Media 101 Training Workshop NLAAD

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Media 101 Training
Workshop - NLAAD June 14, 2007
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• Workshop Overview
• Preparing for media outreach
• Pitching media outlets
• Conducting interviews
• Managing crisis communications
• Building long-term relationships

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• Media Basics
• Media relations is different than advertising
• Earned vs. paid
• Pitch to place
• Message control

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Understand Your Story
• What is your objective?
• Increase awareness
• Change attitudes
• Change behaviors
• What is newsworthy?
• Is your story unique?
• Is your story timely?
• Is there a local angle?
• Is your story visual?

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Understand Your Story
• What is your message?
• 1-2 sentences
• What does the public need to know?
• What misconceptions about the issue or obstacles
  do you
  need to overcome?
• What will hit home?

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Identify Media Outlets
• Who will cover your story?
• Print, TV, cable, radio, and web outlets
• The Beat features, health, metro/city
  topics, other
• Existing press relationships (yours, family,
  friends, colleagues)
• Create a media list
• Call media outlets for reporter/assignment
  editor names and contact info
  (email, phone, fax, and street address)
• Media directories are available for purchase
• Free resources www.newslink.org
  www.publist.com
• Compile info in spreadsheet to track outreach
  efforts and results
• Complete task approximately 4 weeks before
  outreach

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Identify Media Outlets
• Who should you contact?

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Develop Media Materials
• Press Release
• The most common format for disseminating news
• Elements of a release
• Your contact info
• Release date For immediate release / embargo
• Headline brief title of release
• Dateline release date and location
  
  Silver Spring, Maryland (June 15, 2007)
• Lead paragraph contains most important
  information
  who, what, when, where, why

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Develop Media Materials
• Press Release (contd)
• Body copy quotes, statistics, more information
• Boilerplate end paragraph describing your
  organization
• Sponsors include corporate or individual
  sponsors who helped make your event, project, or
  announcement possible
• Editor notations more at the bottom of each
  page to let reporter know there is more than one
  page page numbers at top of subsequent pages
  at end of release
  

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Develop Media Materials
• Media Alert / Media Advisory
• Condensed, one-page versions of press release
• Can be used as a follow-up to/reminder,
  replacement of, update to
  original press release
• Headings Who What When Why Where
  Visuals Cost Contact

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• Preparing for Outreach
• Develop Media Materials
• Calendar Listing
• Similar format to media alert for AP Daybook or
  local events listings
• Brief, detail-rich media documents to announce
  specific events
• Photo Opportunity Alert
• Formatted like media alert
• Detail unique visual opportunities for media
  outlets
• Letter to the Editor
• Usually a follow up to a story or event
• Personal appeal no more than 300 words

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• Conducting Outreach
• Send Media Materials
• Distribute press release
• Reporters prefer email or fax
• Copy all info into body of the message
  reporters dont open attachments
• Insert catchy headline into subject line to grab
  reporters attention
• Dont send a group email to media list, take the
  time to send individually
• Timing
• Avoid sending releases on Mondays and Fridays
• Deadlines up to 6 mos. for magazines 1-2 weeks
  for calendar listing in daily
  paper 2-4 weeks for calendar listing in weekly
  paper

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• Conducting Outreach
• Follow Up with Contact
• Pick up the phone
• Practice your pitch
• 3 main things you want the reporter to get out
  of the conversation who you are, why youre
  calling, why your story is of interest, invite to
  event, offer to send photo
• Anticipate questions
• Prepare succinct voicemail message
• Make the call within 24 hours
• Mid to late morning best time to call when
  reporters less likely on deadline
• If asked to re-send info (and they will), send
  follow-up with a note attached Per
  your request.
• Reporters receive many pitch calls daily, stay
  on message,
  do your best, and move to
  the next call
• Thank the contact for his/her time at the end of
  the call

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• Interviewing
• Understand the Logistics
• What is the subject of the interview?
• What is the format?
• One-on-one, live, panel, call in, edited on
  tape?
• Are they interviewing other people?
• Does the outlet need photos, B-roll,
  pre-interviews?

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• Interviewing
• Dos
• Practice, practice, practice your messages
• Make your most important point first
• Speak in short quotable phrases
• Ask and discuss with reporter in advance which
  topics are most likely to be
  covered
• Address the publics interests rather than the
  organizations whats in it for them?
• Use examples, analogies, and anecdotes
• Answer the question you want (cherry pick)
• Use positive body language (phone interviews
  too!)
• Dress appropriately

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• Interviewing
• Donts
• Never speculate, lie, exaggerate, answer what
  if hypotheticals
• Remember youre always on never say anything
  (even if cameras arent rolling) that you dont
  want to appear in print or on air
• Convey your personal opinions you are the
  organizations spokesperson
• Make jokes or treat questions lightly
• Lose your temper or engage in an argument

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• Interviewing
• No Comment
• Avoid use of the words No Comment
• If you cant answer a question, simply say so
• Give a reason if you decline to comment
• Im afraid its not my area of expertise, let
  me put you in contact with someone who can speak
  to that issue...
• I dont know the exact statistic, let me get
  back to you with it.
• Be straightforward, not defensive

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• Interviewing
• Question Transitions/Bridging Techniques
• Why?
• Keep the reporter focused on the issue and key
  messages
• Move away from controversial topics to key
  messages
• Answer every question with a prepared, strategic
  message
• Bridging to core messages
• Whats most important is Another thing to
  remember is
• If you look closely, youll find Let me just add
  that
• That reminds me of What that means is
• The real issue here is
• Three things people should know about HIV in our
  community are
• Thats not my area of expertise, but I think your
  audience would be
  interested in knowing that

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• Event Media Relations
• Follow up with media contacts one day before
  event
• Follow up on day of event
• Prepare 10-15 press kits
• Set aside table for media check-in
• Assign person to handle press inquiries during
  the event
• Coordinate on-site interviews with spokespeople,
  local families/individuals impacted by issue
• Establish a place for interviews, consider the
  backdrop
• Follow up on any reporter questions, information
  needs promptly
• Follow up with reporters requesting event photos
  after the
  event, include caption

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• Crisis Communications
• What to do
• Tell it all, tell it fast, and tell the truth!
• Determine your positioning and messages to
  address the crisis
• Draft an initial prepared statement with
  pertinent information crisis is under
  investigation
• Share statement with staff
• Designate a spokesperson
• Practice worst-case scenarios ahead of time,
  anticipate aggressive attitude from reporter
• Respond to media requests, dont ignore the
  situation or refuse to
  comment
• Provide updates to press about crisis response
  and progress

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• Building Relationships
• Continue garnering coverage
• Collect copies of articles and broadcast stories
  
• Send thank you notes to outlets covering your
  story
• Ask permission to distribute articles or
  broadcast to your key audiences, post on your
  web site, run in newsletter, etc.
• Continue to send information to key media by
  sending periodic updates (no more than once per
  month)

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Questions???