It’s never easy getting a reporter’s attention. Here’s a way to hook them quickly – lessons from my time as Executive Producer with NBC
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
If you’ve ever tried getting a reporter’s attention, you know it’s not easy standing out.
But there are a few strategies that will help you hook a reporter faster. These 4 tactics stem from my time with NBC and CBS – where I approved story ideas from reporters, producers and publicists.
If you’re able to come to the table with these elements, you’ll definitely be better positioned than the competition.
Need help standing out? Feel free to send me a message and we can hop on a strategy call.
ABOUT MACIAS PR
MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by Mark Macias – an Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. City & State Magazine named Macias one of the top 50 best PR pros in New York in 2022 and 2024. Finance Monthly named MACIAS PR the 2017-2020 Strategic PR Firm of the Year, and PR Firm of the Year.
MACIAS PR was founded in 2009 by a former Executive Producer with NBC and Senior Producer with CBS in New York. Journalists and marketing peers consistently rank MACIAS PR as one of the best PR healthcare and tech agencies. City & State Magazine named Mark Macias a Top Political PR Power Player in New York in 2022 and 2024.
We help founders and brands tell stories that get noticed by the media. Our strategy is based on years inside NBC & CBS newsrooms where editorial judgment, timing and credibility are the currency for success.
At MACIAS PR, we turn complex brands into compelling media narratives that secure national headlines, elevate thought leadership, and drive real business outcomes. Links to client case studies for media deliverables are below.
Prominent Clients across Industries
Healthcare and Wellness
Noom, WellRX, Meru Health, Lifesum, Columbia University Medical Center, Kilo Health, Burke Hospital
Consumer Tech
Plenty of Fish, Welt, Abby Connect
Bootstrapped Startups
MDAcne, TopPatch (Cyber Security)
Publicly Traded Companies
Mawson Infrastructure (NASDAQ), Unusual Machines (NYSE), Banle International (NYSE)
Finance
Provident Loan Society, Sag Harbor Advisors, Sansar Capital
Politics
Former UN Executive Secretary on Climate Patricia Espinosa, Rep. Norma Torres (LA)
Our media campaigns helped these brands raise tens of millions of dollars with investors, while improving their name recognition with customers. Click here to review our case studies.
All of our clients always work with an experienced media strategist – regardless of size. And as a boutique PR consulting agency, our communications process is always streamlined, while our execution is hyper-focused.
PR Awards – Earned by MACIAS PR
City & State Magazine named Mark Macias a Top Political PR Power player in New York. Marketing peers have consistently recognized MACIAS PR for Strategic PR Firm of the Year from 2017-2021. Finance Monthly named our agency the 2015-2017 Financial PR Firm of the Year.
Message Mark at the bottom of this screen (green button on the right) if you would like to schedule a call. You can also get a free PR estimate by clicking here.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Corporate America has found its newest must-have skill.
It’s not SEO, “growth hacking,” or even coding.
It’s storytelling.
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reported that companies across industries are desperately seeking “storytellers” — and demand is exploding. And it’s not a branding fad. LinkedIn data shows US job postings mentioning the term “storyteller” doubled over the past year.
The WSJ article pointed out that Google, Microsoft, Notion, Vanta, USAA, and Chime are building entire teams around narrative and storytelling. The roles blend communications, PR, marketing, executive visibility, and content strategy into one position.
More important, they’re looking for professionals who can turn complex ideas into narratives that connect with customers, investors, employees, and the public.
What this Means to your Business
As a former executive producer I always look at story ideas through the news cycle. Companies can no longer rely on the old PR playbook alone. They need more players and support to break through the noise. Your business isn’t alone in trying to get noticed. Even the biggest companies in the world need to elevate their business game to get their products and services in front of consumers and customers.
So which brands are winning in this competition? Companies that produce authentic, relatable and human-driven content.
How a Creative Publicist Turned a Medieval Dinner Show Into Free Media Coverage and Sales. It’s a story model every brand should study.
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
A seemingly quirky story — about NYC singles ditching dating apps to flirt with knights at Medieval Times — captured the internet’s attention this week.
When I read the article, I knew it was created by a smart, savvy publicist. The article didn’t just report a trend – the article gave the illusion of an emerging trend that is sweeping New York City. As a former executive producer with NBC and CBS, I can tell you marketing leaders can learn from this.
Here’s a closer look at what the publicist did right and how you can leverage this strategy for your own brand.
1. Create the Trend, Don’t Just Report It
The backbone of this coverage wasn’t Medieval Times itself — it was the story the publicist helped shape: an old-school entertainment experience becoming the antidote to dating-app burnout.
That positioning is strategic on several levels:
It casts the event as part of a broader cultural moment — dating fatigue in modern life — not just a venue looking for customers.
It captures movement momentum: “Singles are ditching swipes for swords.”
It made the story newsworthy beyond the event’s usual pitch angles.
A smart publicist doesn’t just sell a product — they sell the trend the product is part of. And that’s what turned this local dinner show into a national conversation. The story even landed on Yahoo’s lifestyle pages, one of the widest possible audiences for this topic.
PR Takeaway: To generate coverage that moves the needle, don’t sell what you do; sell what it means in the culture right now.
What I’ve learned leading crisis campaigns for CEOs, nonprofits, and political leaders
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Crisis communications is one of the most misunderstood parts of public relations. Most companies think a crisis begins when a reporter calls. In reality, the crisis began long before that moment — often the day someone inside the organization assumed:
“This probably won’t become a story.”
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve led crisis and high-stakes media campaigns for politicians, nonprofits, financial groups, and health startups.
And I can tell you something that surprises most executives: In politics, it’s nearly always crisis messaging. Politics is built on opposition research, dirt-digging, and releasing information at the moment that causes maximum damage. Every day is about controlling the narrative before the other side controls it for you.
The corporate world is not much different. The tactics might be quieter, and not as pressing, but the stakes are just as real.
So whether you’re a CEO facing scrutiny, a nonprofit under attack, or a financial group navigating volatility, here are 5 rules I give clients when the pressure is highest.
1. Identify the Bad News That’s Already Out There — and the Bad News That Isn’t
The first step in any crisis plan is brutal honesty: What negative information is already public?
Now ask the harder question: What negative information exists that hasn’t surfaced yet?
This is where many organizations fail. They build messaging for today’s headline… but not for tomorrow’s.
A smart crisis strategy includes two tracks:
Response to what’s already out
Preparation for what could come out next
In politics, this is standard operating procedure. Campaigns don’t just respond — they war-game.
Business frequently overlooks this component of crisis communications. You don’t want to be caught writing statements from scratch while the story spreads. Prepare before it happens.
Media training lessons I learned as a former NBC and CBS Executive Producer
By Mark Macias Founder of MACIAS PR | Former NBC Executive Producer
Most executives think media interviews are about one thing: getting coverage. But after spending years inside newsrooms, including time as Executive Producer in New York — I can tell you something most people learn too late:
A reporter call is not a casual conversation. It’s a recorded moment in the public record.
Even great companies can find themselves misrepresented, taken out of context, or blindsided by a question they weren’t prepared to answer.
So if you want to protect yourself — and actually come across as credible, confident, and in control — here are four rules I give every client before they ever speak to the press.
1. Never Take a Reporter Call Alone
One of the simplest ways to protect yourself is also the most overlooked: Always have someone else on the call. When helping AI/Healthcare startups with their media interviews, I always listen in to the call and engage with the reporter. This holds the reporter or journalist accountable with their words before a word is even written.
When there’s another professional listening, everyone stays sharper — including the reporter. And if something feels off afterward, you’re not relying on memory. You have a witness.
Ideally, that should be your experienced publicist who can recognize loaded questions. It also prevents the classic “he said / she said” scenario.
In today’s media environment, that matters more than ever.
