The Disconnect Between Excitement and News Value

“Every nonprofit I know has a gala,” Alex said. “And inevitably, about three weeks before the gala, somebody says, ‘Have we sent a press release? We should get the media to cover it.’”

The problem is that the media doesn’t cover events simply because they exist. 

“Just having a gala is not newsworthy,” she said. “I’ve seen a lot of places just send the press release out that we’re having our gala at this time and this date. And that isn’t really newsworthy because it’s an annual event.”

That same principle applies to company anniversaries, local awards, employee recognition, or just about anything else that happens on a recurring basis. It may be important to you, but that doesn’t mean it will interest the wider public. That is the standard journalists use when deciding what to cover.

READ MORE: What to include in a press release in 2025.

What Turns an Event Into a Story

So how do you make something that’s internally important relevant to an external audience?

“You need to either have all this money going to a specific cause that we can really have a nice story to tell about,” Alex said. “Or maybe there’s a special guest or something unique that makes this year different.”

The key is to find the story behind the event. That could be a person, a moment, a surprise, a transformation. Something that brings emotional or practical value to people who otherwise wouldn’t care.

If your company just won a Best Place to Work award, ask yourself why someone outside your company should care. But if you can share how one of your employees used your company’s education benefit to finish college and buy her first home, now you have a story worth telling.

When I asked Alex about other examples, she said, “Winning an award or holding a fundraiser doesn’t mean much on its own. But if that fundraiser is raising money for something specific like a student scholarship or a medical program and you can connect that to someone’s real story, that’s when it becomes something worth pitching.”

What PR Pros Should Be Asking

Before you pitch a media outlet, ask yourself:

• What is the story here beyond the event itself?

• Is there a person who represents what this event is about?

• Can we show transformation, community impact, or emotion?

• Are there visuals we can offer to help bring it to life?

Alex emphasized the importance of thinking like a journalist. 

“People assume you can just call a newsroom and say we have an event and someone will show up. That’s not how it works. You have to lead with the story. You have to give them something they can visualize, connect with, and share with their audience.”

READ MORE: How to get your news pitch noticed by a newsroom.

The Bottom Line

Whether you’re promoting a fundraiser, announcing an award, or celebrating a milestone, remember this: the media doesn’t cover your organization. They cover stories that impact people. Your job is to connect the dots.

“Just because something matters to you doesn’t mean it’s going to matter to the wider community,” Alex said. “And if it’s not going to matter to the wider community, it’s not going to matter to the news.”

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