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PR advice: Read Lisa Mennie's local TV piece for The Drum

Retro TV - Isolated with Clipping Paths
Here at Manchester’s most ingenious award-winning PR team we pride ourselves on keeping the Smoking Gun blog updated with posts offering tips, insider secrets, and PR advice. As such we felt obliged to write this.
Over on The Drum, one of our favourite industry-related publications- an essential bookmark in our eyes- Lisa Mennie published and enlightened piece yesterday regarding the huge opportunities presented by the launch of localised TV networks in the UK, which brands would be foolish to ignore.
The overall point being that pride and the desire to hit the most prestigious, well-established media outlets should not supersede the hard evidence to support the notion that in key cities, local TV is taking off. Using Glasgow’s STV as an example, almost 30% of viewers in the broadcasting area apparently tuned in at least once during its first month on air, representing some 572,000 TV sets. That’s impressive for any launch.
Of course it is still possible to be cynical. One month of viewing figures does not a loyal audience make, but then there’s no reason why this pick up rate won’t continue for the foreseeable future, meaning anyone looking to target a Scottish market needs to seriously consider their relationship with the broadcaster in question. This is, after all, the city with the biggest population north of Hadrian’s Wall.
It’s common sense really, and it goes much further than television start ups. Consider online and print publications, for example. With many of the most-read titles now coming in the form of a new breed of media that focuses on digital primarily, if not completely, it’s amazing how many businesses still opt for the perceived prestige of a glossy print title over a website with hits in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. And we’re not just talking about the obvious next generation- your Vices and Huff Posts. There are numerous specialist, niche and mainstream outlets online that are matching, if not beating, their competitors on the newsstand in terms of  reach.
Before we fall foul of a print furore, it’s important to note that we are definitely not advising anyone to ignore physical titles- that would be equally foolish. Instead, the message to take from Mennie, and this post which she inspired, is that when an opportunity presents itself we must consider what the benefits and merits of that opportunity could be, and, where possible, look to exploit any and all that are relevant to our cause, or risk another brand stealing what could have been our limelight.
Read Lisa Mennie’s piece for The Drum here.

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