Knowing how to keep journalists happy is a very useful skill for any business owner. But Alex Wake, a lecturer in the RMIT school of media and communication, says many small businesses simply don't know how to handle the media.

They make common mistakes born of ignorance or anxiety that often earn the ire of journalists, she says.

Wake lists 10 things that annoy journos and editors. Avoid them and you may have a successful working relationship with someone in the newsroom.

1. Repeatedly asking when a story will be published

Do not ring a journalist constantly asking for publication dates and details. One Fairfax editor says this is her top annoyance.