The first day I started in life sciences communications, I was introduced to the news embargo and asked to embargo a client’s early-stage data to a list of reporters.  Since then, I’ve relied on embargos of relevant pieces of news (such as clinical data) targeted and trusted reporters to increase odds of pick up. This effort has netted placements, both in trade and broader media, that have given reporters the time to dive into the story and have amplified the news of interest to target audiences.

Recently, my efforts to embargo some client data were met with the sound of crickets chirping.  Quick consultation with one of my colleagues who embargoed out different data found the same result.  Efforts that only last year would have led to some interest went nowhere.  What’s going on?

I decided to consult a key member of my audience, Ivan Oransky, an editor with Reuters Health and author of the blog Embargo Watch.  Ivan and his team focus a lot on news out of science and medical journals and medical conferences, so he deals with loosely written or outdated embargo policies on a daily basis.  As a health writer he also gets many emails from communications pros in attempts to secure his interest in their client’s press release embargos.

Following my conversation with him, I came away with some key points and to dos:

• Reporters are developing embargo fatigue – so much nonsense from companies crosses Ivan’s desk on a daily basis, and communications pros should really evaluate how important a client’s news is before trying to embargo it
• Embargo lead times are often too short – while different reporters and editors have different criteria for how long they need for an embargo, to write a high quality story, Ivan would like at least twenty four hours, preferably more; with less than that, his reporters don’t have enough time to properly digest what is often complicated science
• The “relations” in “media relations” is eroding – when a source has developed a relationship with a reporter or editor, that writer is much more likely to give weight to outreach from that source; therefore, communications pros must step out of comfort zones and really develop relationships with important writers and editors

For hints on what not to do, I highly recommend visiting Embargo Watch and following @ivanoransky on Twitter.

Carolyn Hawley is an Account Manager at Canale Communications and can be reached at carolyn@canalecomm.com