How to promote an investigative story?

In March 2008 Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza broke a story about how the Catholic Church covered up a child-molestation scandal in Poland. Thanks to the internet and in-paper promotion more readers bought a paper on the day of publication.

The story hit the Gazeta’s front page on Monday, but the promotional efforts started many days before.

1. In-paper promo ad

On Friday – three days prior the publication – Gazeta devoted a full page to the promo ad. It reads:

Hidden Sin of the Church
Many priests knew about it, as did three bishops. For years, they hid the horrible truth
Read daily from Monday in Gazeta Wyborcza and on www.gazetawyborcza.pl

2. Online promotional activities

On Sunday – a day prior the publication in print – editors of Gazeta’s online edition Wyborcza.pl prepared an e-mail newsletter to all the readers who subscribe to any Gazeta’s news feed.

Online edition started also to publish some excerpts of the main feature story. The articles were accompanied by video interviews with Father Marcin Mogielski who tried to alert Catholic bishops about the case, but got accused for trying to damage the Church’s reputation.

3. Media pack and press releases

Also on Sunday Gazeta’s editors prepared media pack for other news outlets, especially TV and radio stations. It consisted of articles excerpts, photos and video files that they could use to start their own coverage of the story.

All these efforts paid: more readers rushed to newsstands on Monday’s morning to learn about the issue.

Would you like to read more about this investigation? Go here.

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