communicating via the media
The media (from newspaper, radio or TV) is probably the most effective channel for voluntary and community organisations to communicate a message to the outside world.
The media can be used, for example, to:
- publicise forthcoming events
- make announcements e.g. a new key appointment
- support local or national awareness weeks/days e.g. international volunteers day
- comment on issues
- publicise a new service.
Some advantages of using the media include:
- the ability to reach a very wide range of people (i.e. good coverage)
- it's normally free
- it can be organised at relatively short notice.
good relationships with the media
An ongoing relationship with the media, based on respect and professional integrity, will stand your organisation in good stead and help raise your public profile. Once such a relationship is established, it should make any future contact with the media easier.
Keys to good working relationships with the media include:
- Have one designated and mandated media spokesperson who can concentrate on building rapport with the media. Choose a person who has an in-depth knowledge of the organisation and an ability to articulate ideas clearly in an enthusiastic manner.
- Be honest and tactful. Never exaggerate or distort facts — people working in the media are savvy and check facts. Exaggeration and distortion lead to loss of credibility next time you offer a story.
- Approach the media only when you have something really newsworthy to offer.
- Don't keep people waiting, be prepared, be patient, don't hassle and don't quibble about small matters like appointment times. Journalists are busy people who work in a world of pressures and deadlines.
- Be welcoming and have a copy of your media release and a media kit on hand.
- Deal firmly but politely with media demands that you are not able to meet. Do not allow yourself to be coerced in any way. If you have checked and cleared your facts, you have nothing to worry about.
Pitfalls to avoid when working with the media include:
- Don't use the media as your publicity agents. They have strict codes of ethics and will not be manipulated. Their job is to report and interpret news honestly.
- Don't get offside with the media — you won't win, and you will lose future news opportunities for your organisation.
- Don't be fussy or pedantic. Everyone makes mistakes. Often mistakes are not glaringly obvious — except to you. Unless there is an obvious legal or financial reason for drawing a mistake to their attention, let it go.
what's newsworthy?
"News" usually interests a general audience rather than only a few individuals. Generally speaking, newsworthy events are new events, but something can also be "served up" to seem new. Timing plays a large part in newsworthiness, as does a link to some other major event or news.
Ask yourself these questions to determine whether something is newsworthy:
- does your news item have human interest and touch the lives of many people?
- does your news have drama?
- does your news include people in high places?
- is your news fresh?
- who will read your media release?
Checklist for approaching the media
Your approach to the media should be well-planned and executed. Some guidelines include:
- appoint the best media spokesperson you possibly can
- get in touch with media well before an event
- approach the journalist most concerned with your area of work or type or story. If you don't already have a contact, approach the Chief Reporter
- always make your approach in person but make an appointment first
- deal with only one journalist in each news organisation
- be obliging and helpful
- be completely honest about story content
- cover Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
- be unambiguous and accurate
- do not demand coverage
- do not expect repeat coverage unless you can offer something different from last time
- supply a media kit (see following section)
- supply two tickets to functions or events you would like covered by the media
- if a photographer is wanted, organise for someone to accompany them to supply information during the event — especially the correct spelling of names
- approach radio and TV as well as newspapers, but do not refer to them as "the press".
when the media comes to you
Media calls "out-of-the-blue" should not be responded to with "off-the-cuff" comments. This is especially important if the call relates to a tricky issue. If possible, appoint a mandated media spokesperson for your organisation and follow this procedure:
- ask exactly what the call is about
- offer to call back soon
- ask about the deadline for:
- your response
- the story as a whole
- give a reason for your delay e.g. say you need to get the file or you'd like to discuss it with someone first or you're in a meeting and will be free in 30 minutes etc
- if you want to refer the request on to someone else, do not give a reporter their contact name or phone number until you have checked with that person first, then get that other person to call back
- if you promise to call back, always do so, even to say you don't wish to discuss the matter any further because [give a reason]. This gives you credibility.
Media kit checklist
A media kit folder should be sent to all key people connected to an event you might be publicising, as well as to the media. It could contain:
- purpose, history and details of the organisers
- any relevant biographies (e.g. of a performer or invited speaker)
- details of the content or reason for the event
- photographs (uncluttered, interesting — usually of people doing something — good focus, contrast and exposure, taken close to the action, and captioned on the back with names of people, the event, what is happening and the date)
- copies of any reviews
- contact names and phone numbers
- any relevant posters or newsletters
- tickets to any paid event.
You can also prepare a more generic media kit which could be used to introduce your organisation to the media during the process of establishing good relations with them in advance of any proposed publicity. This generic media kit would include:
- your organisation's mission statement and/or philosophies
- the structure of your organisation with current contact details
- examples of the work your organisation does
- a copy of your latest magazine or newsletter
- any up-to-date leaflets or pamphlets.
media releases
It is strongly recommended that you write a media release for any intended news item. The release is often sent out as a follow-up to a preliminary phone call. It is the key to building a successful relationship with any media and should accompany all approaches for news coverage.
How to write a media release
The main thing to remember is that a media release is a "news" item. This means it needs to "inform" people, not sell them something. If you haven't written a media release before a good way to get into the style is to grab the latest daily newspaper and read some of their informational articles. Look at how each article is written and follow the same format.
Below we provide a checklist of things to remember and a template to help you when writing a media release.
Media release checklist
A checklist of things to remember when writing a media release are:
- head the release MEDIA RELEASE
- give it a succinct title
- date it
- state the source of the release i.e. who it is from
- use the first sentence and the first paragraph (the "intro") to convey the main message i.e. the essence of what you want to communicate
- focus on what is unique and interesting about your story
- give as many facts as possible (Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?)
- write in a simple straightforward style
- use active language e.g. write "Large crowds attended the opening" rather than "The opening was attended by large crowds"
- make the release as short as you can (seven paragraphs is a usual maximum)
- remember that anything you say may be put at the beginning and used as the main point of your story
- source any opinions you use
- format double-spaced with wide margins using one side of A4 paper
- write "ends" at the end of the media release
- give names and contact details for people who can offer more information
- give media outlets (radio, TV, newspapers etc) equal opportunity.
Media release template
MEDIA RELEASE
[Date]
[Headline] Young people taking up the challenge
[Introduction or angle]
READ MY LIPS is an exciting one-day event, aimed at getting young people's voice's heard by society's decision-makers, on 15 May in Wellington.
This paragraph answers the "what? when? and where?" questions, as well as giving an "interesting" angle or fact to get the reader's interest. It is also no more than 35 words.
[Body]
The event, called READ MY LIPS, has been created by a group of young people from Wellington. Its goal is to encourage more young people to speak out about issues that are important to them by "stirring up" their thoughts and passions, and helping them to "get going" on ways to get their voices heard.
This paragraph has the "who?" and "how?" questions.
A key part of this event is to run training workshops for young people on how to write submissions, organise events, and other ways to get their voices out there. Young people will also share information about local and global youth issues, and encourage young people to speak out on things that are important to them.
This paragraph gives more information about the "how?" and who will be at the event.
"This is great, we are here to get our voices heard as young people by getting the skills to make that happen", said Jo, one of the organisers of the event.
Quote from someone involved in the event, which also answers the "why?" question.
ENDS
[Contact]
For more information contact: Jo Bloggs, Ph 123 4567.
(Adapted from Aotearoa Youth Voices Toolkit, Ministry of Youth Development).
doing media interviews
General media interview checklist
Some general tips on interviews for radio, TV or print include:
- find out the reporter's name (ask for a business card)
- find out the context of the interview
- be on time for the interview
- do your homework — get the facts and have back-up data on hand
- know the main message you want to convey and how to weave it into every answer you give. That way, even if your answers are cut and spliced during the editing process, your message will still come through
- write down answers to any questions you think may be asked — you can use these as a prompt, which is really useful if you're feeling a bit nervous
- speak clearly using short natural sentences and take your time
- keep to your topic — don't ramble
- ask for clarification if you don't understand a question
- if you don't know an answer to a question, be honest and say you don't know. You can also suggest that you will get back to them with an answer later on
- don't let the interviewer "rattle" you. Keep calm and respond politely and firmly. Move or lean forward into the interviewer's space if you feel they're getting hostile
- if you think you've made a mistake or said something that's wrong, don't be frightened to tell the reporter or ask them to fix it
- relax and enjoy it.
TV and radio interview checklist
Specific tips for TV and radio interviews are:
- remember that TV is radio with pictures. This means that, for TV, you need to appear as relaxed as possible — smile when appropriate
- for TV, think about what you're wearing
- concentrate on the interviewer rather than any background technical processes
- if the interview is pre-recorded, stop and re-start if you want to change something
- for radio, because no one can see you, or read what you have said, this means your voice and how you use it is really important. Therefore it's important to use a warm vocal tone and lots of inflection
- ask if it's possible to get a list of the questions you'll be asked ahead of time
- for radio, even though there are heaps of people listening in, imagine you are talking to just one person
- it's good (if possible) to have just one or two key messages to finish the interview on, so that this will be the last thing left in the listeners' minds before the interview finishes.
corrections and complaints procedures
Some procedures for correcting or complaining about what the media has said include:
- If there is a matter of wrong fact, you can simply ask the media to correct it.
- If it's a matter of varying interpretation, weigh up whether you want to raise the matter again in the public eye. If you want to proceed, write a letter to the editor rather than demand a different version.
- If you have been misquoted or mistreated, go direct to the head of the news section and say so.
- Formal complaints should be a last resort. However if you wish to proceed, there are formal procedures.
- For written media — contact NZ Press Council, P O Box 10-879, The Terrace, Wellington; Ph (04) 473 5220; Fax (04) 471 1785; website — www.presscouncil.org.nz.
- For radio or TV — contact the Broadcasting Standards Authority, P O Box 9213, Wellington; Ph (04) 382 9508; Fax (04) 382 9543; website — www.bsa.govt.nz.
Back to top