New Tool Facilitates Communication and Information Exchange Between Student Journalists and Press-Release Sources
CLIFTON, N.J.--(COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE)--May 23, 2002--Collegiate Presswire, the leading electronic distributor of press materials and marketing information to the nation`s college media, today announced the debut of a significant product innovation, CP Connect. The new service will enhance the interaction between student journalists and public relations professionals who use the college-media wire service.
CP Connect, which will be introduced on press releases beginning this Fall, is based on a unique World Wide Web link embedded in the header of stories sent over Collegiate Presswire. When a student journalist clicks on the link to request additional information, the Collegiate Presswire server records the journalist’s profile, the story they are interested in and the date on which the story ran. To ensure privacy, journalists have the option to disclose any or all of their contact information to the press-release source.
Then, using a simple Web-based form, student journalists can select the type of follow-up information they would like to accompany the story. Options currently include a call from the publicist, a full press kit sent to them, a photo or a request for an interview. Student journalists can also select the method by which they would like to be contacted by the publicist – whether by mail, fax, phone or email.
Upon submitting the form, the Collegiate Presswire server records the information, composes an email notification to the press release contact and sends them the journalist’s request.
“CP Connect is a tremendous step forward, technologically, for Collegiate Presswire,” said Matthew Farlie, Director of Business Development. “Not only does it give student journalists easy access to additional information, but it also raises the bar for the PR services industry by giving our editors and clients an innovative and unique way to connect.”
The new service was developed following a series of meetings between Collegiate Presswire’s media staff and college journalists. Because the system relies on profiles and individual-recipient preferences, CP Connect was made possible by a recent technological upgrade of the company’s data-management and e-mail systems.
Lisa Bannerot, Director of Media Services, said, “With their non-traditional work hours and busy schedules, college journalists repeatedly tell us how hard it is to connect with PR professionals to request additional information. Through CP Connect, we aim to give them a one-stop source for requesting information and provide another way for them to interact and communicate with our clients.”
ABOUT COLLEGIATE PRESSWIRE
Collegiate Presswire is the leading electronic distributor of press materials and marketing information to the nation`s college media. The service distributes press releases, news flashes and media alerts from companies and organizations to a proprietary nationwide network of more than 775 college newspapers and select, leading education trade-publications via e-mail, fax and the Internet on a daily basis. The Collegiate Presswire news-feed is syndicated daily to many top sites across the Web by ScreamingMedia, and distributed in real-time to key news-industry databases and information systems by COMTEX News Network. Founded in 1998, Collegiate Presswire Inc. is based in Clifton, NJ. The Company can be reached online at http://www.cpwire.com or toll-free at (888) 621-7721.
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