The Amazing Shrinking Media Directories
Just as Balihoo is advertising’s best friend, Cision is PR’s best friend. Cision, the company formerly known as Bacon’s Information, publishes newspaper and magazine directories that contain information for every newspaper and magazine in North America. The directories contain contact information and profiles on editors and reporters, which PR pros often use to help determine media targets for pitching.
I recently ordered my 2009 directories and quickly noticed the smaller physical size when compared to my 2006 editions. By an unscientific eyeball-estimate, the directories have narrowed by about 17 percent, which is clearly reflective of the shrinking media landscape with disappearing newsrooms and folding magazines. UPDATE: However, as Cision SVP and Publisher Ruth McFarland points out, the books have only shed about 100 pages since 2006 because – despite fewer magazines and smaller newspaper editorial staffs – Cision continues to add more reporter details in response to industry requests. (Thanks, Ruth!) By the way, kudos on your social media monitoring news.
