Media: A powerful tool
In these times with newspapers failing on a regular basis one thing is clear...TV and radio are not going away any tme soon. Unfortunately, the public is using it to base most of their political and consuming behavior. With that in mind this can not be overlooked.
Be prepared
As part of your overall strategy someone should be designated a media contact. or spokesperson. That person personable but confident in getting information across and should be very aware of the importance of the role and the guidelines and protocol. They should assemble a punch list with all relevent ponts of your groups perspective. Also known as “talking points” these are relevant facts that will guide your responses and concentration.
Keep up to date and add and subtract relative facts and points as they develop.
The media is not always so gracious that they will make a call or an appointment for a meeting. They are likely to approach you at a meeting or anywhere in public. Catching someone off guard is a good way to get a story. Not every reporter works that way but it is a concern.
Whenever possible accept an interview to insure your side of the story is presented. So often advocacy groups decline or hide from the press as they feel that it is a trap and they may or will be misquoted. On occasion this does happen, but to decline an interview ruins the chance to be on the record to promote your issue.
Ask the reporter:
What is the publication?
What the topic will be?
Who else will be interviewed?
When will the story be appear?
These questions will assist you in preparation.
Have a strategy
- Develop your own strategy for the story: decide on the key points you want to get across and how you can work them into the interview. Think about the types of questions that could be asked and have your answers ready.
- Think about questions you could be asked.Develop the points you want to get across.Always be prepared with relevent facts .Avoid approximations or guesses.
- Know the case for the opposing point-of-view and what stories have recently been reported.
- Be ready to present your side without appearing defensive.
- Plan the points you want to make before the interview begins (2-3 key points)
- Speak in a language everyone understands. Don’t use industry ‘jargon’ and always define industry terms.
- Dress for the occasion and location.
Doing a media interview
- Be friendly – a journalist is helping you to reach the public.
- Make positive statements about your sector or area of expertise.
- Be honest and direct. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so. Journalists know when you’re trying to hide something and will do their best to get it out of you. Never make quotes unless you can substantiate them and only talk about things you know.
- Be brief and concise. Put your most important point first and learn to talk in statements.
Avoid run-on-sentences. This is especially important for radio and TV interviews which want short (6 second) clips not long explanations.
- Take control. Don’t be afraid to steer the interview to your key points. And make your points often.
When you’ve answered the question or make your points, stop talking! Resist the urge to fill ‘dead space’.
- Illustrate your point with personal examples or analogies that others unfamiliar with the topic can relate to. Not only does this help to make you understood, but it adds interest to the story.
- Don’t get bogged down in statistics and numbers – especially on radio and tv.
- Don’t repeat a journalist’s buzz words – unless they are your own and are positive. If a reporter asks questions using loaded or negative buzz words, do not give credence to them by using them. You can also provide a service by explaining why such words or phrases are incorrect.
- Try to avoid answering hypothetical "what if" questions. Make your own statement. If you don’t understand a question, ask the reporter to re-phrase it.
- If a statement is made that is not true, refute it immediately and politely. Make sure to correct it in an informative and helpful manner.
- If you don’t like the question, you don’t have to respond to it directly. Either rephrase the general message on the topic using your key point, or refer the journalist to someone better qualified to answer.
- Rephrase your key points in a response.Repeat key points for clarity and emphasis.
- Keep your cool. Journalists may try to bait you and put you on the defensive. In these situations, remain calm and take your time explaining your point-of-view. Even if your explanations don’t end up in the news story it will help the journalist’s understanding.
- Offer the names of other spokespeoplerelated to your issue that the journalist might be interested in interviewing.
Make literature available to the media and always offer to send them additional information that they can use for this or future news stories
- Keep a record of media contacts. This will help you remember which journalists are fair and balanced and who you can call on when you have something to say.
Be confident, concise and enthusiastic.
Be pro-active
- Keep the media informed and in-touch by adding them to mailing lists, inviting them to meetings and contacting them with the story ideas.
- Write a "letter-to-the-editor" when you feel it is required.Show your appreciation for well-done stories. Take the time to contact journalists and/or management who do accurate and balanced stories. They’ll appreciate the feedback and you’ll make a valuable contact. You can also follow-up by way of a letter tothe- editor or viewer/listener mail.
- Although no one likes to admit their mistakes, both interviewees and journalist can make them. If the facts that appear in a story are incorrect contact the journalist or the editor/producer and politely point out the error. If the error was yours, point that out too. You can also follow-up with a letter-to-the-editor.
- If an article or story is misleading or unbalanced contact the journalist directly. Be firm but reasonable in suggesting that, in the interest of fair reporting, he or she cover your side of the story too.
- If you are aware of a TV program or advertisement that will be airing that is clearly biased and untrue begin a letter-writing campaign to the station’s management demanding the show or ad not be aired.
- If you are aware of a phone-in show dealing with your issue let other advocates know and encourage them to call in with their points-of-view
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- If you see inaccurate or innacurrate footage or photos accompanying stories about your issue address it immediately.
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