1. Media Relations

2. Media Relations: Tools of the Job
Spokesperson(s)
Media List
Media Alert
Press Release

3. Spokesperson(s) Who could be the spokesperson? School Board Member
Superintendent
Assistant Superintendent
Other Central Office Administrators
Principal
Assistant Principal
Athletic Director
Coach
Other Staff
Many of you will receive calls from the media asking to speak to the superintendent or a school board member. Make sure you take the message down thoroughly and pass it along to the appropriate person. Be polite, but also know that they may be on a deadline, so they may seem rushed or irritated, but just let them know that you have taken the message and will pass it along to the appropriate person.
If you have a communications person on staff, always refer those calls to that department and take yourself out of the middle.

4. Media List Develop a Contact List Make Contact Proactively Assist Them
If you do not have a communications staff, you may be asked to assist in sending out press releases or media alerts on behalf of the Superintendent or board.

5. EVENT or
NEWS
MEDIA ALERT
PRESS RELEASE
Distribute media alerts as early as possible, depending on editorial calendars, and as soon as your information or event is 100% confirmed.
Distribute press releases at (and after) an event, and whenever there are opportunities to report news. The news must be timely…it will go stale!

6. Media Alert What are they used for? What format should I use?
How do I distribute them?
How do I follow-up on the alert?
What if it doesn’t work?
As with any other media tool, you will not always generate press coverage by sending out a media alert.
There are many reasons the press did not attend your event. Perhaps it was a busy news day, or the television station and newspaper were short-staffed that day.
Developing and distributing press materials regularly will help increase the likelihood of generating a story. Be persistent and you will be successful!

8. Press Release What are they used for? What format should I use?
How do I distribute them?
How do I follow-up on the release?
What if it doesn’t work?
PRESS RELEASE (During & After)
The most common tool you will use
Press releases report the news
Designed to state the facts about an event that has already occurred or is currently happening
They should be used regularly
Be selective though
You will not generate coverage every time
Be persistent
Useful for generating newsletter articles & content for web site

10. Press Release - Other Tips
Is the information newsworthy? Is the story interesting to the readers?
Is the story timely or is it old news?
Have you dealt with just the facts, rather than trying to "sell" your story?
Is your headline effective and clear about what the release is about? Make sure it is not misleading.
Does your first paragraph tell Who, What, When, Where, and Why?
Is your contact information correct?
If applicable, did you provide an effective quote in the release?
Does the release flow?
Did you include your "boilerplate” school/division description?
Check your spelling and grammar.

11. EVENT or
NEWS
MEDIA ALERT
PRESS RELEASE
Distribute media alerts as early as possible, depending on editorial calendars, and as soon as your information or event is 100% confirmed.
Distribute press releases at (and after) an event, and whenever there are opportunities to report news. The news must be timely…it will go stale!

12. Social Media- A Reminder
Many people have a Facebook or Twitter page, and that is ok. You are free to share photos of your dog, family, things you do outside of work, good things about the school division, etc.
But be careful, when people in your community know who you are and know where you work, comments and posts can be taken as a message not from Marsha the person, but from Marsha the school board clerk. Or if you complain about your job, or hours, or that something is going to happen soon about the division, that can compromise your board, superintendent, and division.
Bottom line: be careful, you never know who is watching.

13. But be careful, when people in your community know who you are and know where you work, comments and posts can be taken as a message not from Marsha the person, but from Marsha the school board clerk. Or if you complain about your job, or hours, or that something is going to happen soon about the division, that can compromise your board, superintendent, and division.
Bottom line: be careful, you never know who is watching.