Local vs. national media ... what's better for publicity?

University of South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley has enough titles and awards that she’s earned the right to pick and choose media outlets that get dibs on her time.

As a surprise to some, the three-time national championship-winning coach prioritizes local media.

National media attention has value yet local and regional reporters can provide something more personal. In South Carolina’s case, locals were there in the lean times and saw the Gamecocks grow on and off the court. That’s one reason Staley saves courtside seats for local media.

The coach’s priorities are also publicity savvy.

“When I write about stadium development deals or media rights agreements across the country, I know that the same stories play out no matter where you live but there are some wrinkles that you can only get from reading local reporting and adding local context,” reporter and editor at Sportico, Jason Clinkscales, said. “As a local writer, you are closer to the unvarnished and more nuanced perspective.”

Some businesses, however, miss the value of local and regional media when they want a publicity push.

“Dawn’s view on the coverage of her team couldn’t have been more uplifting to hear as a local sports journalist, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sports beat writer Jim Owczarski, said. “In this era of transactional ‘news,’ the blurring of lines between agencies, league partners and hot-take artistry, it was refreshing to hear from a Hall of Fame player and coach that recognizes the fundamental, yet very important, differences between that part of the media landscape and what the local journalists do. 

“She knows the inherent value in local for her, for her players, her institution and fans of her program and sport. It’s an understanding that no doubt has created a mutual respect between her and the local media, and it further enhances the entire experience of the people we’re all trying to cater to – the people in the communities we work in.”

Sometimes national media attention feels more important to someone who wants their story told when in fact, it’s local pieces that can lead to expansive hits. For example, national media crews consume volumes of team-based coverage when they travel because local and regional reporters can provide insight gleaned each day that people who pop in for a day or two can’t.

To be clear, one is not better than another. They’re different. Local can serve as a base from which to build. Local and national can also feed off one another.

“There's a truism in journalism: local news can drive national coverage, and national coverage can drive local,” USA Today Race and Inequity Sports Editor, Mike Freeman, said. “One cannot exist without the other.”

###

©Gail Sideman, gpublicity 2024

Good things come in small packages.

Respect within your industry or geographic base might be what lights your special spark.

Let’s work together to make that publicity happen for you.