Media Relations 101

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Speak Now Hamilton March 4, 2014

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@jayrobb Director of Communications for Mohawk College

21 years in public relations 18 years in Hamilton

jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca

What is news?

How to give a great interview

Other ways to get media coverage

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The first word you think of when you hear “reporter” ?

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Curious.

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The first word you think of when you hear “media interview” ?

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Opportunity.

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Hamilton Spectator CHCH TV CHML 900 CBC Hamilton Cable 14 – Hamilton Life Mountain News Ancaster Star Dundas Star Stoney Creek News Hamilton Magazine Raise the Hammer Urbanicity VIEW Magazine

Local media Newspapers

TV Radio Web

Magazines

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Hard news

Features and profiles

Columns

Editorials

Talk shows

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Types of media

coverage

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This is your speech

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This is your speech with media coverage

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So how do you get a reporter’s attention?

Just because it’s worthy doesn’t mean it’s newsworthy.

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News is what people are talking about.

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Why should I care?

Why should our readers? Listeners? Viewers?

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Is it unique and a first?

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Is it unusual and unexpected?

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Is it of interest and relevance to many people in our community?

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Is there conflict?

Hero. Victim. Villian.

Winner. Loser.

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Great stories are stories about people.

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Is there an ordinary person who’s done something

extraordinary?

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Is there a solution to a community problem?

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Is it about making Hamilton an even better place to call home?

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You have what reporters want.

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A compelling story.

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Authenticity.

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1 > 89,000

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You take the numb out of numbers.

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Poverty to prosperity solutions.

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It’s not just the people in the room. The media can help you deliver your

speech to a HUGE audience.

Let the media know you’re giving a speech.

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Location, date and time

(the time when you’re speaking)

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Summarize your speech in 1-2 sentences

WSIC

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Include your bio in 1-2 sentences. Ordinary person / extraordinary story.

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Your contact information.

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Email the details.

One email to each media outlet.

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Must answer WSIC in your email’s subject line.

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2-3 days in advance of your speaking engagement.

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Media may miss your speech but do a follow-up story.

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Talking with the media

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Be bold.

Be brief.

Be quiet.

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Beware the pregnant pause. Don’t ramble.

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Soundbites and tweetable moments.

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F o CU s

Know what you want to say before you say it.

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What do you want your audience to:

Know ?

Feel ?

Do ?

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What’s the one thing you want us to remember?

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Have a key message.

One sentence. Ten seconds.

2 – 3 supporting points.

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It’s an interview.

Not an interrogation.

Not a chat with your BFF.

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Everything is always on the record.

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If you don’t know, say so. Never make stuff up.

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Don’t speak for anyone else but yourself.

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Other ways to get media coverage.

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Be a resident expert and a reporter’s source.

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Localize stories. (What does this mean for Hamilton?)

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Offer informed opinion and analysis.

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Join conversations already happening in our community.

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Newsjack.

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School closures.

Transit.

Offer your perspective on these and other hot topics

in our community.

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Write letters to the editor and op-eds.

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Letter to the editor

Max. 100 words

Respond to a story in the paper

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Op-ed (opposite editorial)

Max. 750 words

Problem – solution – call to action

Share your story to make the case

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Recycle your speech as an op-ed.

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Follow local media on social media.

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Put the relations in media relations.

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5 ways to annoy a reporter

• Ask the reporter if you can review the story before it runs.

• Ask the reporter to send you a copy of the story after it runs.

• Talk with the reporter for an hour and then say “but don’t quote me on that”.

• Pull a disappearing act and never get back to a reporter. Ignore phone calls and emails.

• Make a big deal out of a small mistake.

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• Be quotable.

• Be accessible.

• Be helpful. Respect deadlines.

• Follow up and let the reporter know what happened as a result of the media coverage.

• Be a consumer of local news. Read, watch and listen.

5 ways to impress a reporter

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The Media Training Bible by Brad Phillips

10 Steps to Writing a Vital Speech by Fletcher Dean

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Do not feed the trolls.

Ignore the cynics and critics.

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Compassion fatigue.

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Be defined your aspirations and not your current situation.

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When it comes to poverty in Hamilton, what is the media getting right?

What story hasn’t been told?

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So how would you pitch Speak Now Hamilton

to the media?

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