Working Effectively with the News MediaBy Teresa D. Johnson, BSMedia coverage can be an inexpensive and fast way for an adult day center to reach thousands of potential supporters, clients and volunteers. Credibility with the media is developed over time and earned through hard work. The principles offered here are applicable to an ongoing media relations strategy.
Build and maintain relationships Prepare your key staff to be spokespersons to the media. Be sure they are willing, well-prepared and ready at any time. Undergo mock interviews to practice. Media requests almost never come at preferred times. It is crucial that you convey a unified, consistent message—your chances of doing this are less when a variety of people speak to reporters.
Get to know news people, and help them get to know you before a breaking news event happens. Constantly maintain relationships with the news media. Get on the rolodexes of reporters, desk editors and producers in television stations, radio call-in and talk shows and newspapers. Ask them to get together for a chat—maybe for a meal or coffee. Attend press events. Be sure you have the direct phone lines and e-mail addresses of the key local media. Make sure local news people know they can turn to you for help with a story or a breaking news event.
PBS stations and your local cable channels sometimes have locally-focused public affairs and talk shows. Get to know the producers and hosts. These programs have smaller audiences but can be useful in reaching key groups.
Know the difference between coverage and collaboration. Work for coverage, don’t expect collaboration. Reporters appreciate a good source, but they are not looking for partners.
Develop press packets Seek to be know as a reliable resource. Keep available media-friendly background materials and high-quality photos that they can use. This will enable adult day center staff members to respond quickly to media requests while assisting the media in their coverage of your program. Press packets can provide background information about special events taking place when the packets are distributed as well as become a reference tool for future use.
A press packet could include w One-page summary of the history of day center w Major accomplishments w Reprints of clippings w High-quality pictures of participant activities (Make sure pictures are kept current in case the participant has died. Don’t forget the photo release forms!) w Day center brochure w Frequently Asked Questions fact sheet w Calendar of Events for current month Place these items in a binder or folder with the center’s name, logo, address, phone, fax number and email address for the center’s contact person. These items can be used to give background information to reporters or to an interviewer on a radio talk show or television.
Press packets should be given to all media outlets one or two times a year according to the authors of Promoting Adult Day Programs: Attracting New Participants on a Shoestring. If you cannot deliver the packets personally , recruit assistance from volunteers or board members. Keep the press packets updated.
If you must mail press packets, send the packet individually addressed and accompanied by a personal letter from the center director to the reporter or newscaster.
Pitch a Story The news media shape the public’s view of reality. Therefore, do not wait until a crisis arises to attract media attention. Be reporters in your own office. Dig out stories, fashion them, package them with good background and contact, and pitch them. Be confident, but with realistic expectations. You are not operating the White House or the Governor’s office, but you do have important information and you can make news.
What do you want the listener to hear or the reader to read about your organization? Before you speak with a journalist, make a list of two to four key points you wish to make, and then make sure you make them during the interview. Do not burden the journalist with technical information that is beyond his or her interest, and do not feel compelled to say everything you know in the interview. Be thorough (but brief) with facts and information, as though you were talking with visitors from another community. Make sure you can answer virtually any question they may ask you about the story.
Have in mind the names of other people who are adult day service supporters with whom the reporter may be interested in speaking. Well respected citizens in the community who are involved in the center add credibility to your message and can broaden the center’s appeal to audiences that you alone could not impress.
Be clear and concise Always stay on top of local current events so you know what else is causing news in your area. When you receive calls from reporters, respond promptly by phone. A delay of even several hours may mean a lost opportunity. If you are unavailable to conduct an interview, the reporter will find another individual for the story. That could be crucial in how the story is eventually shaped.
While most reporters are good people and want to cover a story fairly, they also do not mind controversy and sensationalism. When you are talking with a reporter, consider it “on the record” unless there is mutual agreement otherwise. Remember that everything you say can be quoted. Parts of sentences—even words or sentence fragments that are totally out of context—can be used. Short, emphatic statements are always best. If a reporter seems unclear or misguided in what you said, be sure to clarify the truth in the proper context. After speaking with a reporter, send the reporter a short letter restating your key points.
When responding to journalists’ questions, never say “no comment.” To say “no comment” invites suspicion and leads reporters to wonder if you are hiding something. Instead, handle questions in one of three ways: a. This is what I know and I’ll be glad to tell you. b. I don’t know, but I’ll be happy to find out or refer you to someone who does know. c. I cannot answer your question because the information you seek is confidential (e.g. a participant’s name and his/her condition).
Plan for crisis During a crisis, your media relations savvy will be put to the test. Don’t wait until you’re drowning in controversy or wading through floodwater to decide how or whether to respond to a reporter’s request for an interview. Prepare a factual statement available for distribution.
Commit the center’s mission to memory so you can begin with a positive message about your organization. A statement will not reduce interest in face-to-face interviews, but will help ensure a greater level of accuracy in the final story. Follow up your introductory “mission statement” with a positive statement about how your center is coping during the crisis.
Reporters are not necessarily experts on the topics they cover. They rely on the expertise of others for information. If a reporter comes to you with a poor understanding of an issue, you can subtly guide the interview to your advantage. Take special care in making certain that your statements are accurate. Untruths or exaggeration will destroy your credibility as well as that of your organization.
Always express sincere concern for the victims—known or unknown—of a crisis or tragedy. You will be more believable and trusted if your words show that concern outweighs self-interest. Make it clear that any problem is of the utmost importance to you and your organization.
Follow up with the media in the aftermath of a scandal may enable your agency to inform the public about efforts to prevent future wrongdoing and win back the trust and confidence of your participants, volunteers and donors.
Conclusion A strong media relationship will set your agency apart in your community. Coverage in a local paper or on the evening news can bring new financial resources, volunteers and/or clients. Create a media strategy that leads to strong relationships with media organizations and favorable coverage of your organization. ¥
Reprinted from The Information Source for Adult Day Centers®, April 2003 |