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From Journalism to PR—and Back to Journalism

He’s a long-time journalist and was once a PR pro. Don Fluckinger of TechTarget shares his unique perspective with Davida Dinerman.

Don Fluckinger covers customer experience (CX) management and its enabling technologies for Tech Target’s Search Customer Experience and their allied systems for SearchContentManagement. His previous articles have appeared in publications and websites including SearchHealthIT, Ziff Davis’ PDFzone.com, Briefings on Hospital Safety, The Boston Globe, Billboard and Antiques Roadshow Insider.

Don also had a stint working as a PR pro alongside Davida Dinerman. The two chatted about a variety of topics:

02:07 - Don’s intro into journalism started with music

05:15 - How being a music journalist prepared him to write about tech

06:34 - The evolution of journalism over the last 30 years

11:41 - Article ideas often news-based, but PR pros are also helpful in framing a topic

14:01 - When breaking news is your beat, schedules can be fluid

16:19 - The best time to reach out with an embargo

17:53 - How Don determines what he’ll cover and who he’ll talk to at a trade show

21:48 - Virtual are necessary now, but Don misses the face-to-face experience

23:51 - Topics that are particularly interesting to him right now

27:42 - The transition from journalism to PR was harder than anticipated

30:25 - On how he prioritizes PR email

31:35 - Things PR pros do that drive him “bananas.” 

35:37 - Don shares his affinity for cooking — especially with cast iron skillets and barbecue

39:03 - Don offers details on an unexpected brush with a member of the J. Geils Band


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Tags
tech journalism
tech
don fluckinger
PR

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