Episode #68: Write a Long Pitch with Daniela Molina (InvestigateTV)
“I like long pitches. I'm all in for long pitches. I want to know a little bit more about the person and their background. […] I read them from beginning to end. I think they really help with how I believe the interview will turn out and the topics that we talk about.”
-Daniela Molina on what she likes about pitches
Today’s episode we connect with a TV producer who has worked with both Britt and Jaclyn. Catch a glimpse into both of our worlds and come out inspired to build your own, rewarding relationship with an awesome producer doing important work. Along the way, you’ll learn that some prescriptive advice (like brevity and digital-only) might not always apply, depending on who you’re reaching out to.
In this episode, you'll learn all about pitching an investigative producer…
Details to help foster a working relationship the right way
Tips for having enough and the right information in your pitch
The kinds of stories they cover and how far in advance they plan
Our guest:
Daniela Molina is a bilingual Investigative Producer at Gray Television InvestigateTV who has a great interest in human trafficking and healthcare stories. Since her time at InvestigateTV she has covered abuse in nursing homes, bad doctors, and societal issues. She has also started her own franchise within the team called "Cuidando Su Billetera" which provides financial content to Spanish-speaking communities. Before joining InvestigateTV, Daniela interned for three summers with WTVJ (NBC) in South Florida and worked with their digital duopoly team. Daniela is a graduate of Indiana University with both a bachelor’s and master's in journalism.
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Summary:
In this episode, Jaclyn and Britt interview Daniela Molina, a bilingual investigative producer for Grey Television, Investigate TV. They discuss the importance of building relationships between PR professionals and journalists. Daniela shares her experience working with publicist Sawyer Van Horn and highlights the value of receiving personalized and relevant pitches. They also discuss the best practices for qualifying experts for interviews and the importance of providing tips and bullet points in pitches. The conversation concludes with a discussion on communication preferences and email etiquette, emphasizing the importance of finding the right journalist for your pitch. She also highlights the challenges in finding Spanish-speaking experts and the need for more representation in the personal finance space. The length of pitches is also discussed, with Daniela expressing her preference for longer pitches that provide more information. She gives a shoutout to PR professionals who build strong relationships and shares where listeners can find her online.
Show Notes:
00:00— Introduction and Connection
01:32— Introducing Daniela Molina's Background
02:27— Working Relationship with Sawyer Van Horn
03:11— Building Relationships in PR and Journalism
05:42— Discussing the Pitch from Sawyer Van Horn
06:39— Subject Line and Catching Attention
08:28— Building a Relationship with PR Professionals
11:49— Qualifying Experts for Interviews
14:21— Providing Tips and Bullet Points
20:08— Sharing Interviews and Expert Qualifications
24:01— Using Tips and Providing Expert Information
28:19— Time Zones and Scheduling Interviews
30:59— Emailing and Contacting Journalists
31:20— Communication Preferences and Email Etiquette
36:31— The Importance of Finding the Right Journalist
37:32— Challenges in Finding Spanish-Speaking Experts
42:48— The Length of Pitches
48:06— Building Relationships with PR Professionals
51:52— Shoutouts and Appreciation
52:04— Where to Find Daniela Molina Online
The Pitch
Subject: How automakers collect & resell information
Hi Daniela,
Today Kaspersky is sharing a set of tips for consumers interested in protecting their privacy from auto manufacturers. This follows a recent Mozilla report that called cars the “worst product category ever reviewed for privacy.” Kaspersky’s post also shares details on how automakers gather and profit from private data.
Modern cars are crammed with sensors, apps and communications interfaces that produce data that can then be sold to insurance companies and marketers. Even without reselling personal data, automakers can enable or disable car functions through subscriptions, as BMW tried unsuccessfully to do with heated seats, or selling expensive cars on credit with forced vehicle lockdown in case of payment default.
In its post, Kaspersky shares a set of mitigation options, including:
· Don’t install the car’s mobile app on your phone.
· Don’t activate Apple’s CarPlay or Android Auto pairing functions.
· When you pair your phone via Bluetooth, don’t allow the car to access your address book or other data.
· Buy an older car or a car with a minimal set of “smart” sensors and/or no communication module.
· Sign Mozilla’s collective petition to car manufacturers
In addition to the privacy and surveillance risks, there are also security risks. Successful attacks on vehicles have demonstrated that adversaries can use a wide arsenal of tools to penetrate vehicle systems, and that a successful attack may result in the theft of personal data, installation of malicious code, manipulations of functions or the theft of the vehicle.
Please take a look at this blog post and feel free to share any of the tips. Also, please let me know if you’re interested in connecting with a security expert to discuss further.
Best,
Sawyer Van Horn
Connect with Daniela Molina
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