERATOR: Ted Birkhahn, Partner & President, Peppercom HOSTS: Miranda Tan , MyPRGenie.com Brian Pittman , CommPRO.biz Friday, April 29, 2011 1PM EST; Noon CST; 11AM MST; 10AM PST

2. The rise of social media has changed how journalists report stories and work with PR professionals and the companies they cover. To pinpoint exactly what some of these changes have been, what new media trends they underscore, and how companies can work more effectively with the press in the digital era, MyPRGenie, in partnership with CommPRO.biz, distributed a survey distributed a survey to thousands of journalists. With over 2,400 respondents, the findings are significant, and lesson-implicit. Generally speaking, the final results seem to underscore not only that reporters are increasingly using all forms of social media in their day-to-day reporting and promotion of that reportage—but that they also now see social media tools like Twitter as legitimate channels for communication with PR pros on both the agency and corporate side, with many now open to fielding pitches via these tools. Several years ago, this would not have been the case—with many journalists then seeing social media solely as their “personal inboxes.”

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7. SOCIAL MEDIA IN COMMUNICATIONS Is social media an acceptable channel of communication with sources and their representatives?

14. “ HOW TO” PITCH… ADVICE FROM A PR PRO

33. Q & A MEDIA: Richard M. Murphy , Chief Content Officer, Social Media Today ; Contributing Editor, Fortune Magazine Chris Elliott , Blogger, Travel Editor, Business Writer & Consumer Advocate, National Geographic Traveler , The Washington Post Lewis Lazare, Former Marketing and Advertising Columnist, The Chicago-Sun Times MODERATOR: Ted Birkhahn, Partner & President, Peppercom HOSTS: Miranda Tan , MyPRGenie.com Brian Pittman , CommPRO.biz

34. THANK YOU TO OUR HOST/PARTNER, MYPRGENIE.COM