Where the press really gets its news

Keeping your company Web site current may be more important than you might think.

According to a Media Viewpoint Study conducted last year by Yankelovich Partners Inc., 94 percent of journalists queried say they use company Web sites as a source of corporate information. In fact, the only information source ranked higher — at 95 percent — was a telephone or personal interview with someone in the corporation.

Of journalists who use company Web sites as a resource, 17 percent say they consider such sites to be the most helpful in their work.

By comparison:

  • 92 percent of journalists surveyed say they use press releases as an information source; 21 percent list them as the most helpful.
  • 81 percent use calls from companies’ public relations staff as an information source, but only 2 percent list them as the most helpful.
  • 76 percent use press conferences as an information source, while only 3 percent list them as the most helpful.