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A class for government employees to learn how to deal with the media.
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WHY IS THERE A REPORTER IN THE LOBBY?Media Relations forEmployees of Palm Beach County
MEDIA RELATIONS 101
Media Relations
County Policies
The Ten Commandments
The Interview
MEDIA RELATIONS DEFINED
How we as individuals and collectively as a County interact with the media. Our daily actions are accountable to the public. It is this accountability the media pursue when reporting our activities.
GOOD MEDIA RELATIONS IS GOOD BUSINESS
One responsibility of government is to communicate with residents about city services and issues that may affect their lives. One of the best ways to communicate is through the media; therefore, an important role of government is to establish working relationships with the media that make communication more efficient and effective. We see media relations as a partnership.
MEDIA RELATIONS…HOT!!!
Keep it HOT!!!
HonestOpenTimely
WHY WE NEED THE MEDIA
Inform in times of crisis
Increase awareness of County services
Attract new residents/businesses
Provide understanding of County policy
Convey proactive image of the County
MEDIA GUIDELINES
Employees at liberty to speak with mediaThose who do speak represent the County,
not themselvesInformation should reflect policyKeep personal views personalFollow up with email to staff and/or Public Affairs and your supervisor
COUNTY POLICY
County PPM CW-0-011
Purpose of County’s media relations policies and program:
Ensure the accuracy of the information released
Assure no preferential treatment is given to
one reporter
Avoid dissemination of conflicting information
Minimize the adverse effects of rumors
MEDIA RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY
We are responsive; we talk to the media
We are an open book
We tell the truth
We are polite
We correct mistakes
We do not “blacklist”
We do not go “off the record”
MEDIA RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY
We recognize the media is just one
way to talk to our community
We understand the value of free
publicity
We can’t be perfect
What we give to one, we give to all
THE 10 COMMANDMENTSTHOU SHALL NOT…
I Mislead
II Lie
III Misrepresent
IV Break the confidence of the
reporter
V Clutter the media with useless info
THE 10 COMMANDMENTSTHOU SHALL NOT…
VI Write or speak evasively
VII Give inaccurate information
VIII Hide when news is bad
IX Pester the media with your story
X Repeat the negative
WHAT IS NEWS?
InformativeEducationalTimelySignificantUniqueInterestingOf human interestWhatever you can convince a reporter it is
MEDIA TOOLS
Press Release – factual information
Photo Opportunity – notification of visual event
Media Advisory – notify the media of an immediate event
MEDIA TOOLS
Fact sheet – attached to news release;helpful when there are a lot of statisticsor complicated information.
News conference – to announce significant or breaking news. List speakers. Record questions that needto be answered at a later time.
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE
Use a descriptive headline-make your release stand out
-action oriented headline-avoid over capitalization
Most important information first-Who, What, Where (including
address),When, Why, How?
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE
Anticipate reporters’ questions Minimize use of jargon
-attribute acronyms in first reference
When possible add a quote Two pages or less
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE
Include contact information-should be familiar with the
release and ready to answer questions
Proofread- A.P. Stylebook (abbreviation,
punctuation, capitalization)- verify spelling of names and
verify correct titles
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE
Timely, timely, timely- for planned events, send a
couple of days before- send the news the day it
happens Number pages, mark the end (###) Marketing vs. News Release
UNIQUENESS OF NEWS
Publish a new product every single day
Driven by deadlines; relentless scramble
against the clock
Little time to research and check all the facts
Tough to represent all sides to a story
Size of news hole varies daily, advertising
dependant
THE NEWS RELEASE
“News” is the FIRST word in the term news release
Volume of releases received daily – most
discarded
Quality of releases – accuracy, simplicity and
clarity
Have listed information contacts
It will not necessarily appear exactly as written
PUBLIC PERCEPTION VS PUBLIC REALITIES
County overstaffed and underworked
Well paid with 4 billion dollar budget
Nice, new working facilities
No more than 40 hour work week
Doing a good job or just meeting expectations
PUBLIC PERCEPTION VS REPORTERS
Reporters are even more:
Cynical
Suspicious
Likely to have watchdog role
Likely to hold government accountable
THE INTERVIEW
•Preparation
•Tips
WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW?
An interview is not a simple conversation
Fact finding exercise to collect information,
insight, interesting viewpoint not
commonly known
Casual approach used to disarm…who?
Reporter monitors everything said, unsaid
Observes gestures, tone of voice
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: FUNNEL This is the most common of all question
sequences for all types of interviews.
In this sequence, the interviewer begins with broad, open-ended questions and moves to more narrow, closed-ended questions.
The interviewer may also begin with more general questions and gradually ask more specific questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: INVERTED FUNNEL This question sequence is effective when an
interviewee needs help remembering something or to motivate an interviewee to talk.
In this sequence, the interviewer begins with narrow, closed-ended questions and moves to more broad, open-ended questions.
The interviewer may also begin with more specific questions and gradually ask more general questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: DIAMOND The Diamond question sequence combines
the Funnel and Inverted Funnel sequences.
Used when dealing with topics interviewees may find painful or difficult and therefore are reluctant to discuss.
Begin with specific, closed-ended questions about a situation similar to the interviewee's, then ask general, open-ended questions about the interview, and finally ask specific, closed-ended questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: TUNNEL In this sequence, all questions have the same
degree of openness.
Also called the "string of beads" questions sequence, the Tunnel sequence allows for little probing and variation in question structure.
It can be useful for simple, surface information interviews, but not for in-depth interviews.
WHO SHOULD SPEAK?
Credibility index (average: 61.5) Supreme Court Justice: 81.3 Member of the Armed Forces: 73.0 Ordinary citizen: 71.8 Network TV news anchor: 66.8 Local news reporter: 65.8 Local elected official: 65.2 (PBC 40% ???) Head of a local department: 62.9 Public relations specialist: 47.6 TV or radio talk show host: 46.6
REPORTER TECHNIQUES
Repeated question
Either/or
Hypothetical/What if…
False facts
Interruptions
Silence
Critics say…
TYPES OF INTERVIEW STORIES
Straight news
News feature
Profile
Investigative
THE INTERVIEW: PREPARATION
What are the goals of the interview?
What will the tone be?
What are your key messages?
Do your homework!
Prepare background information
Rehearse…call staff
THE INTERVIEW: TIPS
Answer the question!
Share your message early and often
Avoid jargon
Remember: you are talking to
residents
Be friendly & courteous
Silence is golden
THE INTERVIEW: TIPS
Keep your cool
Bridging
Don’t repeat the negative
Never “off the record”
Never “no comment”
THE INTERVIEW: TIPSListen – hear the whole question.
Understand it. Clarify if needed.
Pause – Select key points. Keep eyes
up.Present – Give direct answer first.
Give support explanation. Stop when you’ve answered the question to your satisfaction.
THE INTERVIEW: FAILURES
If you fail to: Take charge Anticipate questions Develop key messages Stick to the facts Keep calm Take the interview seriously
TV TIPS
Assume the camera is always running
Speak clearly, concisely
Look at the reporter, not the camera
Know your key messages
Dress conservatively
Avoid contrasts in color; no sunglasses
RADIO TIPS
Ask if the interview will be live or on
tape
Use conversational tone
Speak concisely
Don’t ramble. Don’t try to fill “dead
air”
TIPS FROM REPORTERS
Use media as a communications tool
Use media to “straighten the record”
If County is open and helpful, stories will
be more positive
If County is not open, stories will be more
negative
Reporters want access to people and
information
WHAT REPORTERS WANT
The elements of news
Sometimes, just the facts
What’s not said
What you know right now
To scoop the competition
To get the story straight
To feed the beast
TO CORRECT OR NOT CORRECT Is it important enough?How damaging is the error?
Do nothing Ask for a clarification, correction, etc. Talk to the reporter Talk to a supervisor Go to the competition
TO CORRECT OR NOT CORRECT Correction: Usually a factual error. Your goal is
to have the correct information printed or aired. Clarification: Conflicting or confusing
information was originally presented and this
clears it up. Omission: Something relevant to the story
(usually a fact or name) was left out and is
now included. Retraction: To some media outlets, this is a legal
term. On advice of legal counsel, the outlet
admits an error and apologizes. This is usually done in a large box marked “Retraction” placed where the original was.
ALWAYS REMEMBER…
If the media doesn’t get the facts from you, they will get the “story” from someone
else.
AND…
If you help the media when they call you, they will help
you when you call them.
USEFUL PUBLICATIONS
USEFUL PUBLICATIONS
QUESTIONS