media relationsclass (2013)
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Media Relations forEmployees of Palm Beach County
WHY IS THERE A REPORTER
IN THE LOBBY?
Media Relations
County Policies
The Ten Commandments
The Interview
MEDIA RELATIONS 101
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.
MEDIA RELATIONS DEFINED
One responsibility of government is to communicate with residents about county 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 effi cient and effective. We see media relations as a partnership.
GOOD MEDIA RELATIONS IS GOOD BUSINESS
Keep it HOT!!!
HonestOpenTimely
MEDIA RELATIONS…HOT!!!
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
WHY WE NEED THE MEDIA
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
MEDIA GUIDELINES
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 confl icting information
Minimize the adverse eff ects of rumors
COUNTY POLICY
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
MEDIA RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY
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
THE 10 COMMANDMENTSTHOU SHALL NOT…
InformativeEducationalTimelySignificantUniqueInterestingOf human interestWhatever you can convince a reporter it is
WHAT IS NEWS?
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.
MEDIA TOOLS
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’ questionsMinimize use of jargon
-attribute acronyms in first reference
When possible add a quoteTwo 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
happensNumber pages, mark the end
(###)Marketing vs. News Release
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE
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
UNIQUENESS OF NEWS
“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
THE NEWS RELEASE
County overstaff ed 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 PUBLIC REALITIES
Reporters are even more:
Cynical
Suspicious
Likely to have watchdog role
Likely to hold government accountable
PUBLIC PERCEPTION VS REPORTERS
THE INTERVIEW
•Preparation
•Tips
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
WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW?
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 specifi c questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: FUNNEL
This question sequence is eff ective 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 specifi c questions and gradually ask more general questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: INVERTED FUNNEL
The Diamond question sequence combines the Funnel and Inverted Funnel sequences.
Used when dealing with topics interviewees may find painful or diffi cult and therefore are reluctant to discuss.
Begin with specifi c, closed-ended questions about a situation similar to the interviewee's, then ask general, open-ended questions about the interview, and finally ask specifi c, closed-ended questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: DIAMOND
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.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: TUNNEL
Credibility index (average: 61.5)Supreme Court Justice: 81.3Member of the Armed Forces: 73.0Ordinary citizen: 71.8Network TV news anchor: 66.8Local news reporter: 65.8Local elected offi cial: 65.2 (PBC 40% ???)Head of a local department: 62.9Public relations specialist: 47.6TV or radio talk show host: 46.6
WHO SHOULD SPEAK?
Repeated question
Either/or
Hypothetical/What if…
False facts
Interruptions
Silence
Critics say…
REPORTER TECHNIQUES
Straight news
News feature
Profile
Investigative
TYPES OF INTERVIEW STORIES
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: PREPARATION
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: TIPS
Listen – 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: TIPS
If you fail to:Take chargeAnticipate questionsDevelop key messagesStick to the factsKeep calmTake the interview seriously
THE INTERVIEW: FAILURES
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
TV 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”
RADIO TIPS
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
TIPS FROM REPORTERS
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
WHAT REPORTERS WANT
Is it important enough?How damaging is the error?
Do nothingAsk for a clarification, correction, etc.Talk to the reporterTalk to a supervisorGo to the competition
TO CORRECT OR NOT CORRECT
Correction: Usually a factual error. Your goal is
to have the correct information printed or aired.
Clarifi cation: Confl icting 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.
TO CORRECT OR NOT CORRECT
If the media doesn’t get the facts from you, they will get the “story” from
someone else.
ALWAYS REMEMBER…
If you help the media when they call you, they will help you when you
call them.
AND…
USEFUL PUBLICATIONHTTP: / /WWW.PBCGOV.COM/PUBLICAFFAIRS/PUBLICATIONS.HTM
OR CL ICK L INK ON TOP OF HOME PAGE.
QUESTIONS