The recent New York Times Insider article, “How New York Times Stories Are Like Footballs,” shares a behind-the -scenes look into the editing process of articles, illustrating how stories typically move through the review staff like a football in a strategically designed, somewhat frantic, play.

After reading this article, I wanted to address these editing steps from the lens of a PR professional taking our football (a press release) into the end zone (publication/distribution). Below are the parallels I drew from the editing stages outlined by Steven Rocker.

The Backfielder. Although the “backfield” is commonly known as the area behind the line of scrimmage on a football field, the Times has adopted this title for the individual on their editorial team who reviews the article’s content and value. In PR, I associate this step with when our team assesses an announcement topic before developing the media outreach strategy. We ask questions such as: Is this newsworthy? Why should a reporter care? Why does the company care? How will this change the customer experience? Will this benefit or challenge the industry as a whole?

If we can answer these questions confidently and determine that this is strong news that will benefit multiple audiences, we will give our client the green light and develop a strategy for releasing the news. “No article is released without the approval of a backfielder.” That quote made me laugh…sometimes PR teams must show tough love!

Slot to Copy.  After approval is given, a slot editor picks up the article and passes it along to an available copy editor. The copy editor develops the headlines and reads for logic and grammar. For some announcements, our clients will request reviewal of a press release instead of writing from scratch. In this case, we approach the media alert with the same magnifying glass as that used by the copy editor. We ask questions including: Is this headline catchy? Is this sentence a fact or commentary? Should this sentence actually be a quote? We also look to streamline long paragraphs into bullet points that help outline individuals who will benefit and the changes the industry should expect to see.

At its essence, the press release is home to the announcement’s most important takeaways, with these facts typically placed as close to the top of the page as possible. The press release needs to be straightforward and to the point, so that the target audiences can easily and quickly identify the who, when, what, why and how about the news. Reporters can either repost the press release on their websites, reach out for an interview, or develop their own article weaving in the facts and executive quotes listed in the release.

Touchdown! After the copy editor signs off on the headline, it is sent back to the slot and cleared for publication. Similarly, once we have finalized a press release, we will tee it up for distribution. While the news is in the queue, we will prepare a press list and pitch email to align with the release’s details. Depending on the timeliness and subject of the news, we will sometimes begin outreach before the publish date in order to drive buzz or organize an exclusive.

Post-Mortem. After “the game,” the Times’ newsroom is on standby and “compiles post-mortems.” During this time, reporters are ready to address any issues, mistakes, serious comments or controversies that have stemmed from their piece, as appropriate and necessary. Similarly, with a company’s announcement, we compile coverage recaps and are on high alert as to who is reposting the press release, as well as correct any mistakes that were made while transforming information from the release into an article covering the news. Although you’ve made the touchdown and even won the game, the job is not finished. Professionals who have had to handle crisis communications during the post-mortem period understand this and live it regularly.

As PR professionals, roles shift from being the writer, backfielder, copy editor and even referee. There is no doubt that the responsibilities of each of these positions and the processes of storytelling is stressful. It is important for PR professionals and even clients to appreciate articles such as Rocker’s in order to understand how much thought goes into a standalone story, as well as the sheer volume of stories produced. It is necessary to be thoughtful with outreach and carve out the time to research your pitch targets before you throw news their way.

Lastly, because articles go through just as much – if not more – scrutiny and judgment before they are published, it is important for PR pros and their clients to be thoughtful when contacting a journalist to make corrections. Thank the reporter for taking the time to cover your story, address the issue, provide a recommendation, and be respectful.