1. Working with the local media to tell your story

2. What we will cover…
What do you want from this workshop? Aims and challenges for engaging with the media
Engaging with media tips and tools
What do the local media want? Getting your story into the news
Preparing for interviews
Working with storytellers
Support
Q & A

3. IMiX: Free communications advice for you
Free communications advice for refugee support and migrant groups in the UK
Experienced communications consultants
No job too big or small!
Please get in touch any time if you want help of any kind – that’s what we’re here for!
Get in touch! /

4. This session
Why work with the media?
What is a story?
How to reach the media?
How to work with storytellers?
What are the risks?

5. Aims and challenges
Have you worked with the media before?
What are your aims when engaging with the media?
Who is your audience?
What challenges do you face in?

6. Core Persuadables Hostile Understanding your audience 25% – 33%
London / urban
Guardian / Indy
Younger
University educated
Lib Dem / Green / metro Labour
33% - 50%
- Economic:
Labour heartlands
‘Grafters’
Mirror
- Cultural:
Older
Conservative
Times / Tele
25% – 33%
C2DE
UKIP / Tory right / alienated
Non-university educated
Male

7. Engaging with media tips and tools

8. Working with local media – who are they?
Local newspaper
Regional BBC – TV & radio
Regional ITV
Generally well read and well trusted.
But…

9. Working with local media – what is their perspective?
Local newsrooms often extremely short staffed and busy
Imagine you are a busy local journalist or editor. You have ten press releases in your inbox.
Which ones stand out and why?

10. Working with local media – what is news?
Difficult to define. But:
Is it new?
Is it unusual?
Is it interesting or significant?
Is it about people?
Is it close?
Is it relatable or relevant?
How does it affect readers’/listeners’/viewers’ lives?
News is in the eye of the beholder (the editor) and their ‘news values’

11. Working with local media – how can you create news?
‘Organisation holds event’ = not news (mostly)
Link to a current news story
Something unexpected / challenging preconceptions
Involvement of a local celebrity / prominent figure
Human story of refugee or volunteer from local community
Localise a national story
A stunt (hard to pull off)

12. Working with local media – ingredients
Press release = just an , including key information:
A headline (in the subject of the )
Who, what, when, where, how and why
A quote / ‘case studies’ – ‘colour’
Background information
Your offer / invite
Who is available for interview and photo opportunities / visuals
Ask yourself: what does the journalist need to make this into an article or report?

13. Working with local media – getting in touch
Pitching to local media
Phone journalist with prepared pitch and send while you’re on the phone
Do your research – who will be interested in your story?
Meet your local journalists and build a relationship
Ask journalists questions – what stories are you interested in? What more can I provide
that would make you interested in covering this?
For events, send a diary note one month in advance. But don’t count on the journalist
coming to the event – they are very stretched

14. Working with local media – some examples

15. Messages matter!
The language we use to argue our case matters – a lot!
Much of the language that has been shown to work doesn’t come to us naturally DO
DON’T
Values / emotions
Facts and figures
Small / no numbers
Big numbers
‘Common sense’
Policy
‘Fairness’
Human rights
Soft patriotism / local pride
Globalist / nationalistic
Friendly / reasonable
Hostile / shrill
Pride
Shame
Relatable humanising stories
The system / abstract
Authentic
‘May-bot’

16. Messengers matter!
The people who deliver our messages also matter – a lot!
We need to protect the rights of migrants

17. Now it’s your turn….
Think of an issue that’s important to your organisation or an upcoming event or a great human interest story
Draft a press release
I’m going to pick on someone to pitch it to me – a busy news editor!

18. Interviews – preparation
Easier than you think, but you need preparation and practice
Speak to the producer beforehand – what kind of interview is it? Where is the presenter coming from? You don’t want any surprises
What is your key message? What evidence / facts / figures back it up?
Bridge to your message – acknowledge the question then move the conversation
Increase your enthusiasm level and show your personality
Be confident – you are the expert
Never use jargon – speak in plain English
The journalist won’t treat it like a normal conversation, and neither should you
Prepare and practice more!

19. Working with storytellers – why?
Human stories are powerful, interesting and persuasive.
Facts and figures are (mostly) not.
People will lived experience should be part of the conversation.
What makes a powerful personal story?
Local
Positive
Values
Counterintuitive
Journey

20. Working with storytellers – informed consent
Getting a good story is all about trust and informed consent
Experts by experience must understand why their story matters and what telling it through the media will mean for them.
Once it’s out there, it’s out there. It’s almost impossible to retract something once it’s public.
We must tell stories in an ethical way – keeping people safe, respecting their dignity and equality, and promoting fairness and justice

21. Working with storytellers – boundaries
You should work with your expert by experience to set boundaries, e.g.:
No surname
Pseudonym
No identifiable photos
No photos of the children
Won’t talk in detail about reason for leaving country of origin
Some won’t need any
Speak to the journalist and make sure the specific boundaries are understood. Confirm in writing (via ) if necessary. Explain clearly why.
The responsibility for this is on us.

22. Working with storytellers – managing risk
Is there anything in their story which a journalist could find out and print that would be difficult for you or them? Find out. Have the uncomfortable conversation because it’s better you do than a journalist.
What has the journalist written about before? Why are they interested in this story? What’s the hook? What is their outlet’s editorial position?
Do your own research, quiz the journalist about their angle, and come to a judgement.
Ask IMiX for help!

23. Working with storytellers – telling the story
Who, Where, What, Why, When and How did they feel
Details about that person - name, age, members of their family, job?
Describe issue & its impact in their own words
Before and after
What does their future look like now?

24. It’s your turn again
Imagine that your press release has been picked up by a local radio station and they want an interview
Work out the three key messages you want to get across
What facts or figures might you need?

25. Q&A

26. Thank you! Keep in touch! alex.mitchelmore@imix.org.uk