Module Five Media Relations

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Module FiveMedia Relations Practice
National Center for Food Protection
Defense Risk Communicator Training
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module five Media Relations

• Topic 1
• Media Coverage During a Crisis
• Topic 2
• Intelligence Gathering Preparing for the
  Interview
• Topic 3
• Techniques for Effective Media Interviews
• Topic 4
• Media Practice Delivering Your Message

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Module Five Learner Outcomes

• Describe how media practices change in a crisis
  or emergency event
• Explain why media accessibility is critical
  during a crisis
• Develop a strategy for relationship-building with
  the media as part of a preparedness

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Learner Outcomes - continued

• Know what questions to ask when responding to a
  media request
• Demonstrate how to prepare for an interview
• Apply techniques and strategize to maximize
  message effectiveness in a media interview

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module five Media Relations Practice

• topic one
• Media Coverage
• During a Crisis

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Mass media

• Mass media defined as
• Broadcast media - television commercial,
  educational, community access, radio
• Print - mainstream newspapers and magazines,
  industry journals and magazines

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Other forms of media

• Other communication channels

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Realities of journalism

• Deadlines are real
• Space time constraints require most stories to
  be too short
• General educational level of the audience
  requires simplification
• You may be selectively quoted

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Realities continued

• Competition is a driving force in coverage
• Journalists are not necessarily equipped to meet
  the needs of special or under-represented
  populations
• Coverage is more factual when reports have more
  information more interpretative when less
  information is acquired

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Realities continued

• Editors and news directors are motivated by
  profit
• Most journalists are generalists, even in large
  media organizations
• Some media assume a watchdog role and present a
  skeptical approach

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Crisis coverage
From the medias perspective

• Reporters have a job to do and it is not
  necessarily to help you do yours
• Press wants information, presented as clearly as
  possible
• Time/space drives a reporters decision to narrow
  a story to a manageable size that can be
  submitted within a deadline

SOURCE David Ropeik
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Crisis coverage - continued

• Reporters want their work to get the most
  attention possible by
• Emphasizing the scary, negative or controversial
  (or hope or inspiration)
• Treat the media like the enemy and theyre more
  likely to treat you the same way
• Most reporters are NOT out to get you.

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Media myths

• Media will wait for all of the facts
• Context matters when covering the news
• Reporters will always play it as I say it
• All media is the same
• Media has no bias

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Relationship-building

• Preparedness activities should include
• Foster relationship with members of the media you
  can trust
• Identify local media who cover stories in your
  area and read/listen to them regularly, create
  contact lists
• Recognize different media needs

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Relationship building - continued

• Offer story ideas on non-crisis topics via email,
  phone call or press release.
• Give media as much access as possible (email,
  direct phone numbers, cell) and respond to
  requests promptly.

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Why access is important

• Opportunity to shape how a reporter public
  think about your issue
• Opportunity to become a source that other
  reporters will turn to
• Expands your opportunity to influence others

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Meeting the challenge

• Time space limitations
• Message mapping
• Prioritize key points
• Prepare focused, concise messages practice
  delivery
• Observe how others are quoted or presented by
  sound bites

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Rules change during a crisis!

• More factual, less interpretive
• Reporters with little or no knowledge of the
  foodborne illness may be front line reporter

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How crisis coverage evolves

• First 24 hours
• Media is your friend
• Next 48 hours
• Media is your foe - focus on what went wrong,
  what hasnt been accomplished
• Post-event
• Lack of coverage at all

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24 hour lifecycle

• News has a 24-hour lifecycle.
• If you have access to the media during those 24
  hours take advantage of it!
• Dont wait until you know more or are better
  prepared.

Be first, be right, be credible
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What media wants during crisis

• Be available for live radio television
• Post current information on the web have fact
  sheets backgrounders available
• Provide frequent updates to all media (fair
  treatment)

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Food terrorism media challenges

• No dramatic event - may remain undiscovered for
  days until patterns are detected
• May lack dramatic crime scene (no ground zero)
• May be full of uncertainties, unknowns
• Inaccurate reporting reinforces terrorist goals
  by disrupting publics lives unnecessarily,
  damaging a food sector or exhausting health care
  resources

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module five Media Relations Practice

• topic two
• Preparing for the Interview Intelligence
  Gathering

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Goals for media preparation

• Know what you want to say
• Know how you want to say it
• Anticipate reporters questions know what your
  answers will be
• Being well prepared will allow you to be clearer,
  more comfortable and convincing

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Intelligence gathering
From initial media contact, try to get a clear
understanding of

• Why they want to interview you
• What they know
• Where theyre coming from on the story
• Which aspects theyre focusing on

Note Youre in control.
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Your questions to the media

• Do you know all the background on this issue, or
  are you just starting out?
• Can you send me a copy of the report that youre
  referring to?
• Is there some aspect of this you want to focus
  on?
• How much time and detail do you need?
• Will other experts be part of the segment?

DONT ASK Whats your angle?!
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Preparing for the interview

• Be sure of your facts
• Be able to cite sources and key statistics,
  making sure they add meaningful support to your
  message
• Familiarize yourself with information and
  opinions that are contrary to your points and
  positions

SOURCE HHS Communicating in a Crisis
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Anticipate anticipate

• What other questions might the reporter ask?
• Whats the worst thing I might be asked?
• Develop answers to questions you are qualified to
  answer and practice
• Prepare responses to questions you are not
  qualified to answer -- provide referrals or
  explain why you cannot answer the question

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Things to avoid

• Saying no to an interview -- the story will
  come out without your input
• Put off talking until all facts are known
• Demand that your remarks are edited
• Request to be off the record

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Things to avoid - continued

• Pick your favorite reporter.
• Talk for other organizations swim in your own
  lane
• Say No comment
• Repeat inflammatory, incorrect, negative question
  or quote

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module five Media Relations Practice

• topic three
• Techniques for
• Effective Media Interviews

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Bridging

• What I think you are really asking is
• The overall issue is
• Whats important to remember
• Its our policy to not discuss, but what I can
  tell you is
• What Im really here to discuss is
• Your readers/viewers need to know

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Develop communication discipline

• Be concise and focused
• Repeat and reinforce key message
• State conclusions first, then provide supporting
  data
• Swim in your lane
• Practice, practice, practice

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Practice metamessaging

• Listen to the public acknowledge what theyre
  feeling, saying
• Demonstrate honesty, candor openness
• Communicate with compassion, concern empathy
• Provide messages of self-efficacy useful things
  people can do

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If you dont have an answer

• If you dont have the facts, explain the process
  offer to get information you dont have
• Give reasons why you cant discuss a subject

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Provide access

• Offer to fax or email pertinent background
  information. Should be brief and targeted, e.g.,
  fact sheets, QA
• Offer visual or graphic that may be useful for
  television or print
• Offer to hold interview in a setting that will
  provide visual interest to the story

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For print interviews

• Expect more in-depth discussion
• Continue to restate your message
• Be prepared you can use notes

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module five Media Relations Practice

• topic four
• Media Practice
• Delivering Your Message

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Applying the concepts
A Mock Interview
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Take Aways

• Media is not the enemy and not your friend
• Begin NOW to build relationships and educate key
  reporters
• Intelligence gathering is the first step in
  preparing for an interview
• Practice being disciplined, concise and focused
• Remain accessible

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for EffectiveMessage Development
Best Practices
For Effective Media Relations

• Meet the needs of media and remain accessible