Here’s a discovery: a PR guy who doesn’t bombard you with off-target pitches. A PR guy who actually wants to help reporters by providing a much-needed service. A PR guy who provides this service for free.

Such a PR guy exists? Yeah, who knew?

I wouldn’t have believed it either, except that I know of Peter Shankman (http://shankman.com) and have been a fan of his service ever since it started. (I was among the first hundred on Facebook. Yo, Peter, you listening?)

Help A Reporter Out (HARO) is a free service for reporters that started off as a Facebook group, but now has grown into an e-mail list with thousands of subscribers. The purpose is to help reporters find case studies, experts and people on the street for their stories.

How it works is this:

1. Go to www.helpareporter.com
2. If you’re a PR person, sign up for the main list. You get three e-mails a day letting you know which reporter wants what.
3. If you’re a journalist, fill in this form here: http://www.helpareporter.com/press

That’s it. Easy.