The New York Post and Danger Dogs, imagine that! Well, this article took quite a while to materialize but it finally did! She got lots of orders from this…

If you can hook your service or product around a news story, consider contacting the Associated Press. Here are some examples of what I mean. If you are a food manufacturer, discuss the on-going recalls, if your product is organic, discuss the green trend in dog products, whatever you are selling, there’s always a way to develop a news hook.

The Associated Press is the backbone of the world’s information system serving thousands of daily newspaper, radio, television and online customers with coverage in all media and news in all formats. It is the largest and oldest news organization in the world, serving as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video. AP’s mission is to be the essential global news network, providing distinctive news services of the highest quality, reliability and objectivity with reports that are accurate, balanced and informed. AP operates as a not-for-profit cooperative with more than 4,000 employees working in more than 240 worldwide bureaus. AP is owned by its 1,500 U.S. daily newspaper members.

AP supplies a steady stream of news around the clock to its domestic members, international subscribers and commercial customers. It has the industry’s most sophisticated digital photo network, a 24-hour continuously updated online news service, a state-of-the-art television news service and one of the largest radio networks in the United States. It also has a commercial digital photo archive, a photo library housing more than 10 million images.

AP has received 49 Pulitzer Prizes, more than any other news organization in the categories for which it can compete. It has 30 photo Pulitzers, the most of any news organization.

The Associated Press is the essential global news network, delivering fast, unbiased news from every corner of the world to all media platforms and formats. Founded in 1846, AP today is the largest and most trusted source of independent news and information. On any given day, more than half the world’s population sees news from AP.

Figures:
243 bureaus in 97 countries.

1,700 U.S. daily, weekly, non-English and college newspapers.

5,000 radio and television outlets taking AP services.

850 AP Radio News audio affiliates.

550 International broadcasters who receive AP’s global video news service, APTN, and SNTV, a sports joint venture video service.

121 number of countries served by AP

4 languages in which AP sends news. The report is translated into many more languages by international subscribers.

4,100 AP editorial, communications and administrative employees worldwide.

3,000 of AP’s worldwide staff are journalists.

49 Pulitzer Prizes, including 30 for photography.

The AP news report is:

24 hours a day

7 days a week

What this means for you is lots and lots of media coverage should your story be picked up. If the story has national or international significance, e-mail info@ap.org. Do not send attachments in e-mail messages.

You can also mail your press release to AP’s General/National Desk or International Desk at Associated Press, 450 W. 33rd St., New York, NY 10001. Be sure to include a return address on your envelope.

If you have a story of regional significance, send your idea to a local AP bureau. The AP has a bureau in every state.

To send press releases to specific departments, consult the list of Beats, AP editors and Writers, and your release will be forwarded to the appropriate party. http://www.ap.org/pages/contact/contact_pr.html

Happy Pitching!

Susan

Have you ever wondered how to get yourself interviewed by Regis? Doesn’t it bother you when you open the current issue of Bark Magazine only to find products similar being featured with no mention of yours? Well, Alpha Dog PR is going to share with you some of the secrets we’ve learned from more than 30 years in the pr industry! And we’re doing it for FREE!

Please send us your questions or comments about the world of public relations and we’ll do our best to answer as many as we can. We’ll also share with you some of our media leads and other valuable tools for success.

So be sure to check in from time to time. Many of our postings will be time sensitive.

See you on TV!

Susan, Baldwin and Bliss