Background:
At Large PR worked to gain media coverage for the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability, an award established by the University of Florida to recognize and support exceptional journalism focusing on state government accountability.
Objectives:
- Increase awareness of the Collier Prize and its significance in promoting state government accountability through investigative journalism.
- Highlight the winners of the 2024 Collier Prize and their impactful work.
- Emphasize the importance of investigative reporting and its role in ensuring transparency and accountability in state government.
Strategy:
At Large PR implemented a comprehensive media outreach strategy targeting a diverse range of outlets, including philanthropic news sources, industry publications, podcasts, radio interviews, and op-eds. The agency focused on securing coverage that not only announced the winners but also provided context on the state of journalism and the need for investigative reporting.
Results:
At Large PR successfully secured 16 pieces of media coverage across various platforms, reaching a wide audience and effectively communicating the significance of the Collier Prize and the importance of state government accountability. Notable coverage included:
- Philanthropic news coverage in Philanthropy News Digest and Inside Philanthropy, highlighting the $8 million gift to the University of Florida to support journalism.
- Industry publications such as Editor & Publisher, Governing, and the Capitol Communicator, which covered the winners of the 2024 Collier Prize and the impact of their work.
- Radio interviews and podcast appearances, including WBAI and It’s All Journalism, featuring discussions on the state of journalism and the need for investigative reporting.
- Op-eds by Ted Bridis in Talkers and the Tampa Bay Times, emphasizing the importance of journalism in adapting to the changing media landscape and holding state governments accountable.
- Coverage of the winners’ work in their respective publications, such as The Texas Tribune, ProPublica, and FRONTLINE, as well as recognition in the Democrat & Chronicle for their reporting on the Buffalo blizzard.
The coverage resulted in an estimated 58.4 thousand views and reached 22 million users.
Conclusion:
Through strategic media outreach and targeted messaging, At Large PR successfully raised awareness of the Collier Prize for State Government Accountability and its role in supporting vital investigative journalism. The diverse coverage obtained across philanthropic, industry, and mainstream media outlets demonstrated the relevance and importance of the prize in the current media landscape, while also highlighting the exceptional work of the 2024 winners.
“Working with a public relations firm is essential to our goal of raising the visibility and reputation of the Collier Prize. We have had limited success in the past. But this year, our engagement with At Large PR has resulted in more stories and mentions about the prize across multiple media platforms than we’ve ever had before. Their work has helped us not only build awareness for the prize, but also helped elevate the reputation of our College and provided more opportunities to showcase our dean and journalism faculty.”
Randy Bennett
Executive Director of External Relations
UF College of Journalism and Communications
