The Michigan Summit: A Blueprint for Change

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• The Michigan Summit A Blueprint for Change
• You, Your Campaign the News Media
• Presented by
• Ms. Darci E. McConnell
• McConnell Communications, Inc.

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Shaping Your Story

• It's your story, and you can shape it your way. 
  You dont have to feel used, misused or ignored
  by the media. You can initiate the angles you
  want the media to focus on.  McConnell
  Communications will show you how. This
  presentation includes a concise guide on how to
  shape news.

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Why Bother?

• There are only two forces that can carry light
  to all the corners of the globethe sun in the
  heavens and the Associated Press down here.
• Mark Twain
• Despite criticism of news media coverage, it is
  still by and large how people get their
  information. And it remains the foundation for
  peoples attitudes and opinions about public
  figures and issues.
• You can reach thousands, even millions of people
  through television, radio, newspapers and the
  Internet.
• According to a survey by BIGresearch, newspaper
  articles, television and the Internet are among
  the most influential media among all age groups.
• When it comes to people of color, while
  television is a preferred news source, news from
  minority-owned radio stations was overwhelmingly
  preferred and viewed as the most credible and
  trustworthy.

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What Works?

• You can wait for a reporter to call (or you can
  hope a reporter never does) or send out a hundred
  press releases that get ignored. Or you can
  initiate more effectively.
• News organizations obtain their material in many
  ways and for a variety of reasons. Obviously
  they want to cover whatever is most important.
  But they are also highly attracted by three
  factors in particular
• Convenience
• Surprise
• Visuals

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Know Your Audience How They Get Their
Information

• Minorities typically get their information from
  trade and non-traditional sources. That means, to
  reach them, an ethnic newspaper or magazine or
  urban radio program is a better resource than a
  mainstream newspaper.
• Generation X and Y (although now Boomers and Baby
  Boomers have joined the ranks) are more likely to
  get information from emails, text messages and
  the Internet than from traditional media outlets.
  The following should be considered
• -- Facebook/Twitter
• --You Tube
• --Online publications
• -- Blogging
• -- Electronic newsletters
• -- Video emails
• Newspaper endorsements are critical in smaller
  races. In those contests where there is little
  media attention or limited public interest,
  endorsements take on more significance. An
  endorsement can swing the election.
• Dont ignore the smallest publications.
  Community papers usually dont send out reporters
  but are often happy to accept photos for print.
  Is an event youre doing photo-worthy? Integrate
  photography into whatever you do and dont
  forget to supply caption material clearly in
  writing. Does your block club have a newsletter
  for which you can draft an article?
• Ensure that your website is updated regularly.

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How to Get Media Interested in Your Campaign

• The news medias propensity is to cover
  top-of-the-ticket races president, governor,
  county executive, etc. Controversy can also draw
  coverage, but you should be on the favorable side
  of the dispute.
• It is best to create a name for yourself months
  ahead of any campaign.
• Contact the reporters (and columnists) who will
  be covering that election, or the editors for
  that geographic region, to let them know that you
  are in the race -- and tell them one thing in
  particular that you stand for.
• Get involved with a community organization, and
  make the announcement public.
• Do ongoing opinion articles that discuss
  hot-button issues or areas of expertise.
• Target non-traditional and small media that rely
  more on submissions than a large reporting staff.
• Make your candidacy announcement tied to a
  hot-button issue.
• Include other high-profile figures in your
  announcement.
• Schedule your event of announcement on a slow
  news day. Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays are
  usually good, especially if visuals are included.
• Be the first to announce.
• Know reporters deadlines, so you dont offend by
  calling during a newscast or at crunch time.

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How Your Campaign Can Shape the News

• The two key points are (1) to know which
  journalists make coverage decisions about your
  area and (2) to decide what kind of news you have
  or want to put out. If its
• Purely informative, it should be e-mailed or
  sent by leaflet to all your constituents. Next
  best is to send a brief release one that makes
  clear to an ordinary citizen why the information
  matters to news media that serve your area in
  particular.
• Of real human interest something a busy
  person would willingly be interrupted to learn
  contact major media as well as your local
  specialists.
• Interesting to specialists such the auto
  industry, people in construction and development,
  sports fans and participants, boaters contact
  people and media who are devoted to those topics.
  Niche media have rather intense customers and
  some can turn out to be advocates for your cause,
  once they feel they have inside knowledge.
• A problem of public significance, attempting to
  cover up can be the worst strategy, as southeast
  Michigan has amply seen recently. Better is to
  contact the journalist most likely to be fair and
  give her or him the best possible accurate
  summary, along with what youre doing to solve
  the problem.
• Contact a professional communications company.
  You should be able to quickly receive an estimate
  for the kind of work you want done, as well as
  ideas you might not have thought of.
  Professional expertise can save you a lot of time
  and effort.

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How To Be Interviewed

• Decide in advance what three points you really
  want to convey. Then think of how an opponent
  might attack them, and what an uninformed person
  would want to know about them. Then make
  yourself a few notes you can use during the
  interview on why your points are best.
• Keep the interview as brief as possible (without
  seeming to cut it off) and your answers short and
  sweet. That way, the reporter has less chance of
  using less important material instead of the
  points most important to you. If you are doing a
  radio interview, keep your notes in front of you
  for reference.
• Be energetic and outgoing (though not
  presumptuous or overwhelming). Always be civil.
• Dont hesitate to ask that a question be repeated
  and/or that your quote be read back to you. Do
  this in the interest of accuracy.
• Avoid trying to answer multi-point questions.
  Instead, say something like Lets concentrate on
  that last point first (or whatever point you
  most want to address) and respond to that one.
  Youll come across smarter and sharper than if
  you attempt to deal with the entire original
  question.
• Avoid jargon. Use language your mother or child
  would understand.
• If youre going to be on camera, wear comfortable
  clothing that does not clash or look busy or
  fussy.
• Unless youre really sure it serves your
  interests, dont say something is off the record.
  Going off the record usually increases a
  reporters interest in digging further. If you
  need to provide information you dont want
  attributed to you, get the reporter to agree that
  the info is on background, for the reporters
  benefit in understanding an issue, and can be
  described as coming from a local official.

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How To Write a News Release

• Include the contact information at the top of the
  page, and try not to be the contact for your own
  story (weird third person issues).
• Cover the who-what-when-where-why in the first
  sentence/paragraph.
• Include dates, times and addresses.
• Use a sexy intriguing quote from a person of
  authority.
• Keep the release to one page.
• Include any key statistics/numbers, such as the
  number of people affected or the cost or savings.
• Use spell-check and always verify names and
  titles. Reporters heckle releases that are rife
  with errors.
• Send the release out a few days before the event,
  unless you desire a calendar listing, which has
  an earlier need (two weeks).
• Make follow-up calls to individual reporters to
  see if they have any questions, but avoid
  pestering reporters with multiple calls.

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