The importance of timing for media outreach
A great idea, meticulous planning, and a perfectly written, formatted, proofed, posted, and emailed media release is all well and good – but it can only get so far when the timing is off. Whether you’re looking to generate positive coverage or mitigate potential issues, the timing of your outreach can determine how well your message is received, or if it’s received at all.
Think about it: announcing a product launch too early risks the public forgetting about it by the time it’s available. Conversely, delaying communication during a crisis makes your company appear unresponsive, uncaring, or oblivious to the situation.
All your careful advice, planning, and preparation can unravel if you release information at the wrong time. While some timing factors are out of your control, many aren’t. Although there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, the perfect timing varies with each situation. Here are our tips to remember before pitching your next media release so you’re no longer just relying on ‘pure luck’ for results.
Understanding media cycles
In today’s 24/7 news environment, understanding media cycles is essential for PR success. TV news stations typically focus preparation on their flagship evening news bulletins, making mid-morning to mid-afternoon ideal for announcements so there’s enough time for editing. Radio stations can be a 24/7 operation, with news bulletins every half to one hour so deadlines are more flexible. If you’re not too sure on the best time to approach a reporter/producer, consider when they work, as well as when your audience is most likely to consume the content.
One aspect that you can’t plan for is that your pitch can be easily lost if timed during a breaking news story or major event. On a day when there’s a major disaster, for example, light-hearted content likely won’t make the cut so you’re better off saving your pitch. Some major news can be anticipated ahead of time, though. Think major world events, court verdicts, election results and notable government announcements. Plan ahead by considering how your story will fit into the current media landscape.
Case Study: Our client InfoTrack’s State of Real Estate campaign exemplified perfect alignment with news cycles. Timing the campaign for a Saturday to coincide with live auction results, and ahead of National Homelessness Week made the results of Australia’s first consumer survey into the real estate market even more timely. Embargoed and individualised pitches also saw success. In just 24 hours, coverage was secured coverage across Channel 7, Channel 9, ABC, 4BC, realestate.com, news.com, and other national networks.
News hooks and timing opportunities
Once you understand the news environment, you can strategically piggyback on calendar-based opportunities, trending topics, and industry alignments. Create a calendar that helps you identify patterns for more effective pitching. It should consider national holidays, cultural movements, industry-specific awareness months, company anniversaries, and product launches. Each milestone offers fresh storytelling opportunities and can position you ahead of emerging trends.
Case study: We partnered with Link Wentworth, one of Australia’s largest Community Housing Providers, to commemorate Youth Homelessness Matters Day in 2025. Our angle highlighted the growing demand for critical housing among people aged 24 and under. By connecting to this timely media topic, Link Wentworth could promote its services and call for industry and government investment for additional accommodation for young people. The story reached nearly 500,000 people, generating coverage on SBS News, 2GB, Third Sector, and numerous other outlets.
Similarly, our Easter holiday campaign with NTI urged drivers to travel safely in what is traditionally a very busy (and deadly) time on the roads. By timing the findings of their latest research into the cause of crashes, with the peak road toll and holiday traffic period, we captured significant media attention. The campaign reached more than 600,000 people across rural, local, and national media including ABC, Fleet HV News, SEN, and 2CC.
Reactive timing in Crisis Communications
The media cycle moves at lightning speed and waiting too long to address an issue can be just as damaging as the crisis itself. Even when you don’t have all the answers (and often, you won’t), acknowledging a crisis promptly shows transparency and builds trust with both the media and your audience.
Just as with planned media pitches, crisis response requires an understanding of timing that balances urgency with strategic thinking. And while you can’t always control when a crisis hits, you can control how quickly and effectively you respond – often making the difference between a minor issue and a major reputation problem. Being prepared helps to ensure you have the assets and the policies needed to respond quickly if and when something goes wrong.
Reactive media doesn’t have to be related to crisis. Being able to respond quickly to news of the day, to offer expert insight, or a new angle, can give you media “buy-in” to the conversation and have you positioned as a “go-to” commentator.
Case study: Timing proved critical when Adoni backed The Great Australian Rip Off campaign just before the 2022 Federal Election. News broke that insurance companies admitted Australians were paying inflated premiums due to hidden commissions and were due to be fined. Businessman Trond Smith engaged with our team for immediate action. We rapidly deployed an integrated PR campaign, and within 24 hours, our reactive strategy generated national coverage worth nearly half a million dollars, reaching 3.8 million Australians across all major media platforms in just one day. As Trond Smith recalled “News broke at 11am. I did my first interview at 12:30pm and my last at 9:30pm”.
Timing in media outreach is a balancing act of determining what works for you, what works for your client, and when your story is most likely to capture media attention. It’s not merely about convenience; it’s about aligning your pitch with journalists’ workflows, industry trends, and breaking news cycles.
The wrong timing can mean the difference between your story making headlines or being buried, ignored, or outdated. You should want your pitch to become the story the journalist needs at exactly the right moment.
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