MEDIA RELATIONS370DEALING WITH JOURNALISTS

REACHING THE MEDIA• Identifying the correct medium is essential

• Be sure information is relevant to the medium and its audience

• Send it to the correct, current contact person (i.e., editor or reporter)

DATABASES• Media organization name

• Mailing address

• Telephone and fax number

• E-mail addresses

• Names of key editors and reporters

• Twitter handles or Facebook

EDITORIAL CALENDARS• Provide information about what will be covered in certain

issues of a publication

• Often set a year in advance

• Many keep same special issues from year to year

TIP SHEETS• Weekly newsletters that report on

• Changes in news personnel and their assignments • How to contact them• What kinds of material they’re looking for

HOW DO YOU CONTACT FOLKS?• E-mail

• 83% of journalists prefer e-mail as a way to receive information

• No kidding, it’s easy to not open an email• Online newsrooms

• Makes information readily available to journalists, but is passive

• Electronic wire services

• Often used by corporations to fulfill SEC regulations • Sent simultaneously to the database of reporters

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?• Surveys show that media relations is the primary

responsibility of most PR pros

• PR practitioners are the main contact between organizations and the media

• PR pros and journalists have a love/hate relationship

• There’s low trust, but each knows they need the other

THE MEDIA NEEDS PR• The Media’s Dependence on Public Relations

• Most of what appears in the media is linked to PR in some way

• Studies found that 60% to 90% of news comes from news releases, tips, interviews set up by PR pros, etc. Press releases are “information subsidies”

• They save media time, money, and effort

• PR pros are media’s “unpaid reporters”

PR NEESD THE MEDIA• Media are a cost-efficient channel to reach diverse publics

• Media gatekeepers are perceived as more objective than PR people

• Journalists serve as third-party endorsers

• Media provide credibility to PR messages

WHY CAN’T WE GET ALONG?Hype and news release spam

Journalists complain of poorly written releases

Excessive unsolicited contacts PR pros who don’t know their product/service Repeated calls

Unavailable spokespeople

Unmet deadlines

the news is appropriate to the medium/reporter

there’s a news hook send gimmicky promotional items calling

Flacks and hacks e. Sloppy/biased reporting

i. Executives believe journalists are biased ii. They argue that reporters lack understanding of the industry they’re

covering iii. PR pros say sloppy reporting leads to inaccuracies

f. Tabloid journalism g. Advertising influence

i. Some publications let advertisers influence news content, leading to skeptical media consumers

WHY CAN’T WE GET ALONG?• Is the news is appropriate to the medium/reporter

• Executives believe journalists are biased

• They argue that reporters lack understanding of the industry they’re covering

• PR pros say sloppy reporting leads to inaccuracies

• Tabloid journalism

• Advertising influence: Some publications let advertisers influence news content, leading to skeptical media consumers

HOW CAN WE PLAY NICE?• Media interviews

• When reporters call, interview them first

• Know the purpose of the interview

• Be prepared for questions, know your facts

• Don’t be combative, arrogant, evasive. If you don’t know the answer, it’s OK. Just explain when and how you can find the answer.

• Get your message/talking points across

• The best PR pros think like reporters….

HOW CAN WE PLAY NICE? THE NEWS CONFERENCE

• Don’t use reporters for routine announcements

• Allow all media information simultaneously

• Allow follow-up questions

• Schedule at a good time for reporters

• Select a location that accommodates reporters’ technical needs

HOW TO PLAY NICE:NEWS CONFERENCE• Invite reporters 10 to 14 days in advance, if possible

• Establish schedule and rules for the conference

• Spokespeople should remain available afterwards

• Webinars/teleconference.

• Ustream…

HOW TO PLAY NICEMEDIA TOUR• Personal visits to various media

• Look for local angle to get best coverage

• Builds relationships

• PR plans, schedules, coordinates, prepares talking points

• This can be done via satellite and through radio as well.

HOW TO PLAY NICEOTHER IDEAS• Previews and parties

• Opening of facility• Launch of a product • Announce a new promotional campaign

• Press junkets

• Press tours/trips

• Ethics of free trips • Must be legitimate news angle• With bloggers, all bets can be off

HOW TO PLAY NICEOTHER IDEAS• Editorial board meetings

• Contact editor to request a meeting• Great way to build relationship with gatekeepers• Great way to build third party endorsments• People don’t use this enough

• Conferences

• Use to garner support• Use to state a case, • Use to introduce something• Great for media and your target audience

MEDIA RELATIONS CHECKLIST• Know your media

• Localize

• Be available/responsive

• Be honest and fair

• Be sensitive to deadlines

• Be persistent, not annoying

• Be wary of offering free stuff

STUFF THE BOOK DOESN’T TELL YOU

CRISIS COMMUNICATION EMERGENCY CHECKLIST

PR Emergency Headquarters created. The PR Director stays here and supervises designated staff.

A.Notification and liason.

A. Internal: Notify CEO and other top officials on a need to know basis.

B. External: Notify the media, law enforcment, government agnecies, next of kin (announce names to public after notification or within 24 hours.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION

Prepare Media Materials

1. Have company backgrounder, fact sheet and bios of officers already preapred on the company website.

Prepare basic news release on crisis as soon as possible (one-hour rule)

• Include all known facts (who, what, where when, NOT NOT NOT NOT NOT why...avoid fault)

• Be certain information is accurate

• Clear release with senior management, legal department and peresonnel department.

• Issue release to media, employees, community leaders, insurance company and government agencies. Get it on the website. Use fax and email.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION

3. Issue timley statements in an ongoing crisis.

4. Use one-voice principle-information only from official organizational statements.

5. Use full disclosure, but don’t admit fault. Let investigators investigate. Cooperate with those invesgitators.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER

1. Establish a public information center somewhere within the PR HQ

2. Respond to phone, email and social media inquiries. 3.If you don’t know the answer, it’s OK. Explain how you will

get the info and release it to the public.

4. Hold meetings with groups as needed to clarify misinformation.

5. Have a call center if needed.

6. Direct company employees to make no unauthorized statements.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION MEDIA INFORMATION CENTER

1. Designate a place where the media can gather. Know they’ll be all over the place anyway. Know they will try and bypass the one-voice principle

2. Try and create some distance from the PR HQ. You’ll need the space. Close, but not too close.

3. Have a sole spokesperson on duty day and night.

CRISIS COMMUNICATION THINGS I WISH I KNEW

1. You have never appreciate the chaos.

2. You can never underestimate how important seperation is of the media center and PR HQ.

3. The more you plan, the better it goes. 4.Consider set press conferences every few hours.

1. 2. 3.

This helps dispel rumors the media will uncover. This symbolizes you’re working.

This gives a chance to get various stakeholders in front of the camera to present one voice.