Is there a place for non-Coronavirus news?

The need for non-Coronavirus news is a hot topic. Will publications still accept stories that don’t have a Coronavirus angle? Should you try and somehow create one? Or are people actually keen to see fresh and different stories? Here’s a quick summary of what’s still making the headlines during the crisis.

Coronavirus coverage is still big news

Coronavirus coverage still dominates. Britain’s most read newspaper, The Sun, is currently made up of at least 50% Coronavirus news and most media have a separate stream of C-19 coverage including regularly-updated live blogs. At a recent press briefing, a newswire editor talked about 90% of the content they were promoting being related to Coronavirus.

It’s most prevalent in some sectors in particular, such as health, obviously, and business. Equally interesting are the issues surrounding the crisis, such as lockdown, productivity and home-working. This does also mean there could be more of an opportunity for your story if it’s genuinely related. But if it’s not, don’t try and shoehorn an angle in. But read on to see if there are other opportunities.

Good news stories related to Coronavirus

Good news stories coming out of the crisis are also on the rise – which is great to see. These are often around ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help or key workers such as healthcare professionals with amazing stories (remember, as always, it’s the stories that matter).

Or these could be businesses pivoting their operations to help – in some case changing whole business models. Or perhaps volunteering their workforce to make a difference. We helped founder of craft business, The Makery, Kate Smith get into the Daily Mail talking about her scrubs pattern, for example, and cookery school owner, Regan Anderton, appear in Be The Business with her monetised online cookalongs.

Positive business stories

Positive stories of growth in businesses and new hires unrelated to the news agenda are still being covered, and, in many cases, are actively being sought. The media has a role to play in restoring confidence and remember, many business journalists rely on strong news stories in their sector. Although many industries are struggling, some are actually seeing growth at the moment – such as grocers – and this also makes for good news.

Evergreen content

Evergreen content such as profiles, interviews, product reviews, columns, five/ten things will still have a place. There might be a slight change of angle (for example featuring critical workers or focusing on lockdown gadgets) but many are still going ahead. And don’t forget the features that have been commissioned and even written a long time ago. We often put Glossy magazines to bed six months in advance.

Case studies

Interesting case studies (again, it’s about the story behind it) are also very much in demand. Anything quirky or fun, the world looks for people with amazing or strange back stories or particularly funny or unusual animal clips.

That’s just a quick overview – there are many more content areas to consider. A good PR consultancy can help you to shape angles and messages that will resonate.

Overall, just remember this is a time to be particularly sensitive. The coronavirus has affect many people. Routines are changing, people are losing jobs, and it is turning lives upside down. It’s always worth getting a second opinion on your angle.