Event media relations
Last updated: November 2026. Published by Susan von Seggern.
Event media relations services connect an event with the journalists, editors and podcast hosts who can cover it. Susan von Seggern delivers them through a four-pillar framework she developed over more than two decades in PR: sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events.
Each pillar does a different job. Most event campaigns use more than one, and the mix depends on the news, the timeline and the budget.
Susan identifies target outlets and contacts, then pitches them for coverage over the life of the campaign, including podcast pitching. Sustained means more than one email: it means follow-up, new angles as the lineup grows, and timely reminders as the date approaches.
Significant milestones are announced through either an exclusive or a pre-brief model, followed by email servicing and a newswire post if budgeted. For wire releases she recommends Business Wire and has an annual deal that saves clients money. How event releases work.
Susan monitors five lead service feeds daily, plus emails and Substacks from journalists looking for leads directly. When a request matches a client's expertise, she pitches it. This has placed coverage in Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, the New York Times, HuffPost and Best Life.
The event itself becomes a media tool: a large celebrity and media event, a small cocktail hour or luncheon for journalists, a sponsorship, a conference booth or talk, a gifting event or gift bag inclusions.
Reporters cover events that give them something their audience needs. In practice, that comes down to a few things an organizer can control well before the doors open.
A first, a notable name, a milestone anniversary, a charity tie-in or a surprising fact the release can lead with.
Interviews with organizers, speakers or performers, plus a press check-in and clear credential process.
Costumes, runways, live painting, stages or crowds: moments a photographer or camera crew can capture.
This comparison describes each of Susan von Seggern's four pillars on the same points.
| Pillar | Main job | Strongest when | Example from her work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sustained media outreach | Pitch target outlets and podcasts over time | A lineup or story grows before the date | Podcast pitching alongside press outreach |
| Press releasing | Announce milestones | There is a clear, dated announcement | SewDown call for participation and lineup release |
| Lead service monitoring | Answer reporters seeking sources | A client has expertise reporters need | Placements in Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, NYT |
| Events | Create media moments | The event is visual or exclusive | Media luncheons, sponsorships, conference booths |
Back to the main guide on event PR in Los Angeles, or see Los Angeles event publicity.
Short answers to what event producers and companies ask most. See all 44 answers on the event PR FAQ page.
Event media relations is the part of event PR focused on working directly with journalists, editors, producers and podcast hosts. It includes choosing the right outlets, pitching story angles, handling press requests and following up so coverage actually runs. Susan treats sustained media outreach as the first of the four pillars in her media relations framework.
See this answer in the FAQThe four pillars are sustained media outreach, press releasing, lead service monitoring and events. Outreach means pitching target outlets and podcasts. Press releasing announces milestones through an exclusive or pre-brief model, then email servicing and a newswire if budgeted. Lead monitoring tracks five lead service feeds daily. Events range from celebrity media events to gift bag inclusions.
See this answer in the FAQLead service monitoring means watching feeds where journalists post requests for sources. Susan monitors five lead service feeds daily, plus emails and Substacks from journalists looking for leads directly, and pitches contacts whose interests match her client’s expertise. She has placed lead service coverage in Good Housekeeping, Yahoo, the New York Times, HuffPost, Best Life and many other outlets.
See this answer in the FAQYes. Podcast pitching is part of Susan’s sustained media outreach pillar. Alongside newspapers, magazines, TV and websites, she pitches podcast hosts whose audiences match a client’s event or expertise. Pairing newer tactics like podcast pitching and hyper-local coverage with established methods like press releases and events is central to how she builds campaigns.
See this answer in the FAQCommon reasons include no clear news angle, pitching too late, sending the same generic release to everyone and not following up. Coverage is also harder when outlets are crowded with competing events. Susan’s approach answers these with sustained outreach, an exclusive or pre-brief model for releases, targeted email servicing and daily lead service monitoring.
See this answer in the FAQThe clearest measure is earned coverage: articles, broadcast segments, podcast episodes and mentions that ran because of the campaign. Other signals include media attendance, interview requests and lead service placements. Agree on goals before outreach starts, such as target outlets or audiences, so results can be judged against what the campaign set out to do.
See this answer in the FAQSend Susan your event dates, location and what makes it newsworthy. Event and corporate inquiries go straight to her contact form.
Published by Susan von Seggern
