6 Things Cannabis and Wellness Executives Need to Know About Journalism

As a Journalism-Minded Agency™, we get both sides of the earned media coin. From our work with cannabis executives and our own experience as entrepreneurs, we know how important it is to get your name and your message out in front of the right audience, and we know the thrill of landing important coverage in key publications. 

On the other hand, our work as former journalists and editors at papers of record like The Denver Post, The Chicago Sun-Times, alt-weeklies like Willamette Week and magazines like Financial Times, we understand how the basic tenets of journalism are sometimes at odds with the promotional goals of executives in natural products and wellness, including cannabis and psychedelics.

So how can brand leaders walk the line between meeting their marketing and PR goals and helping journalists do their challenging and important work? Here’s what you need to know:

1. Understand the Role of Journalists

Journalism is a complex field that, as a Pew Research report put it, functions “simultaneously as a business, a public service and a watchdog.” At its core, journalism has one north star—to report on events accurately and reliably in a way that facilitates a functioning democratic society. 

The American Press Association has identified key principles for journalists that include:

• Obligation to the truth
• Loyalty to the citizenry
• The “discipline of verification”
• Independent coverage
• Monitoring of people and institutions of power
• Crafting stories that are interesting and relevant, as well as informative
• Keeping the news comprehensive and proportional
• Maintaining space for personal conscience as well as institutional ethics

The most important elements of journalistic ethics, however, are objective reporting and public interest. 

Journalists need facts from which to work—not only addressing the essential who, what, when, where and why that are the building blocks of any story, but also business numbers and other details that can verify a brand or executive’s claims. 

Those facts not only inform the objective truth central to a given article, but also affirm how newsworthy a story is and what the degree of public interest might be—both of which are a priority over the promotional value a story holds for business stakeholders.

Last but not least, journalists need their ethical boundaries respected as much as they need clear facts, compelling characters and clickable narratives. Don’t attempt to manipulate stories or pressure journalists into favorable coverage—this can backfire in a big way and damage your reputation.

Don’t offer gifts or incentives in exchange for coverage, either, which can undermine the credibility of everyone involved. Product samples are a different matter, but keep in mind that some publications have much stricter policies on experiential freebies, including press trips.

2. Learn The Media Landscape

As our founder Ricardo Baca told Cannabis & Tech Today in an article about the state of cannabis media in 2024, there is a “wide spectrum of what journalism is.” Getting familiar with the role different types of publications play in the media landscape and what their reputation is in a given media market or industry is a good place to start.

“On one side you have ‘capital J’ journalism, some of the stuff coming out of the Boston Globe, doing investigations on bad actors or bad regulators,” explained Ricardo. “On the other side of the spectrum, you have activist-centered journalism, which is important in a different way.”

That’s why it’s so important for executives and publicists alike to familiarize themselves with a wide variety of news outlets and magazines to understand not only audiences but also potential angles for coverage and editorial perspectives. 

A story published as the kind of investigative “hard” journalism done by outlets like The New York Times or The Guardian will look markedly different from the advocacy journalism done by publications like Bust Magazine, Labor Notes, Colorlines or even High Times. That broad range of perspectives is an important part of any culture’s diverse media diet. But it’s also good for a business to show off the many facets of its brand values.

While many executives hope for big cover stories and question whether trade publications have a substantial enough readership to justify the time and expense that goes into earning media coverage, it’s these nuances that really inform how valuable a placement might be. The goal is to secure earned media coverage for brands that fits into the sweet spot of credible, favorable, readable and visible.

3. Build Strong Relationships

In addition to understanding where different publications fit into the media ecosystem and the basic ethical tenets journalists of all stripes ostensibly adhere to, earned media really comes down to media relationships.

One reason that publicists can be such a valuable ally to both executives and journalists is that, at their best, they can mediate between each party’s interests to help both achieve their goals. That mediation takes a lot of communication savvy as well as really getting to know everyone involved. 

While EAT is a concept usually discussed in marketing strategy, building expertise, authority and trust is equally important in public (and media) relations. In an industry where truth is central, journalists value trust and credibility immensely. If a publicist can establish a good rapport with reporters through honest and transparent interactions, that goes a long way toward securing media coverage.

Step one to building media relationships? Help journalists get the facts right from the get-go. Ensure that all information shared with journalists complies with industry regulations. Misleading or incorrect information can lead to legal issues, bad press and wrecked reputations. Stay informed about industry trends and regulatory changes. In highly regulated industries like cannabis, PR is a great opportunity to educate journalists on the most relevant and timely research and regulatory evolution.

4. Stay Consistent and Chill

Consistent communication is essential. Publicists must find an equilibrium between staying on journalists’ radars and pestering them. Just like in any other business interaction or networking scenario, it’s crucial to perform active listening and to practice reciprocation to develop a strong, mutual working relationship. 

The goal isn’t just to get the op-eds and pitches in a brand’s PR strategy placed in media outlets, but also to keep an ear to the ground for stories reporters might be working on that could feature a quote from an executive or be used for a newsjacking opportunity. 

The line between staying on top of a journalist to achieve a desired outcome and being a pest isn’t as fine as one might think. A good publicist will understand how to pursue a brand’s earned media strategy with a sense of urgency and how to avoid making busy reporters and editors feel hassled while they juggle multiple stories and deadlines.

That’s why publicists typically push back on common client requests like:

• Pre-approval of content or a chance to read the story before publication
• Asking the reporter to make changes post-publication such as adding links, changing the headline or “correcting” factual details
• Demanding that coverage be brand-exclusive and not reference or quote any competitors
• Requiring approval of hero images and other production details
• Insisting on positive or softball coverage
• Restricting access to key public-facing decision makers or stakeholders, routine business data like revenue numbers or events that may be worthy of coverage

5. Streamline PR Conversations With Media Training

Media training isn’t just a vaccination against foot-in-mouth disease or the need for crisis management. It’s also a great way to win over journalists and build rapport while further developing leaders’ public personae. A C-suite professional who comes to the interview prepared, who can anticipate the journalist’s questions and stay on topic makes journalists’ jobs easier—and help them see why a figurehead really is a leader in the space.

The same tactics you use to clearly articulate the message during interviews and desksides can be used afterwards, too, to cross-promote press hits. Share positive media coverage through your owned media channels, such as your website, social media, and email marketing.

6. Get Strategic With Press Releases and Pitches

Building a brand is a lot like parenthood in certain ways. For one, it’s natural to cherish every milestone and beam with pride as KPIs are checked off. But what a chuffed executive wants to shout from the rooftops might not feel as newsworthy or relevant to a journalist—particularly one working on national coverage or for mainstream publications outside a specific industry. 

“Spray and pray” is a term in public relations that refers to sending a pitch or press release to a large number of media outlets and journalists without much targeting or personalization—and it doesn’t have a positive connotation. If your PR strategy feels spammy, it might be burning bridges. 

That’s why publicists worth their salt will likely push back if a potential news release topic doesn’t feel like it will have value for journalists or if a thought leadership column concept feels overly self-promotional. The best PR professionals work hard to tailor proactive pitches to specific interests and beats like cannabis journalism and the wellness space to show they understand their work and audience. That’s in addition to working with public-facing leadership to ensure their media training is equally on point.

‍Wondering what to look for in a cannabis PR agency and / or natural products and wellness public relations partner? Grasslands is a Journalism-Minded Agency™ with a proven process rooted in deep understanding of what both brands and the reporters who tell their stories need to connect with diverse audiences. ‍The Grasslands team is always ready to talk through your brand’s unique needs and pain points to find a custom solution.