INDUSTRY PROFILES
Sarah Templeton - Media
Q.
Give us a snapshot of your career to date and an overview of your current role?
I was lucky enough to get my first job at Newshub straight out of Journalism school: I finished my postgraduate year, packed up the car and drove up to Auckland from Christchurch three days later.
I started off as a general reporter, before becoming an entertainment reporter full time for the next year and half. In May 2018 we launched Newshub Lifestyle - I've been editor of this fast-growing little section ever since.
I started off as a general reporter, before becoming an entertainment reporter full time for the next year and half. In May 2018 we launched Newshub Lifestyle - I've been editor of this fast-growing little section ever since.
Q.
What are you looking for from PRs – and what kind of pitch would get an immediate response?
Anything with a more personal hook than just "here is this thing you can buy". A release angled around a knowledge gap ("The new pill that’s going to change the way you sleep" or "This is going to be the drink of the summer") is always going to get more of a click.
For Newshub especially, we need some sort of news angle in there. It's hard to get away with simply advertising new products through 'story' - readers are smart and they get distrustful! Something that readers can relate to, with a personal angle and a news hook - that's the golden ticket.
For Newshub especially, we need some sort of news angle in there. It's hard to get away with simply advertising new products through 'story' - readers are smart and they get distrustful! Something that readers can relate to, with a personal angle and a news hook - that's the golden ticket.
Q.
Do you prefer email or phone pitches, and what is the best time of day/day of the week to catch you?
I get 50 pitches a day over email, so sometimes a phone call is the best way to flag something with me otherwise things can slip through the cracks pretty easily! Monday and Tuesday mornings are best - I can pop stuff in my diary for later in the week if I can't get to it that second.
Also, with being part of a news website means sometimes the best of intentions can go out the window, and I need to drop everything and jump on a new story instead. So I'm very aware that I can often be that terrible journo that never replies to email number one, and next thing I know Gmail is passively aggressively reminding me that I have 20 emails unread from a week ago. Just keep at me, I'm sorry in advance!
Also, with being part of a news website means sometimes the best of intentions can go out the window, and I need to drop everything and jump on a new story instead. So I'm very aware that I can often be that terrible journo that never replies to email number one, and next thing I know Gmail is passively aggressively reminding me that I have 20 emails unread from a week ago. Just keep at me, I'm sorry in advance!
Q.
During your career, what has your experience been like working with PRs?
I have had generally fantastic interactions with PRs - I think in NZ we're particularly lucky with our industry that everyone is pretty cool, down to earth and understanding. Many of the PRs I work with have become genuine friends rather than just names on email.
I wouldn't be where I am without the local PR industry - there's nothing like having an amazing pitch or a well-written release come through to save me as my numbers start dropping! I'm very lucky to have worked with PR companies who understand what I need, cater to it, and are super understanding if I'm forced to say no.
I wouldn't be where I am without the local PR industry - there's nothing like having an amazing pitch or a well-written release come through to save me as my numbers start dropping! I'm very lucky to have worked with PR companies who understand what I need, cater to it, and are super understanding if I'm forced to say no.
Q.
What do you love about your job?
I love that I get to write about things I love - food, wine, cosmetics, fashion. It's pretty sweet to come in each day and get to read and write about content that I'm interested in, that I would click on. Lifestyle is a pretty 'happy' area of the website - while my colleagues are covering murders and car accidents I get to play with eye shadow palletes and commission parenting tips. I also get to make people happy - food and wine deliveries to the newsroom always perk up the day!
Q.
What's the downside?
Being a team of one can get overwhelming - again, if I don’t reply to that email I'm very sorry! And I think there's a bit more behind the scenes than some people realise - it looks like a lot of free lipstick but there's some stress around numbers that comes with it - it can be super hard to leave work at work!
But yes there are a lot of free lipsticks. I'm very blessed.
But yes there are a lot of free lipsticks. I'm very blessed.
Q.
Describe a typical day:
Well I would like to say the day starts with yoga and green tea, but instead I'm usually running into work 15 minutes late after trying to find a park, chugging a coffee from a takeaway cup because I've forgotten my KeepCup for the 37th day running. We have the team morning meeting at about 9:30 where I run through what I have planned for the day, see if any general reporters have Lifestyle content etc.
Then the rest of the day is usually spent balancing admin with producing content for the site - usually a 'do five emails, write one story, repeat' type scenario. (It's here my co-workers will jump in and say 'then she goes to a launch lunch for about three hours and comes back full of food and clutching a goodie bag' but they can get out, this is my profile).
Then I usually try and get out by 5:30, to go maybe to the gym, maybe for a wine.
Then the rest of the day is usually spent balancing admin with producing content for the site - usually a 'do five emails, write one story, repeat' type scenario. (It's here my co-workers will jump in and say 'then she goes to a launch lunch for about three hours and comes back full of food and clutching a goodie bag' but they can get out, this is my profile).
Then I usually try and get out by 5:30, to go maybe to the gym, maybe for a wine.
Q.
If you weren't doing what you do now… what would you be doing?
A professional dancer. No that's a gag - I literally have no discernible skills. Maybe a professional dog walker. Definitely living at home back in Christchurch with my parents, watching Top Gear during dinner.
Q.
Your Socials: (Email/Instagram/Twitter)