- Sep. 19: QPNN.tv: CitJ for Latinos
- Sep. 12: New study: User-picked top stories differ from media’s
- Aug. 27: New Minn. site raises $1.1M
Part V: Conclusion
Some Observations
People tend to be flattered by an e-mail asking for their opinion or expertise and rarely react negatively, even if they don’t have anything to say. People have a much stronger sense of being part of the process.
They know what kind of story you are working on before it appears. Soliciting their input also de-mystifies a news organization and how newsgathering works.
It’s amazing how much time people are willing to take, and how open they are, about addresses, phone numbers, occupations, etc. They also tend to be more cooperative in follow-up phone interviews.
We’ve had much better luck finding articulate, well-informed, untainted sources with e-mail than with some of the alternatives, such as cold-calling people out of the phone book or contacting people suggested by agencies or interest groups.
The response rate varies dramatically depending on time of day and day of week, but varies primarily depending upon the nature of the question and how it resonates with people. It’s best to e-mail earlier in the day, and earlier in the week.
While the use of mass e-mail is not a true, random sampling poll, the variety of responses typically crosses the entire spectrum. Often beyond what you even imagine.
Some Caveats
The use of e-mail is not scientific and should never be characterized that way.
The use of e-mail is not a substitute for connecting with your community in more traditional ways, by attending meetings or events or conducting face-to-face interviews. In fact, if you use e-mail, you need to be very diligent about reaching out to communities that are under-represented in the digital age.
The use of the e-mail tool is not a replacement for traditional reporting, and is not appropriate for many stories. It is simply a cool new tool and should be used judiciously.
You must avoid sending out too many messages too frequently, or “spamming” people. A general rule is that no one should receive more than one e-mail message a week from you. And Internet etiquette requires an “opt-out” method at all times for people who want to be removed.
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