10 Tips For Responding To Media
1.
Develop a media policy for your organization. Who will speak for
organization, when and what.
2. Train staff, and board on who will respond and who will
not. Train them on how to respond with your organization's key messages
3. Choose who will respond. Assign the spokesperson for the
organization, ED, PR person, President of Board?
4. Assess your organization's risk areas, what could go wrong
and plan to minimize
5. Take each issue and design a response start with organization's
mission, value statements
6. Take each issue and determine what is not to be said keep
information relevant to issue only
7. Be prepared before speaking; ask for a few minutes before
responding.
8. Use your time to review your message and ensure you are
representing your organization in a professional manner
9. Stay in charge of the interview. You are not obligated
to answer a question if it is not relevant to the issue, stay focused
on issues. Your job is to give information that gives credibility
to your organization
10. Obtain media training for key individuals in your organizations.
Sample News Release
People Taking an Action For a Reason.
Encapsulate your message in as few words as possible.
For Immediate Release
<Date>
<City>
The
Lead is the encapsulation of what you intend to say, the news, the
story. It announces your information by stating who, what, why,
where, how and when. It should not exceed two sentences or six lines.
This is the one paragraph an editor will read. If you don't capture
his/her attention here, your release will be recycled.
The
Second Paragraph describes the details and the context of what you
announced in the Lead in that order. If a prominent figure or government
department has done something untoward, state your source here.
If you are releasing new statistics or a report, state the findings
here. The Second Paragraph contains the "meat" of the
release. This is where the story and the most newsworthy details
are.
The
Third Paragraph quotes your spokesperson, giving his or her impression
and overview of what has been released. The quote should be compelling.
Be very careful at how you craft quote(s) since they may be pulled
used out of the context you intended and used by the reporter in
relation to the story, but following or preceding a thought which
you cannot anticipate. The quote(s) should make sense as stand alone
thoughts. For example, "I'm appalled", said Mr. X is not
as useful to a reporter as "I'm appalled that the Mayor does
not support (the issue)."
The
Conclusion can either restate what was said in the Lead or can add
an interesting detail which is not essential to the story, but adds
a context which makes the reader think, "hmm, how interesting."
The
Fifth Paragraph would be used if an event will be held in relation
to the release. Indicate all relevant details: where, when, cost,
RSVP required, number to call for more details, etc.
For additional information or to arrange interviews please contact:
Spokeperson's Name, Title, phone number
Alternate Contact Name, title, phone number
What
Type of News Release?
Many non-profits misuse the media release (press release, news release).
Organizations trying to generate ink for special events regularly
send a media release to their local papers, when what they really
should have sent was a calendar listing. Before you invest hours
in writing a media release, figure out what you hope media coverage
will achieve. Then, look at the different sections of your paper,
the segments on your local radio and cable station, and send them
each copy tailored to fit their needs.
Following
are a few different types of media releases, each serving different
needs and requiring different information:
The
Action Release
- This
is the type of release most non-profits use. It is most effective
to generate coverage of news, not promote a special event.
The
Reaction Release
-
This is an effective way to get a mention or quote into news stories
about issues on which you work.
- You
must be prepared to respond immediately with pertinent
quotes, while the story is breaking.
- Generally,
a very short release that simply provides journalists with balance
for their follow-up stories or, an idea for a follow-up story.
- To
use this method well you must be a news junkie: read and listen
to the news every evening and morning.
The
Study Release
- This
is a straightforward document you distribute in conjunction with
a report or study.
- It
should summarize salient points of the report so that a reporter
does not have to read the entire report to understand the conclusions.
- It
must be written in plain English no tech talk allowed!
The
Advisory
- One
or two paragraph release which is faxed to reporters and wire
services days before an event.
- Follow
it up with a phone call, this is an effective way to get media
to your event.
- Since
it's used by Assignment Editors, just include the basic information
(What, where, when, and who).
- Include
a couple of sentences which make the event sound compelling enough
to cover.
The
Background Release
- Also
known as a fact sheet.
- Usually
a one page rundown of information that a reporter can refer to
for background on a particular issue.
- You
can include expert contacts (and opposition contacts) to help
the reporter do his/her job.
The
Calendar Listing
- This
is the most effective way to get your special event noted by your
local media.
- Unlike
the Advisory, you aren't inviting a reporter to attend your event
with a Calendar Listing, you're simply providing factual information
in the format each media outlet already uses.
- Radio
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) usually need 10-15 seconds
of spoken copy.
- Cable
TV stations generally require copy that fits 24-30 characters
per line (including spaces!) and 8-10 lines of copy. Call your
local cable provider for exact requirements.
- Community
papers run event listings in all sorts of ways. Your best chance
of getting the copy you want to see printed is to read the papers
you want free advertising in, and follow the format they use.
Reprinted
With Permission From IMPACS-Vancouver, B.C.
Sample Media Advisory
Letterhead
TO:
(media name, editor or reporter name)
FROM:
(organization name)
MEDIA ADVISORY
Please
note that Volunteer B.C. will be hosting the launch of International
Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV) at the Vancouver Public Library on
December 5th 2000 at 11:00am.
The
launch will be kicking off B.C.'s International Year of Volunteers
as declared by the United Nations. Twenty-five British Columbians
will be announced as ambassadors for IYV B.C..
We
look forward to your attendance.
For
more information contact
Name, phone number
Sample Media Planning Sheet
1.
What is the issue?
2. Who are the party(s) interested in your news, event or
announcement?
3. What will the media questions be (who, what, where, when,
why and how)
4. What are the responses? (short answers, facts, analogies
and examples)
5. What is your position (impact on people, services, list
the positives)
6. What are your positive statements/Quotes, brief clips
and summarize
Sample
Letter to the Editor re: IYV ( PDF,
14kb)
Sample
Letter to the Editor re: NVW (PDF,
19kb)
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