Working with the Media(Without fear and loathing)

The pundits speak!“TV is a medium because it is neither

rare nor well done.” Ernie Kovacs

“Newspapers should have no friends.” Joseph

Pulitzer

“The mission of the modern newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”

Anonymous

“A journalist’s knowledge is three miles wide

and one inch deep.” Anonymous

“Journalism is the ability to meet the challenge of filling space.” Rebecca West

“I find television very educating. Every time someone turns on theset, I go into the other room andread a book.” Groucho Marx

“I do not take a single newspaper, nor read one a

month, and I feel myself infinitely thehappier for it.” Thomas Jefferson

“If you sent me to cover a pie baking

contest on Mother's Day, I'm going to

ask dear old mom why she usedartificial sweetener or stole theapples!” Sam

Donaldson

When they come to youWhat works and what doesn’t

Works Doesn’t

Sticking to key themes Specific talking pointsRemembering why Sales pitches, cross

promos they’re here Conversations One-way

communicationNatural ForcedGestures Individual fingers

What do they want? “If it bleeds, it leads.” Anything that bleeds Sex-related stories Crime (federal

preferred) Government waste Abuse of power Other (stinking,

dripping, oozing, popping)

Open Season i.e. “The Sweeps” (February, May, July

and November)

Working with the Media 101

The media tends to appear suddenly. Some prefer to cover events out of context.

A natural tension exists between media and public relations: PR’s goal is to minimize what they want to maximize.

Working with the Media 102

Define your message: know what you want to say.

Are you responding or lecturing?

Always try to do interviews standing up.

Never let ‘em see you sweat – or whine.

“On-the-record” vs. “off-the-record”

There is no such thing

as “off-the-record.”

A broadcast reporter’s typical day

Read newspapers and check Web sites before work

Develop four or five story ideas for morning meeting

Work on a story idea that’s someone else’s idea

Tell someone’s life story in 90 seconds

Adjust 90-second story to 45 seconds because you were just given another story

Re-adjust 45-second story because a producer just read your snooty e-mail

Update your resume and clips

A print reporter’s typical day

Clear beat stories with assistant managing editor

Place first round of calls to sources Nudge enterprise story along Place second round of calls to sources Cover truck crash, per managing editor Stonewalled by sources – adjust focus of

both beat stories Shelve enterprise story “until tomorrow” Assure editor all stories will be filed by

4:30 4:25 – file two beat stories and truck crash

story Lay head on desk and re-consider career

in insurance

What is news, anyway?

Dog Bites Man

Man Bites Dog

“We have nothing to fear…”

“If they say a camera

adds 10 pounds to your appearance,why does it look like I have four cameras

on me?”

“…but fear itself.”

Believing it’s stressful (microphone syndrome)

Thinking perfection = success

Covering too much material

Trying to please everyone

Comparing yourself to other speakers

Expecting the worst Being self-conscious

Three keys to a successful interview

Be authentic.Be prepared.Be

conversational.

Message Mapping

Getting them (and you)from “A” to “Y”

Why Message Mapping?

Effective messages: short and concise

16-second sound bites -

MAX

Message Mapping: The Process

Create two columns Negative points (worst nightmares) Positive points (what your

organization does better than anyone else)

Hypothetical Message Map

Negatives Positives

1. Low test scores A. High test scores2. Dissatisfied staff B. Benedum

Collaborative3. Problem parents C. Extensive

professional development

4. Not enough textbooks D. Involved parents5. Allegations of wrongdoing E. Family literacy

program6. Workplace violence F. Before- and after-

school programs

Message Mapping Strategy

The 16-second sound bite

:05Respond to the question succinctly and honestly.

:11Position two positive points that support school/district vision/mission/goals.

Message Mapping Example

Negative points Positive points1. Low test scores A. High test

scores2. Dissatisfied staff B. Benedum

Collaborative3. Problem parents C. Extensive

professional development

4. Not enough textbooks D. Involved parents5. Allegations of wrongdoing E. Family literacy

program6. Workplace violence F. Before- and after-

school programs

Message Mapping: Work itYour “16 seconds of fame”

“Many of our parents are actively engaged intheir children’s education – and we encourage theirinvolvement. (five seconds). “Our students’ high test scores, especially inreading, reflect the positive impact of constructiveparental participation in programs that extend beyondthe classroom, such as our family literacy program.”(11 seconds)

Stay “on message”

Identify your message map

Write it down Practice it Use it

How does the media think?

Process thinkers

vs

Intuitive thinkers

How does the media think?

Process thinkersProcess #1 + Process #2 + Process #3 + Process #4 + Process #5 = End result

Intuitive thinkersProcess #1 + Two-day old bread + Brady Bunch + Brunch – Task #4 = Hunch

Inevitable collision: process meets intuitive

Process thinkers give their best sound bites at the beginning of an interview.

Intuitive thinkers don’t listen until the end of the interview.

Defining statements

Bring attention to the gistof your message: “The bottom line is…” “What’s most important

is…” “This is important

because…” “It’s critical that…” “In review…” “What all this means is…”

“No comment.”Never, never, never.

Blocking statements

“I have nothing to add to my previous statement.”

“That’s a good question. I’d like to answer it, but I’ll need to get you more information.”

“Under the circumstances, I’ll need to wait for additional developments before I’m in a position to answer that question.”

Always, always, always!

Return press inquiries as promptly as possible.

“Principal Parker was…1. …unavailable for comment at

press time.”2. …refused to respond to the

allegations.”3. …declined to return multiple

phone calls.”

Absolutely Verboten!

Pedagogy Rubric Paradigm The State Department Nickleby C&I IEP SBA EIEIO “No comment.”

If you go to them:What works and what doesn’t

Works Doesn’tSufficient lead time Day-of-event

contactE-mail, phone contact Hard copy

releasecombinationSuccinct pitch (5 Ws) Loopy,

meandering pitchFact sheet hand-out No available

sourcesw/ “MORE INFO”contact info

“Great photo op”

“Lights! Camera!ACTION!

Representative vs group photos

Grip-n-grins

Check passings

In praise of the “slow news day”

“ It’s amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always, just exactly, fits the newspaper.”

Jerry Seinfeld