The Two Easiest Weeks of the Year to Get TV Coverage

When it comes to TV publicity, timing and strategy matter far more than most businesses realise. And believe it or not, there are two weeks every year where landing television coverage becomes dramatically easier, if you know how to use them.

PR Princess Kate Engler reveals when those weeks are, why producers are more open during that window, and exactly what TV producers are looking for when they decide which stories make it to air.

Why Summer Is a Hidden Goldmine for TV Publicity

The two easiest weeks of the year to secure TV coverage are the two weeks immediately after Christmas.

There are two simple reasons for this:

Most PR agencies are closed or running skeleton staff
Producers still need to fill hours of television every day

Fewer pitches coming in, same amount of airtime to fill.

That imbalance creates opportunity.

While many businesses assume “everyone is on leave,” producers are actively looking for people who are available, helpful, and ready to step in. If you can say yes during this period, you immediately stand out.

Why Summer Audiences Are More Valuable Than You Think

It’s not just producers who are more receptive, audiences are too.

Over summer:

Viewers are watching more television
They’re less rushed
They have time and mental space to follow up

Unlike a weekday commute where someone hears you but keeps driving, summer viewers can:

Google you
Visit your website
Look up your product
Listen more closely to what you’re saying

For businesses, this means summer TV exposure can actually convert more effectively than coverage at busier times of year.

What Makes a Strong TV Pitch?

TV is a visual medium. That’s the starting point for every successful pitch.

Before you write a single sentence, ask yourself:

“What can they film?”

If the answer is “a spreadsheet,” you need to rethink the angle.

Producers are always asking:

What will this look like on screen?
Can we show movement, people, change, impact?

How to Make “Boring” Topics Visual

Even industries that seem dry on paper can work brilliantly on TV, if you shift the focus.

Instead of showing:

numbers
charts
reports

Show:

the outcome
the transformation
the human result

For example:

Not the financial spreadsheet
But the family who bought a new car
Or paid off debt
Or finally took a holiday

That’s what television wants: real people living the result.

Why Case Studies Are TV Gold

Case studies are one of the most powerful tools you can bring to a TV pitch.

Journalists are constantly told to:

“find someone”
“get another voice”
“add balance”

If you can provide:

a willing client
a real example
a second voice

you immediately make the producer’s job easier, and that alone can be the reason you’re chosen.

Being helpful is one of the fastest ways to the front of the queue.

Understanding TV Language (and Why It Helps)

You don’t need to use TV jargon on air, but understanding it helps you pitch better.

What Is a “Package”?

A package (or pre-record) means:

the crew films you in advance
interviews you
captures additional footage
and edits it into a short news story

What Is B-Roll (or Overlay Vision)?

This is the footage that plays while you’re speaking:

walking
working
interacting
demonstrating something

No one wants to watch a talking head for 90 seconds straight.
B-roll brings stories to life, and it’s the most time-consuming part of the shoot.

For a 90-second TV story, crews may spend hours filming overlay footage.

Knowing this helps you understand:

why producers ask for access
why they need time
and why preparation matters

Should You Go Into the Studio?

If you can, always go into the studio.

There are three big reasons:

Relationship building
You meet the producer and host face-to-face.
Behind-the-scenes content
Photos, video, and moments you can reuse across your own channels.
The “Columbo moment”
As you’re leaving, you casually say:
“Next time we could also look at…”

That conversation almost never happens over Zoom or the phone, and it’s often where future opportunities begin.

Why Understanding TV Changes Everything

TV isn’t mysterious but it is specific.

When businesses understand:

timing
visuals
producer pressure
audience behaviour

they stop pitching blindly and start being genuinely useful.

That’s when coverage becomes repeatable, not lucky.

Want to Learn How to Pitch for TV Properly?

At the Meet the Press Masterclass, we break down exactly how TV publicity works, including:

how to pitch producers
how to think visually
how to use timing to your advantage
how to provide case studies journalists actually need
and how to turn one TV appearance into many

Join us at the next Meet the Press Masterclass
and learn how to position yourself as the expert producers want to call first.