Media Relations

Clients love the idea of getting attention from the media; that is, until a reporter or assignment editor calls, especially in a crisis situation. When the clients finds out it means sitting down face-to-face with someone who is actually recording every word they say, white-knuckle time sets in.

Here are a few tips for easing those fears:

• Know your message. Identify your three key points; stick to them; don’t be afraid of repeating them; don’t get sidetracked.
• Be the victor not the victim. You know more about your subject than media do; an interview is an opportunity, not a threat; you can turn their negative into your positive, or at least paint a balanced picture; be businesslike – it’s better to be respected than liked. This is most definitely how NOT to deal with a reporter.
• Prepare and rehearse. Think of all likely difficult questions for a requested interview – and know your answers.
• Know what the media want. Research the reporter who will be conducting the interview. Will he be aggressive and in your face? Will she smile while asking tough questions? Don’t “answer” questions but “respond” to them to say what you want to say.
• Admit your mistakes. Americans love to forgive. Don’t cover up; someone will always dig out the truth. Always “regret” actions rather than being “sorry” for them – that implies guilt.
• Be humble and confident but not arrogant. Stay calm under duress. An aggressive interviewer gains you public sympathy. If you don’t know the answer, say so. Keep it simple; listen to questions carefully; don’t fill silences – it puts the onus upon the interviewer.
• Don’t refuse to take difficult phone calls. But give yourself thinking time (“I’ll phone you back in ten minutes”); never say “no comment” – it implies guilt; it provides a vacuum to allow the media to invent their own “truth.”

Popularity: 1% [?]

The woman in this video clip is obviously not well-schooled in media relations. According to the reporter, she agreed to do the interview, then refused to answer his questions, save for her one carefully-scripted response. It’s embarrassing for her and the school district that employs her. Sounds like she was surprised a TV reporter brought a cameraman along.

One thing I’ll give her credit for: she never loses her cool.

Her otherwise sorry performance proves why it is imperative that top executives in any organization be trained in how to handle themselves when the media comes calling. Assuming she was willing to talk to the reporter and didn’t have something to hide, here’s what she should have done:

• prepared for the interview by having someone ask her provocative questions about the trip;
• set up the interview in a controlled environment – standing behind a counter, then moving around makes her look evasive, regardless of what she is saying;
• asked another colleague or two to be there for support but to remain quiet;
• emphasize that the board or some authority approved the request to attend the conference and knew what the expenses would be;
• provide documentation what the conference was about and how the students will benefit from the knowledge obtained there;
• point out that while $30,000 seems like a lot of money for a school district in financial distress, it represents a miniscule percentage of the budget.

Certainly, it looks bad that most other school districts in the area sent only one person or none at all to the conference. But with a modicum of aplomb, the bad PR could have been mitigated.

Popularity: 49% [?]

Over at theprlawyer.com, author Gina Rubel weighs in on the use of canned quotes by reporters. She references a blog post by Michael Doyle, a reporter for the Washington bureau of McClatchy Newspapers, in which he says reporters welcomes quotes they can cut from a news release and paste into their stories. “It’s E-Harmony,” he says.

Wow! Unless good journalism has changed in the last few years — come to think of it, maybe it has — most respectable reporters would be loathe to use canned quotes in a story of any substance. At the very least, they would want confirmation from that source that the quote was accurate. And using a prepared quote doesn’t allow for any follow up questions that curious reporters might have.

Anyway, if you are preparing a press release and hope that the reporter will use canned quotes, here a few guidelines:

1. Cut the fluff. Self-serving platitudes are the first thing to go. In newsroom, they’re called “throw-away quotes.” If they somehow make it into a story, they are the first to get cut.
2. Make it interesting. Don’t quote your CEO as saying the company has been around for 20 years or that sales are up 20 percent. Have him say something insightful, controversial or memorable.
3. Write the way he speaks. Some quotes from CEOs sound stiff and rehearsed. Try to make it sound like he actually said it.
4. Anticipate follow-ups. Think like a reporter. What else might be asked? Stay on message but provide answers to additional questions.
5. Offer to arrange an interview. Let the media know your source is available for questions. Providing quotes and then denying access to the source throw up a red flag.
6. Prepare your source.. If the media does call, go through a mock interview with your source. Ask the same tough questions the media will ask. Be confrontational, if necessary.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Back in July, I asked the question “Are Newspapers Becoming Irrelevant in Public Relations Campaigns?” My theory was that with newspapers cutting editorial staff and fewer people subscribing, perhaps expending much effort trying to cultivate reporters and editors might be a waste of time.

Well, I’ve changed my mind. It’s not that newspapers have made some remarkable comeback; on the contrary, some of the bigger chains are on the verge of financial meltdown because they have or soon will default on debt payments. More cuts could be forthcoming.

Rather than a challenge, I’ve come to view the slow demise of newspapers as an opportunity. With editorial staffs cut to the bone, editors and reporters are more desperate than ever for good story ideas. I’ve always felt that one of the most important roles a PR person can fill is to make life easier for journalists. The more you can do to provide background and access to sources, the better chance you will have of seeing your story in print.

A well-written press release that follows AP style and isn’t too company oriented is still a powerful tool. The major dailies will continue to develop their own stories, and the small community weeklies will print every word, assuming you follow basic guidelines. But I’ve noticed that some regional dailies — with declining but still significant readership — have become much more receptive to running press releases with minor adjustments. Photos, too, are more acceptable than they once were.

Of course, this is not to say newspapers still carry the influence they did, say, 15 or 20 years ago. You still need to include the Internet, with its myriad of social media outlets, in your PR mix.

Popularity: 32% [?]

Yesterday, I sat in on a seminar offered by the Bucks County Women’s Business Forum called “How to Get the Media to Call You.” It featured a panel discussion by five members of the local/regional media: Bernie Dagenais, editor of the Philadelphia Business Journal; Brad Segall, suburban bureau chief for KYW Newsradio; Bridget Wingert, editor of The Bucks County Herald, a community weekly newspaper; Crissa Shoemaker DeBree, a business writer for The Bucks County Courier Times/The Intelligencer; and Stephanie Esposito, a reporter for WFMZ-TV in Allentown.

What caught my attention during the hour-long discussion was the annoying little things we PR-types do that at best cause media members to roll their eyes and at worst to totally ignore us. Here is a sampling:

1. Not Being Prepared. Segall told of a recent instance when a PR firm sent out a timely press release his station wanted to follow up on, but no one was around to take his call. The story never happened.
2. Phone Calls. While every member of the panel said they welcomed phone calls, they warned members of the audience against calling on certain times and days. Establish a working relationship with individual media members and learn the best times to make contact. All said they check press release distribution services only occasionally.
3. Respect deadlines. Don’t call at 9 a.m. with a story that’s happening at noon, unless it’s major breaking news. Sounds like common sense, but the panel said it happens all the time.
4. Long Press Releases. More than a page of two or is big turnoff. No one has time to plow through a short novel. A catchy headline and strong opening paragraph are the key to attracting attention. Fancy logos and clever layouts are more distracting than helpful.
5. Not Knowing What the Media Wants. Too many times, editors and reporters are pitched story ideas they would never consider doing. Study a publication such as The Philadelphia Business Journal to understand the kinds of stories they do.
6. Thinking the Media Exist to Give You Publicity. While some reporters and editors have soft spots for pet causes, they emphasized their top priority is serving their readers/viewers/listeners.
7. Press Kits. Bulky folders jammed with executive profiles, five-year sales projections and glossy photos are overkill. Putting the same information on a CD is better. A comprehensive website is best.

Popularity: 45% [?]