1. MEDIA RELATIONS

2. What a media relations plan will and will not do

3. Developing an effective news media relations plan can accomplish the following:
Enhance the public’s knowledge and understanding of your program

4. Developing an effective news media relations plan can accomplish the following:
Build credibility in your program

5. Developing an effective news media relations plan can accomplish the following:
Extend the reach and increase the frequency of your message

6. Developing a media relations strategy

7. Develop a strategy to build an effective relationship with the media
Set your goals

8. Develop a strategy to build an effective relationship with the media
Decide on your approach to get your goals accomplished

9. Develop a strategy to build an effective relationship with the media
Become a reputable and dependable expert source

10. Develop a strategy to build an effective relationship with the media
Develop a source book of subject-matter experts in your geographic region

11. Develop a strategy to build an effective relationship with the media
Develop a news media source book for your office

12. Develop a strategy to build an effective relationship with the media
On a regular basis, provide information materials to reporters

13. Develop a strategy to build an effective relationship with the media
Get to know the reporters in your geographic region

14. What do the media do?

15. The MEDIA pass information to target audiences
They act as filters (decide what is important and what is actually reported)
They stay for profit (report stories that the audience want)

16. Understanding the newsmedia

17. One of the components to an effective media relations strategy is to become a reputable, expert source.
Contribute news items to the media to let them know what’s going on in your agency
However, what you may consider to be news may not be what news directors consider news

18. Criteria used to determine newsworthiness
Is the information significant?
How many listeners/viewers could benefit from it?
Is the story timely?

19. Criteria used to determine newsworthiness
Is it local or does it have local impact?
Is the information accurate?
Is the information new or different?

20. What to know about news gathering

21. One way to establish successful media relations is to think like a reporter.

22. Know the reporters’ deadline
Ideas to keep in mind when working with reporters:
Scheduling
Know the reporters’ deadline
Reporters are generalists, not specialists

23. Avoid calling news conferences
Ideas to keep in mind when working with reporters:
Avoid calling news conferences
Determine that the event you want covered by a reporter really is “news”
Reporters are good observers

24. Media like to personalize a story
Ideas to keep in mind when working with reporters:
Media like to personalize a story
Make sure the facts you provide the reporter are correct
Follow trends

25. Remember, if you want to develop good media relations, try to accommodate the news media as much as possible
Written materials
Setting
Directions/travel
Several sources/resources
Understandable terms

26. Free publicity

27. Tips to get free publicity
Explain your need to local media personally
Send information about your event to the public affairs director, news director or to the producer
Be ready to go on the air early
Develop public service announcements

28. Media Interview Skills

29. General Interview Guidelines
PREPARATION
Prepare two to three ideas you want to convey
Make a list of the questions you anticipate being asked
Know your subject matter well
Have your best answers ready

30. General Interview Guidelines
SIMPLICITY
Make short, simple and specific statements
Explain your most important point first
Don’t stray from the topic
Summarize and then elaborate

31. General Interview Guidelines
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
Pause after complete statements. The interviewer will appreciate breaks during the editing process

32. General Interview Guidelines
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
When you think you’ve answered a question adequately, don’t feel compelled to keep talking simply because the interviewer has a microphone up to your mouth. If you’re satisfied with your answer, sit in silence. Rambling leads you to say the wrong thing.

33. General Interview Guidelines
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
Do not say the reporter’s name in the middle of a sentence; do not use the phrase “as I explained earlier (these are difficult to edit; audience may not know what you have discussed previously, and may not understand what you are referring to)

34. General Interview Guidelines
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
Think before you speak. Avoid fillers such as uh, ah, well, yeah, and you know.
Respond to negative questions with positive responses

35. General Interview Guidelines
ANSWERING QUESTIONS
Always tell the truth. Your credibility is crucial.
Avoid “off the record.” If you say something to a reporter, expect that it will end up in news. If you don’t want it reported, don’t say it.
Avoid “no comment” answers. It sounds as if you have something to hide.

36. The games interviewers play
Some interviewers can become hostile; others are just uninformed. Don’t get caught in an emotional or intellectual game with the interviewer.

37. Interviewer types Machine Gunner
Asks so many questions that you don’t know which one to answer first.

38. Interviewer types Interrupter
Jumps in before you’ve had the chance to complete your response.

39. Interviewer types
Paraphraser
Tries to put words into your mouth.

40. Interviewer types Unprepared Interviewer
May have vague questions or require you to provide a lot of background before you can get to your key message

41. Strategies for handling question traps
Either/Or. When the answer is not “black or white,” say so
Absent Party. Don’t get trapped into being a spokesperson for another individual.
False Statement. Correct incorrect information immediately. Don’t repeat the misinformation; this only reinforces it
Hypothetical. You do not have to answer a question that is hypothetical or conditional. It presents a scenario that never occurred.

42. Appearance
CLOTHING
(in a studio setting) Stick to a conservative, “professional appearance” style
(in an on-location setting) Dress in natural clothes.

43. Appearance MAKE-UP Aim for natural look (women)
Men will not have to wear make-up, but be open to the suggestion

44. Appearance ENTHUSIASM
Be animated. Use gestures, facial expressions, and body language to add vitality to your words. However be careful to overdo it.

45. Appearance ENTHUSIASM Smile Be conversational
Say it in 30 seconds or less
Deliver your message with confidence

46. Appearance BODY LANGUAGE Look at the interviewer, not the camera.
Sit still in your chair
Don’t look at notes during an interview
Stay seated when the interview is over

47. Appearance OTHER WARNINGS
Don’t chew gum or play your pocket change or keys while on TV
Never wear black or white for TV interviews
Your blouse/shirt should have a place to clip a microphone
Don’t wear light-sensitive glasses

48. Overcoming Fears TIPS Be organized and concise
Concentrate on the question you’re being asked

49. Overcoming Fears
TIPS
Before the interview starts, take a deep breath, get a drink of water, laugh or yawn

50. Overcoming Fears
TIPS
Remind yourself that you were asked to be interviewed because you’re knowledgeable on that subject

51. Overcoming Fears
TIPS
Prior to interview, review taped performances of yourself to identify presentation strengths and weaknesses

52. Overcoming Fears
TIPS
Be sure the TV station has your proper name and title
Try to convince yourself you’re having a normal everyday conversation with someone

53. Overcoming Fears
TIPS
Prepare your voice before the interview

54. Overcoming Fears CHECKLIST Are you familiar with the show?
How will this interview be used? Are you the only source, or one of many?

55. Overcoming Fears CHECKLIST
Will this interview be live or taped? Will there be call-in questions?
If this is a television interview, are you ready to make your appearance? What will you wear? What about use of make-up, visual aids?

56. Overcoming Fears CHECKLIST
Have you rehearsed all possible questions and answers with someone else?
Can you explain your communication points in a concise manner?

57. Overcoming Fears CHECKLIST
Have you prepared notes for your own reference?
Do you have few transitional statements?

58. Overcoming Fears CHECKLIST
Are you prepared to answer questions without resorting to “NO COMMENT?”
How many ways can you restate your key messages?

59. Overcoming Fears CHECKLIST
Are you aware of your body language and facial expressions?
Are you ready to present your message in an honest, effective way without jargons?

60. Evaluation How well you did before you do another interview DID YOU?
Communicate your objective?
Create soundbites (short quotations)?
Keep control of the interview

61. Evaluation
DID YOU?
Remain calm?
Listen carefully to questions?

62. Evaluation DID YOU? Bridge from hostile or irrelevant questions?
Use short, succinct sentences?
Maintain credibility?

63. Evaluation DID YOU? Keep good eye contact with the interviewer?
Control body gestures?
Project a strong, positive image of a person people would trust?

64. Final Helps BE ATTITUDES Be prepared Be positive Be honest Be brief
Be yourself
Be energetic
Be focused
Be comfortable,
confident and take charge