Embargoes and exclusive news: how does it work?

Two effective strategies when pitching news are offering a story under embargo and pitching it exclusively. Here, you will learn how these techniques work and how to use them to your advantage.

An embargo is an agreement between journalists and PR professionals regarding the timing of the publication of a news story. It is a request, not an obligation, so there are no guarantees that a journalist will adhere to it. The goal of an embargo is to give the media time to prepare for the news.

Use an embargo only when you have a good reason to do so. If the embargo adds nothing, leave it out. An embargo is not a tool to boost your news value.

How does an embargo work in practice?

• Call a journalist, pitch your news, and inform them about the embargo.
• The embargo provides a good excuse for phone contact, as the news requires delicate handling.
• After sharing the news, you can follow up to check if there is room and attention for this topic.

Practical example: Suppose your company is about to publish a groundbreaking sustainability report. You can offer this report under embargo until Tuesday morning at 6:00 AM. This gives journalists time to delve into the report and write a well-founded article that goes online exactly at the time of publication.

Editorial teams compete for scoops. By pitching a topic exclusively, you allow a journalist to stay ahead of the competition. This makes the story more attractive to the journalist, although the chance of widespread media coverage is slightly less than with a general release.

How does pitching exclusively work in practice?

• Call a journalist, pitch your news, and inform them that you are offering it exclusively to this medium because it suits them well.
• Ask for feedback, even if they decide not to do anything with the news.
• After the news is published, you can send the story to other media outlets.

Practical example: Suppose you have developed a new technology that drastically improves home energy efficiency. You offer this news exclusively to a leading tech magazine. This gives the journalist a scoop, piquing their interest and increasing the chance of publication.

Pitching news under embargo or exclusively makes a story more attractive to journalists. Content that you doubt is newsworthy enough can be pitched exclusively to a medium. Embargoes create a sense of urgency and timeliness. Use these PR techniques to increase the chances of publication and effectively draw attention to your news.