Smart Ideas
Where the press really gets its news
Smart Business Columbus | January 2001
Keeping your company Web site current may be more important than you might think.
According to a Media Viewpoint Study conducted last year by Yankelovich Partners Inc., 94 percent of journalists queried say they use company Web sites as a source of corporate information. In fact, the only information source ranked higher -- at 95 percent -- was a telephone or personal interview with someone in the corporation.
Of journalists who use company Web sites as a resource, 17 percent say they consider such sites to be the most helpful in their work.
By comparison:
- 92 percent of journalists surveyed say they use press releases as an information source; 21 percent list them as the most helpful.
- 81 percent use calls from companies' public relations staff as an information source, but only 2 percent list them as the most helpful.
- 76 percent use press conferences as an information source, while only 3 percent list them as the most helpful.
