What is a media kit?

A media kit is a collection of strategically curated information and media assets that will be useful for journalists when running a story, giving them exactly what they need to do their job well. Think of it as a way of protecting both your client’s reputation and the journalist’s need for accurate information.

Sure, a media kit doesn’t always guarantee media coverage. But what it does guarantee is that the content produced aligns perfectly with your client’s brand.

It’s the difference between hoping a journalist gets the story right and giving them absolutely no excuse to get it wrong.

Why is a media kit important?

In the PR world, there’s no such thing as “all press is good press.” That’s a myth perpetuated by those who’ve never witnessed a brand’s reputation be torn teared down, sometimes as easily as one missed context, a misinterpreted story or simply the wrong word.

When we talk about media kits, we’re talking about control – the kind of control that keeps PR professionals awake at 2 AM, replaying potential media scenarios in their heads.
While most journalists aren’t out to damage your client’s reputation, they’re human, and they’re working fast while under the pressure of tight deadlines. Without giving them the proper guidance, misunderstandings happen fast, and you could be spending weeks (or months) cleaning up a mess that could have been prevented with a good media kit.

“As a former Journalist, I can attest that by having a media kit attached to your media release on your send out days, means you are providing journalists with absolutely everything they need to tell your client’s story,” Clare Christensen, Adoni Media Communications Director, said.

“It’s an effective and efficient way to give journalists the ‘full’ story.

“A media kit complements a media release by including background information on your client and their business, images, and video in the form of a Video News Release. All great assets to help make the journalist’s job a lot easier to tell your client’s story,” she said.

What goes in a media kit?

It is important to note that sometimes the list of what needs to be included in a media kit may vary depending on the reason why your organisation is using it and the resources you have available.

However, here is a list of the essentials that you should strive to include in each of your media kits:

Fact Sheet

Think of the fact sheet as a strategic cheat sheet that does the heavy lifting for journalists. By compiling a comprehensive list of interesting facts about your client, their business or organisation, or the event you’re announcing, , you’re offering multiple story angles. It also demonstrates respect for the journalist’s time by eliminating the need for extensive research.
And always make sure your Fact Sheet is approved by your client. That way you know the information is accurate.

Images

Images are a great way to also have your story told. We all know the famous quote: “An image is worth a thousand words”. But images can also greatly bolster a media release and can often mean the difference between a story being published or binned so make sure they are relevant to the story you are pitching and are in a high enough quality for publication.
And be careful with hi-res images. Sometimes if they’re too big they can make it harder for the journalist to do their job.

Videos

Video is an incredibly useful PR tool, particularly for journalists in remote areas or interstate locations and are unable to attend your media event or media conference.
A Video News Release (VNR) is essential if you want to secure the widest possible media coverage for your client, particularly television news coverage.
A VNR contains media friendly ‘grabs’ and footage that TV journalists can edit together to tell your client’s story. A producer and camera operator would have worked with your client and key stakeholders, filming, producing, and editing the VNR in readiness for your announcement so the VNR could be sent as a digital link with your media release.

Journalists in regional areas, who are time poor, love receiving VNRs as often they don’t even have to leave the newsroom to pull your story together. They receive a complete package in their inbox. The team at Adoni Media has been using VNRs for more than a decade to secure coverage for our clients across regional, state, national, and even international media.

And our Managing Director, Leisa, Goddard, first introduced VNRs to the Australian media landscape after working as the US Bureau Chief for Channel Ten and received VNRs from American-based PR companies. She understood the power of VNRs and how they made it easier for journalists to tell a story. So having a media kit to help tell your client’s story is essential when you’re sending out a media release or pitching a story idea to a journalist.

You don’t have to have all three – Fact Sheet, Images, and VNR – to send out a media kit. Just a Fact Sheet is enough sometimes to provide that extra information you don’t have room for in your media release.

If you would like to discuss PR opportunities, reach out to Adoni Media through the ‘Contact Us’ button below.

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