This week, all eyes are on a group of dolphins that mysteriously went off course and are now taking up residence in New Jersey’s Shrewsbury River. From national media outlets like FoxNews and ABC to local new outlets throughout the country, the press is fixated on this story. Reporters are scrambling to give a fresh angle to their viewers. Many are using local experts to comment on the dolphins’ ordeal.
Today’s news outlets often generate the same national stories, like that of the New Jersey dolphins, with a community angle. Viewers are more likely to tune into a story if they can relate. This “hometown” trend is often referred to as hyper localization and can work in your favor.
Recognizing hot topics, and offering reporters a local tie can be a creative way to generate your own press. A well-informed expert can shed light on the topic while incorporating the organization into the story. In the case of the dolphins, a local aquarium caretaker, a marine biologist or an animal behavioralist have an opportunity to offer their opinion on why the dolphins veered off course and how their organization would handle the situation.
The dolphins’ fifteen minutes might be over, but keep your eye open for the next hot topic and see if you can offer local insight to area media outlets.
