1. Handling the Media BACCH Trainees Day 2016 Lauren Snaith
Senior Media and Campaigns Officer

2. The ‘go to’ for child health
RCPCH Media & External Affairs
The ‘go to’ for child health
Enhancing and protecting the College’s public profile
Promoting the College’s work and the work our members feed into
Using experience and expertise to:
- inform media enquiries
- influence decision makers
Delivering campaigns around key policy priorities to change attitudes and behaviour

3. Supporting College staff…

4. Supporting stakeholders…
Professor Neena Modi,
RCPCH President, said…

5. Supporting members…

6. What makes news? What news have you consumed today?
Why did it catch your attention?
What makes it newsworthy?

7. The ingredients of news
Human interest
Conflict
Death or disaster
Relevance
The unusual
The new
The unexpected
Extremes

8. Giving media interviews

9. Why give a media interview?
Cons:
May backfire
Message may be distorted
May prolong a negative story
Pros:
Free promotion
Adds credibility
Put the record straight
End rumours
Get the balance right and remember to prepare facts and stats ahead of your interview – preparation is key.

10. Reactive interviews Find out as much from the journalist:
• Where are they from?
• What’s the story?
• Where did they get the story?
• Who else have they spoken to?
• Who else will they be speaking to?
• What’s their deadline?
Questions we ask ourselves:
• What will the RCPCH/spokesperson get from this?
• Who is the right person to be doing the interview?
• Do they need a detailed briefing?
• What are our key messages?
• What does the journalist want out of it?

11. Private Vs
Public

12. Proposition statement

13. The bridging technique

14. Before any interview, remember to:
Prepare & start strong
Avoid confusion
People focused
Relax

15. RCPCH Members can…
Daily Press Cuttings - Receive the latest health news to your inbox
Monthly Digest – Receive the latest RCPCH Media & External Affairs news directly to your inbox
Press Panel - Act as College spokesperson to the media
Parliamentary Panel - Help ensure child health is high on the political agenda
Free training opportunities
Social media and Facebook /
Photo of spokesperson on TV?