Members of the audience will have unique access to journalists as they pitch their story ideas to media members during the annual “Meet the Media” event on April 3.

Event attendees will have 60 seconds to win over journalists on the panel in a segment called “Speed Pitching.”  They can pitch story ideas one-on-one to their targeted media panelists in an informal environment and build contacts for future opportunities.

“Speed pitching will test anyone’s ‘elevator pitch,’” said SC&I Part-Time Lecturer and PRSA NJ Director Ken Hunter, APR, who will be moderating the event. “After each one-on-one pitch, our media panelists will provide feedback, so it will be a true learning experience and attendees might just come out of it with a few new media contacts as well.”

Prior to speed pitching, the media panel will discuss the current state of the newsroom, how outlets are monitoring for potential bias or “fake news,” and how public relations professionals and journalists can better work together.

The panel discussion, “Inside the New Newsroom,” will be held at Rutgers University’s Livingston Student Center, 84 Joyce Kilmer Avenue in Piscataway, N.J., on Wednesday, April 3 at 8 a.m. The event will cost $35 for PRSA members and $45 for non-PRSA members. Students and faculty can attend for free.

The interactive Q&A panel, featuring reporters and editors, will explore:

• Challenges the media has in an era of shrinking newsrooms, financial pressures, expanded platforms, and political viewpoints
• How journalists are selecting what news they’ll cover, why, and the necessary ingredients
• How they spend their time in story development, and what they really need from PR pros to do this work
• How PR people can truly break through the clutter, meaningfully connect, and help the press create coverage that works

“Our annual Meet the Media event showcases our profession to the business community as well as students and faculty,” said PRSA NJ President Ilana Zalika. “‘Business’ is another word for ‘relationships’ and, thanks to our interactive segment, attendees will be able to experience it in real time.”

Media panelists include national outlets, regional press, and local reporters from TV, radio, print, and online media. Confirmed panelists to-date:

• Christina Paciolla, Editor and East Region News Supervisor, Associated Press
• Alice Gainer, reporter, CBS 2
• Scott Michaels, Producer, Retro Report (video news documentary outlet)
• Anthony Birritteri, Editor-in-Chief, New Jersey Business Magazine
• George Beck, Editor-in-Chief, Blue Magazine (for law enforcement)
• Jane Primerano, freelance writer, American Farm Publishing and Lee Newspapers
• Hunter Hulbert, Editor/Social Media Manager, Jersey's Best (NJ Advance Media’s lifestyle magazine)
• Briana Vannozzi, Correspondent, NJTV News

PRSA NJ will continue to book journalists until the event begins. For the latest information about panelists, visit PRSA NJ’s Facebook and Twitter channels.

The event will be co-hosted by the New Jersey chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA NJ), the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Rutgers University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, based at SC&I. BurrellesLuce will sponsor the event.

To register for the Meet the Media event, click here.

 To learn more about journalism and communication courses at the Rutgers University-New Brunswick School of Communication and Information (SC&I), click here for the Communication Department, and here for the Journalism and Media Studies Department.

For more information about SC&I’s Non-credit, Professional Online Certificate Program in Public Relations, click here.