During the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, public relations and communications teams are increasingly relying on a familiar tactic: satellite media tours. The ability to conduct 20-30 television, radio, and/or online interviews in 5 to 10-minute windows in one morning has been an efficient way to conduct media tours for nearly two decades.

However, since March 2020 the SMT has made a bit of a comeback as the go-to tactic for PR and comms professionals. Here are 4 reasons why a satellite media tour is effective during the pandemic.

  • Increased Media Consumption: During the pandemic, many of us are consuming more media than before the lockdowns were ordered. In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by Atomik Research, more than half (56%) of Americans say they are watching more local TV news. Beyond television, respondents say they’re consuming more social media (50%), online news sites (37%), and radio (19%). Satellite media tours offer the opportunity to get key messages in-front of a wider audience.
  • COVID-19 Makes Most Topics Newsworthy: One byproduct of living in the “new normal” is that most aspects of life are now seen through the COVID-19 lens. Not every news story is solely about health concerns or disinfecting, but many features and segments are about navigating life during the pandemic. When picking the topic for your satellite media tour, think about how your service or product aligns with the new situation we’re all living in. Media relations today is not about being opportunistic – it’s about being realistic, which can help producers and journalists advance the story.
  • Social Distancing: One of the initial benefits of a satellite media tour was that spokespeople didn’t have to travel the country and go in-studio to conduct interviews. However, during the current climate, technology has advanced to the point where a Virtual SMT is conducted without a single person (spokesperson, PR team, production crew, media, etc.) needing to leave the safety of their home.
  • Quick Turnaround: The ideal runway to execute a satellite media tour was 2 to 4 weeks. However, during the pandemic, Virtual Satellite Media Tours have completely turned around in 2 to 4 days for clients including Instagram, Experian, and Conagra.

Between March and July 2020, 4media group has successfully executed more than 100 media tours while navigating the “new normal” for public relations and communications clients. If you haven’t considered a satellite media tour as a possible tactic for your client but would like to explore the option and review related case studies, please contact us.