The Dump

By Alex Greenwood

I’ve written previously about “The Bump.” Put simply:

“Your interview is important, but it has been bumped by something more newsworthy.”

It happens. Roll with it. (Read the post for more on that.)

Interestingly, there’s something related to the bump that’s just as frustrating; I call it “The Dump.”

Let’s say you pitch a reporter on a story or interview. The reporter says “Yes, I like it,” then interviews you or your client–or has you complete an email “interview.” Once complete,  you wait.

And wait.

And wait. Weeks pass and no story appears online, in print or via broadcast.

Soon you realize that the story was either killed (the editor didn’t like it, a better story came up, too similar to a recent story, your interview/info wasn’t all that interesting, no room in the publication, etc.) or the reporter simply forgot about it and moved on.

Hence, “the Dump.”

Been there. Done that. It’s not a good feeling, and it’s even worse when the reporter doesn’t tell you they’ve elected to dump the story.

For example, I once invested a couple of hours on an email interview with a publication. Many weeks later, the interview remained unpublished. Beyond checking that my interview was received, I didn’t follow up with the reporter (who has a bit of a reputation for this sort of thing). It’s obvious the story isn’t going anywhere, and I’d rather not waste my time (or the reporter’s) trying to litigate the merits of the story any further.

Trust me, it’s more than an average “bad day” when you have to explain to a CEO client that the twenty minutes they spent on the phone with a reporter (whilst running to catch a plane at LAX) isn’t going to materialize–particularly if the reporter gives you the silent treatment when you follow up. I don’t like it–I think it’s common courtesy to tell an interviewee or their PR rep that the story is dumped–but reporters have no obligation to do so.

The point is, you can spend a lot of time, effort and energy pitching, interviewing–and yes, even writing–something that by all indicators looks like a sure thing, yet it never sees the light of day. It’s frustrating, but it helps to remember there are no guarantees (if you want guaranteed coverage, buy an ad). Even a good story or interview can simply end up–through no fault of your own–in the dump.

Don’t get mad. Remember, just like “the bump,” “the dump” may not be forever. Perhaps that same reporter will remember you as a source when a similar story pops up. So, no sense starting a feud about it. Brush yourself off and move on. Opportunity awaits.

(And you can recycle your interview on your blog…)