If the reporter does not know you and does not like the way you handle their inquiries then they will have no reason to publish positive things about you. If they do not like the way you pitch your stories and try to get in with them, they will start to harbor negative feelings about you that will blossom as soon as a controversial issue pops up concerning your business. They will have no reason to defend you.

It is important that they are on your side because most of what the public thinks about your business comes from what they hear out of the media. There is more than one way to develop relationships with the reporters.

One thing that will either make the reporter hate you or like you is how you pitch your stories. If you pitch them a story and you talk all fluff they will not have the time to sit and read it. If you do have a good pitch that you send to them they may think it is interesting but you still have to have a good follow-up.

If you follow-up with a reporter and you do not handle it well, they will just get annoyed with you and sick of you. If you are too pushy they will get annoyed and if you make it appear that you only care about getting your story published and not about them, they will definitely not like you.

You have to be sure and cater around the reporters needs. Ask them if they are busy and if they have time to talk. Tell them you story in a quick, clear way that will get the point out without making the reporter sit around all day listening to you.

When they help you out, tell them thank you. If they pitch your story and do a nice job, show them that you appreciate it. The reporter has to see these types of things in order to develop a good opinion of you.

You also have to handle media inquiries will in order to develop a good relationship with the reporter. If they feel that they can depend on you to give good comments and clear answers, they will be a lot more willing to come to you when there is an issue that needs to be discussed.
If you can give them great answers and be very kind and willing to speak to them, they will see that and it will help them to develop a strong opinion of you. They have to be able to rely on you to say things that they want to publish. If you say things that they believe are trash, they will never call again.

You have to develop good relationships with reporters because if you do not you will have a lot harder time creating a market and gaining the trust of the public.

For more information about developing relationships with reporters you can go to:

http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/build_relationships_of_trust_with_reporters_1_000016.html
http://www.publicrelationsideas.com/thank_you_notes_make_reporters_smile_000098.html