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Working with the News Media

Working with the News Media. Session 19 Slide Deck. Slide 19-. Session Objectives. 19.1 Discuss the importance of working with traditional and new media 19.2 Examine how news operations work 19.3 Identify who ’ s who in a TV newsroom

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Working with the News Media

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  1. Working with the News Media Session 19 Slide Deck Session 19 Slide 19-

  2. Session Objectives 19.1 Discuss the importance of working with traditional and new media 19.2 Examine how news operations work 19.3Identify who’s who in a TV newsroom 19.4 Discuss how to build relationships with news reporters 19.5 Discuss the keys to successful media outreach Session 19 Slide 19-

  3. Working with the Media • Core to effective crisis communications • 24/7 news gathering and dissemination • Broadly accessible and not controlled by the government agency • New media technologies and citizen journalists • Three parties Session 19 Slide 19-

  4. Communications Lessons Learned from Katrina • Novel channels and networks for information flow • Top-down paradigm replaced by a more dynamic flow of information • New cadre of “first informers” • Greater access to operational leaders and experts and more transparency by government Session 19 Slide 19-

  5. Traditional Media Approach to New Media • “If you can’t beat them, join them” • Forming partnerships • Augment, enrich, deepen, and even replace their own coverage • The audience is an active participant • Publish, then filter Session 19 Slide 19-

  6. Government Reaction to New Media • Slow to recognize or embrace the role of new media • Trouble with mainstream media filter Session 19 Slide 19-

  7. Slidell Hurricane Damage Blog • Posted the blog from Dallas • Aggregating information from other sources • Friends and neighbors became contributors • Local sheriff ‘s office • 80,000 unique visitors in the first week Session 19 Slide 19-

  8. The Never-Ending News Cycle • Was generally 8 to 24 hours • Is never over – It’s never too late • Blog at home in the evenings, on weekends • News cycle instantaneous and the newsroom a 24/7 operation • Multi-purpose their news gathering efforts • “Report now - retract later” Session 19 Slide 19-

  9. Reporters and Social Media Reporters now write their story, do a web version, blog and post audio and video • Ceaseless demand • File a web story as well as a regular story • Blog everyday • Audio recorder and video camera Session 19 Slide 19-

  10. Citizen Reporting Respect what’s being generated online by the public: the media does • Viewer and reader submissions • Feature requests and portals for citizen information and images • Television • CNN’s iReport • “Assignment Desk” • Tutorials on storytelling • CNN spawned a variety of similar initiatives Session 19 Slide 19-

  11. Radio • The Conversation • Online meeting place • Forums on news topics • Social network attempts to meet two needs • Communicate directly • Helps reporters and producers build networks of sources and ideas Session 19 Slide 19-

  12. Story Mining Reporters mine online content for story ideas and sources • Pay attention to the web • Quality and credibility • Recognize the contribution • “We can’t be everywhere at once.” • Story ideas • Pitch and promote your stories Session 19 Slide 19-

  13. Gatekeeping Newsrooms decide what’s news several times a day • Story or editorial meetings • Local morning meeting • Local afternoon meetings • Network news • Timely pitch for coverage Session 19 Slide 19-

  14. Who’s who: Station Manager • Large stations: • Administration and financial management • Small stations: • Sets policy on news coverage • Supervises overall operation • Generally does not influence daily content Session 19 Slide 19-

  15. Who’s who: Program Manager • Large stations: • Manages programming mix • All stations: • Unlikely to be involved in daily news decisions Session 19 Slide 19-

  16. Who’s who: News Director • All stations: • Administrative manager • Daily assignment director, or • On-air broadcaster • Small stations: • More influence Session 19 Slide 19-

  17. Who’s who: Assignment Editor • Large stations: • Makes day-to-day decisions on: • What breaking news to cover • Who will report on it • Small stations: • News director is the assignment editor Session 19 Slide 19-

  18. Who’s who: Executive Producer • Lead person • On-air host Session 19 Slide 19-

  19. Who’s who: Producer • Overall tone and content • Book guests • Assign news crews Session 19 Slide 19-

  20. Who’s who: Public Affairs Director • Public service announcements • Community outreach • Special programming Session 19 Slide 19-

  21. Who’s who: Reporters • Covers stories • Small stations: • News staff of TV stations are usually smaller than daily newspapers • Beats are often less defined • Large stations: • Reporters will have traditional beats like; • Politics • Arts • Education • Breaking news Session 19 Slide 19-

  22. The Scoop on TV News Operations: Local Stations • Downsizing • Over-taxed and under-capitalized • Under-staffed, under-funded, and have very high turnover rate • Reporters learning on the job • Reporters doing their own camera work Session 19 Slide 19-

  23. The Scoop on TV News Operations: Local Stations • Contribute to multiple broadcasts • Provide background to the reporter • Reporter may not even go to the event being covered Session 19 Slide 19-

  24. The Scoop on TV News Operations: Large Markets • More resources • Experienced reporters Session 19 Slide 19-

  25. The Scoop on TV News Operations: The Networks • More people & equipment than any local station • Ability to plan ahead • Interviewee has extra time to prepare and practice • Less likely to encounter a network Session 19 Slide 19-

  26. Develop professional relationships with local reporters • Create a comprehensive media list • Identify reporter’s name • Send that reporter an email • Follow up with an intro call • Do not have to make a cold call Session 19 Slide 19-

  27. Develop professional relationships with local reporters • Pitching a story idea to a newspaper • Be friendly and inquisitive • Ask for the assignment editor • Grow your list Session 19 Slide 19-

  28. Develop professional relationships with local reporters • Take reporter to lunch or coffee. • More time to connect and provide in-depth information • Focus on the issue • Different compelling story pitches, from different angles • Assemble materials in a folder that the reporter can keep • Fact sheets • Reports • Human interest bios of your staff or volunteers • Past press clips on the issue at hand • List of upcoming campaign events Session 19 Slide 19-

  29. Develop professional relationships with local reporters • Identify individual at local radio stations responsible for Public Service Announcements (PSAs) • Free air time • Station’s announcer may read it • Create buzz and visibility Session 19 Slide 19-

  30. Media Outreach • Keys to successful media outreach • Match your story to the media outlet • Media outreach checklist • How to get media coverage • What does TV want • Interview tips • Appearing on TV Session 19 Slide 19-

  31. Media Outreach: Keys to Success • Relationship building • Will not be dealing with these news organizations just once • Many stories • Call this reporter again – and you want the reporter to call you • Never lie • Do not know an answer, admit it and tell the reporter you will get back • Get back when you say you will Session 19 Slide 19-

  32. Media Outreach: Keys to Success • Tell the story well • Use compelling visuals • Imagery and action. • Credible, prepared and attractive messengers Session 19 Slide 19-

  33. Media Outreach: Keys to Success • Get the message out • Know the message • One thing do you want the viewer to remember • Exact sound bytes • You are in control • Start with your conclusion • Wrong way • Right Way • Give specifics if time allows • Can’t edit or cut short your message Session 19 Slide 19-

  34. Media Outreach: Keys to Success • Keep is short • Sound bites • 1960s – 40 seconds • 1980s – 20 seconds • Now – 8 seconds • Long sound bites will be edited • Law of diminishing returns Session 19 Slide 19-

  35. Media Outreach: Keys to Success • Be consistent and disciplined • Repeat your message • Cut through the clutter • Consistent message Session 19 Slide 19-

  36. Media Outreach: Keys to Success • Use everyday, value-laden language • Avoid jargon, acronyms and talking about process • Values of your target audience Session 19 Slide 19-

  37. Media Outreach: Keys to Success • Remember who you’re talking to – and it’s not the reporter • Not your friend or a debating partner • Conversation with a larger audience Session 19 Slide 19-

  38. Media Outreach: How do you get media coverage? • Pitch the story • Hold a news conference • Stage an event • Piggyback on another news event or news story • Generate copy yourself Session 19 Slide 19-

  39. Media Outreach: What does TV want? • Stand-up interview at an event • Short and low tech • Pulled aside • Won’t be a lot of time • Talk to the reporter before the interview starts • Be prepared ahead of time. • Talk about what you know Session 19 Slide 19-

  40. Media Outreach: What does TV want? • Sit-down one-on-one interview • Lasts longer & goes more in-depth • Time to talk to the reporter • Time to prepare • Prepare your office Session 19 Slide 19-

  41. Media Outreach: What does TV want? • Remote Live-Shot • Most high-tech and maybe most intimidating • Conversing with someone they can’t see • Be talking to an inanimate object, the camera • Wireless microphone and an IFB • Often (but not always) on live television • Preparing no different Session 19 Slide 19-

  42. Media Outreach: How do I match my story to a media outlet? • Core question: Is it news? • Disaster • Non-disaster period • Tough sell Session 19 Slide 19-

  43. Media Outreach: How do I match my story to a media outlet? • Who do I call? • Assignment editor at a TV station. • Individual reporters at newspapers and magazines. • Producer of a newsmaker show Session 19 Slide 19-

  44. Media Outreach: How do I match my story to a media outlet? • Holding a news conference • Send an advisory 5 days ahead by fax • Call to make sure it’s arrived and been noticed • Make your pitch (work off a printed pitch memo) • Get a NAME – always get a name • Send another advisory 2 days ahead • Call to make sure it’s arrived and been noticed • Ask if they intend to cover • Call the day before the event and the morning of • Ask if they intend to cover Session 19 Slide 19-

  45. Media Outreach: How do I match my story to a media outlet? • Press kit • News release • Fact sheet • Bio’s of the speakers • Visuals: • Photos • Graphs/charts • Video Session 19 Slide 19-

  46. Media Outreach: How do I match my story to a media outlet? • Straight pitch for coverage: • Reporter’s beat is and the kind of story they like • Pitch letter and call Session 19 Slide 19-

  47. Media Outreach: Television Interview Tips • Pick the right spokesperson • Knows the program/issues • Has experience talking about the program/issues Session 19 Slide 19-

  48. Media Outreach: Television Interview Tips • Master the sound byte • Quote or succinct one-liner • Keep to 8-10 seconds. • Lead with the conclusion • Avoid jargon and acronyms • Be brief and direct Session 19 Slide 19-

  49. Media Outreach: Television Interview Tips • Know your show • Watch several episodes of the talk show or news broadcast to familiarize yourself • Talk to the booker or producer ahead of time • Other guests and the order of appearance Session 19 Slide 19-

  50. Media Outreach: Television Interview Tips • Know your message • Know the main points you want to make. • Anticipate questions but do not over-rehearse • Steer the interview toward your main points • Don’t read from your notes on the air Session 19 Slide 19-

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