News Appeal: The CPA’s Importance to the Media

By Lois Whitehead, Public Relations Manager

Having recently sat in on a teleconference call with representatives from The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune and Fortune Magazine, I learned that the national media places a big premium on the ability to predict trends and events.

In order to break a story, the media relies heavily on sources, which is exactly where you come into the picture. As CPAs you possess the sort of skill sets, experience and broad-based business knowledge that financial reporters look for to help them make sense of a story or to put it in a certain context.

But to establish a meaningful rapport with your local paper or call-in radio show, you must first get to know the journalists and editors who work there. In the event that you may work with them on a story, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with their beats and editorial style. And, if you have not already, start making a habit of regularly staying informed by signing up with a news website like CNN or The New York Times to receive breaking news reports. Of course, the Society’s own website at www.nysscpa.org posts news briefs throughout the day.

By keeping up with the latest developments, you avail yourself of the opportunity to provide your local news outlets with information that they can use.

Currently, there are several big-ticket tax- and finance-related stories that are always in need of interesting quotes and meaningful background information. Among those is pension reform and other retirement issues, like the growing number of 65-and-over individuals who simply cannot afford to stop working.

College savings plans (529s) and investor confidence in financial statements are still more hot news items, the latter of which the Society’s past president Nancy Newman-Limata recently addressed in a series of articles that she contributed to the New York Post. Contact your local editors; they may be interested in working with you for a similar type of series.

Remember, you’re in good company. In addition to Newman-Limata, there are countless other NYSSCPA members who have worked closely with the media over the years. Alan Kahn, chairman of the Society’s Public Relations Committee, is one such member. He is a featured regular on CNN-fn, where he participates in a news segment called Monthly Financial Check-ups.

Success with the media is only a phone call away. But before you ring up your radio station or newspaper to see if they want a quote, let them know your areas of expertise and try to be prepared for any question they might ask you. Granting interviews and giving quotes increases your visibility and status in the business community and also can lead to increased business for your practice. As CPAs and business professionals, you possess many more cards than you might think. Be willing to play them every now and then.

If you are interested in joining the Society’s media bank of CPAs, please contact Lois Whitehead at (212) 719-8405 or lwhitehead@nysscpa.org.