As a PR firm that strictly focuses on media relations, we live and die with editorial coverage. While what we do certainly isn't rocket science, we do work extremely hard to hit the right press with the right message to result in a positive review or mention of our clients.

We are also very diligent with providing the correct information to journalists - including images, fact sheets, quotes, tech specs, etc. We love when coverage finally runs and we can pass it on to our client, often after months of anticipation. In the past three months, however, I have been holding my breath more and more often as I page through a magazine looking for our coverage. Why? MISTAKES!

We've been doing this long enough to know that editorial coverage is only controlled to a certain point and that we can never guarantee or predict how something will appear in print. All we can do is answer all questions beforehand and supply factual, detailed information. What disappoints me is that I am increasingly looking at coverage and seeing bad factual errors and rushed oversights. Wrong product shots, incorrect Web addresses and even wrong company name. Printing the wrong company name simply isn't acceptable - especially when the coverage is about the company itself, not even the product!

Again, we know we can't control the tone or outcome of editorial, but we really hope we can rely on our journalists to get the major elements of a story right. Ultimately, our clients blame us for the mistakes, though we have no idea why the photo department went to the company Web site and pulled a random product image vs. using the image that we sent to them. Or how on earth they found the Australian distributor of the product and printed that Web site instead of the Web site listed in all media materials.

Journalists - we love you. We need you. We rely on you. Please "help me help you" and use the info we provide. We won't let you down!