TSP: Tom Arenberg, Sports Editor, The Birmingham News

By Jason Falls

Few media assignment and editorial positions are as demanding as that of a daily newspaper sports editor, particularly one in a hotbed for college sports with competing institutions continually tugging on one’s shirttails. This Straight Pitch focuses on Tom Arenberg, sports editor of The Birmingham News, Alabama’s largest newspaper.

Arenberg continually finds himself in the hot seat of a college sports hotbed, dealing with coverage demands for the University of Alabama, Auburn University and UAB, all major NCAA Division I athletic programs. Add to that Samford University, Birmingham-Southern College and Miles College, all located within his city’s limits, and any number of other college, professional and prep teams throughout his coverage area and you can see why we would consider his position an often unenviable one.

And, in an effort of disclosure, I served as a former sports information professional at both UAB and Birmingham-Southern College and pitched Mr. Arenberg stories over a span of five years. He was always what I consider to be the consummate professional, firm but fair.

The Birmingham News’s sports coverage can be found on-line at www.al.com/sports/birminghamnews/. Several of his writers and area sports personalities blog there as well. (Logo from www.al.com.)

THE STRAIGHT PITCH

Name:
Tom Arenberg

Position & Organization:
Sports Editor, The Birmingham News

Organizational Background/Audience Profile:
190,000 circulation Sunday. 150,000 circulation daily. Alabama’s largest newspaper

Briefly describe your role:
Story assignments; selection of stories for front page; editing of some stories.

Tell us a little about your background:
Previously served as night editor, assistant state editor and metro editor.

How do you prefer to be approached with story ideas?
Prefer email. Prefer short and to the point with highlighted angles.

What key ingredients make a pitch appealing to you?
Distinctive news angle; strong local connection; appeal to broad audience

What methods of pitching or contents within a pitch turn you off to the idea?

1. The first question I ask is: If I do this story, will I get demands from other people or institutions who have the equivalent story? If yes, that’s a disaster. I must make sure a story has distinctive newsworthiness so that I can justify singling out that pitch as a legitimate story and giving me a defense against other public relations representatives who claim they have the same story.
2. Know the medium’s market and interests. No sense pitching the autobiography of an NBA star (if he has no Alabama connection) to The Birmingham News.

Which are more helpful in your decision-making, press releases or fact sheets?
Press releases.

Do you prefer broad story ideas or pitches intended for specific segments, features or placement?
Definitely prefer specific ideas.

What else can PR professionals do to help you do your job?
Sorry, but please understand that most newspaper editors don’t have time for phone pitches.

Technorati Tags: Tom Arenberg, Birmingham News, Alabama, sports, sports coverage, athletics, sports media, story ideas, story pitches, sports stories, media relations, public relations

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The Straight Pitch is a feature surveying media members at various levels of responsibility and influence and asking the general question, “How do you like to be pitched?” To recommend a media member, email us at jason@straightpitch.com. If you are a media member and would like to participate, please visit our media survey online by clicking here.

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