mainstream media: breaking in - democracy for...
TRANSCRIPT
July 25, 2006Paid for by Democracy for America, www.democracyforamerica.com,
and not authorized by any candidate.
Mainstream Media:Breaking In
Goals and Agenda
• Learn who really makes the news– Hint: It’s you
• Find out what tools you need to getyour campaign or issue into primetime, front page coverage
2 Questions? Email [email protected]
What is Mainstream Media?1. Media – n.pl. me-di-a (-d-) or me-di-ums- a means of mass
communication, such as newspapers, magazines, radio ortelevision.
2. Media (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The group of journalists andothers who constitute the communications industry and profession
The Middle Box
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Campaign Message
Voters
Feedback/Reaction
Campaign Media
Questions? Email [email protected]
Paid vs. Earned MediaPaid vs. Earned Media
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““For our purposes, media is our amplifier.For our purposes, media is our amplifier.””
vs.
No such thing as free media!
Questions? Email [email protected]
Paid Media: Advertising Earned Media: part of the reporter’s story
How Important isMainstream Media?
• By far, Americans agree that localand cable TV news are thenumber one source for politicalnews, followed by print, and radio
• 11% get news from the websitesof news organizations like MSNBCand CNN
• 10% get news from AOL andYahoo
• 2% get their news from blogs
Data from 2004 Pew Research Studies:Link 1 and Link 2
Respondents able to choose multiplemedia outlets in the survey so totals don’tadd up to 100.
5 Questions? Email [email protected]
6
““The most important source of political news forThe most important source of political news forpeople who care about politicspeople who care about politics””
• Print media sets the tone• 5 Sources
– Daily Papers– Weekly Papers– Alternative Weeklies– Neighborhood or Suburban
Weeklies– Specialty Press
• Main constraint: physical space
Questions? Email [email protected]
Radio““They all need one thing: sound.They all need one thing: sound.””
• Get to know the News Director• 3 Categories
– News, entertainment,talk radio
• Ways to fill sound need– Interviews, prerecorded
sound bites (radio feed), live feed• Main Constraint: Time
7 Questions? Email [email protected]
Television ““The news director believes that most people will always payThe news director believes that most people will always pay
attention to crime, car chases, and scandals. Ideally, yourattention to crime, car chases, and scandals. Ideally, yourcampaign is involved in none of these.campaign is involved in none of these.””
• Two realities: Getting on TV isimportant, and it’s pretty hard to do
• In 2004, local TV stationsgave 12 times more coverageto sports and weather, than tolocal candidates (Lear Center)
• Visuals– Simple, compelling, creative
• Main Constraint: Time
8 Questions? Email [email protected]
Newswires ““The mediaThe media’’s medias media””
• Newswire: an agency that compiles articles,press releases, and media event schedules forother media outlets to use (ie. Associated Press,Reuters)
• Valuable service for media – and you• Get into the Daybook
9 Questions? Email [email protected]
TV and Radio Organizational Chart
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Owner
Community Affairs
Anchors
AssignmentDesk Editor
Reporters
Questions? Email [email protected]
Manager
News Director
Producers
Print Organizational Chart
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Publisher
EditorialPageEditor
Columnists EditorialBoardMembers
CityDeskEditor
InternationalDesk Editor
NationalDeskEditor
Beat Reporters
Questions? Email [email protected]
Managing Editor
What is Newsworthy?
Your campaign/issue should be:1. New and Hot2. Local and Relevant3. Visual and Quotable4. Human Interest5. Conflict or Controversy
12 Questions? Email [email protected]
““Your job: convince the reporter youYour job: convince the reporter you’’ve got news.ve got news.””
Understanding the Weekly News Cycle
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Monday - Good day forstories, good day to pitch
Tues. - Thurs. - Best days topitch, best days for stories,best days for media events
Friday - Bad day for stories, worst day to pitch
Saturday - Worst day for stories
Sunday - Great day for feature stories, bad day to pitch
Questions? Email [email protected]
Understanding the Daily News Cycle
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4 am - Wire Services and early morning radio andnews directors are looking for stories
7-9 am - Drive Time, peak radio listening
11-2 pm - Good time for news conferences, pitchto print reporters
1-5 pm - Expect calls from reporters on deadline
4-6 pm - Bad time to pitch, peak radio listening,continue to expect media inquiries for front pagedeadlines
8-9 pm - Front page deadlines, and national newsbroadcasts
10-12 pm - Local TV broadcasts
See PDF forexpanded schedule
Questions? Email [email protected]
Tools: Advisories and Releases• News Advisory – Think of this as an invitation to the media
• News Release – This is your chance to write the story forthe reporters; don’t let them draw their own conclusions
15 Questions? Email [email protected]
See PDF forexamples
Tools: Feeds and ActualitiesRadio Feeds – Audio version of the news release, in a 30
second radio spot
Actualities – Live recordings of a candidate or speaker aan actual event
16 Questions? Email [email protected]
Tools: Pitch Calls““News finds reporters, not the other way around.News finds reporters, not the other way around.””
• Pitching your story: let the reporter know you’vegot news
• Who, what, when, why?• Why isn’t your story in the news?
– No pitch, bad pitch– No relationship with outlet
17 Questions? Email [email protected]
Tools: Letters to the Editor
– Reactionary– Timely– Concise– Local, Personal
– Grammar and Tone– Smart and Witty– Contact Info– Follow Up
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““LTELTE’’s s are both effective and easy to use, the perfectare both effective and easy to use, the perfectbang for your buck!bang for your buck!””
The Tactics: What Works
Questions? Email [email protected]
Tools: Letters to the Editor Pt. 2
– Reactive: The Rapid ResponseTeam
– Proactive: LTE Seeding– Get Active: Build an LTE Team
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The Strategy: Where The Strategy: Where LTEs LTEs fit in a campaign orfit in a campaign ororganizationorganization
Questions? Email [email protected]
Wrapping Up
This session doesn’t cover everything. Checkback into Night School to learn more aboutblogs and websites, media lists, themessage calendar, and reporterrelationships
Sign up for future Training Academy events tolearn about Op-eds, news conferences, andcrisis management.
20 Questions? Email [email protected]
Assignment
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Choose One• CREATE a News Advisory and
News Release• PUBLISH one LTE in a paper on a
topic in the next week
Questions? Email [email protected]
Thanks for coming!Don’t forget to sign up for our upcoming lessons:
• Leveraging Online Media: Aug 1• Sustaining a Media Presence: Aug 8
Help keep Night School free: Contribute now.Learn more about the DFA Training Academy:
www.democracyforamerica.com/training
22 Questions? Email [email protected]