Media spotlight
A spotlight article is evergreen (not time-dependent like an event recap) and focuses on the people angle of your story (e.g., getting to know M. Roy Wilson). It should highlight current or past students and/or alumni in ways that will help prospective and/or current students “see themselves” at Wayne State.
This kind of content is often used to attract attention for a particular cause, event or scholarship, or to raise awareness about a problem or issue. The tone of a spotlight article can range from satirical and entertaining to inspirational and analytical.
It’s also common for communities to get the media spotlight for various reasons. For example, there may be a murder in the neighborhood or a homeowner is growing marijuana in their garage. Or, perhaps an elected official was caught with a prostitute or there’s been a mass shooting in the area. Regardless, it’s critical that the community is prepared to handle the media and be able to move through it smoothly for everyone.
A good way to prepare for an upcoming media spotlight is to identify the key stakeholders and determine what you will say to them. Having a pitch and a story idea will make the process much easier and faster. It’s also helpful to have a news peg, which is a trending topic in the media that relates to your pitch. Then, you can leverage the news peg to grab a journalist’s attention and gain their interest.