
232: The Story is Everything: How to Get Free Local News Coverage with Whisker Media's Mary Tan
From Pet Boss® Podcast with Candace by Candace D'Agnolo of Pet Boss Nation®
April 18, 2026 · 36 min · Season 5 · Episode 232
About this episode
Mary Tan shares insights on how pet businesses can secure free local news coverage.
Want to see your pet business featured on the evening news but think you need a huge marketing budget to make it happen? Think again. Meet Mary Tan, award-winning TV reporter who covered major stories for Fox News, CNN, CBS News, and NBC News for 13 years - and now runs Whisker Media, a boutique strategic communications agency focused on pet-related businesses and animal welfare nonprofits. She's revealing exactly how she secured $40,000-$50,000 worth of free advertising for one pet retailer - and how you can do it yourself! They discuss: 🙌 What makes a story newsworthy and what the newsjacking technique is 🙌 The biggest mistake pet businesses make when pitching to news outlets 🙌 How to position yourself as the pet expert to local media 🙌 Why hyper-local media matters 🙌 Press release vs. email pitch - which is better?! Plus why Mary went from crime reporter to the "dark side" of PR, why news stations love animal stories and why small businesses get priority over big box stores. ABOUT MARY M TAN Chief Storyteller, Whisker Media LLC Mary Tan is the chief storyteller of Whisker Media, a boutique strategic communications agency where she focuses on strategic communications for…
People in this episode
Host: Candace D'Agnolo
Guest: Mary Tan
Topics covered
- pet business
- media coverage
- public relations
- storytelling
- marketing strategies
Keywords
- pet business
- news coverage
- public relations
- marketing
- storytelling
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Whisker Media, Fox News, CNN, CBS News, NBC News
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