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Media Spokesperson Training

Media Spokesperson Training. Dave Fitzgibbon Kelly Bartling University of Nebraska-Lincoln. What is media training?. ‘It’s in the best interest of the city…?’. Goals. To understand how best to answer media questions To understand how to keep the upper hand in an interview PRACTICE

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Media Spokesperson Training

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  1. Media Spokesperson Training Dave Fitzgibbon Kelly Bartling University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  2. What is media training? ‘It’s in the best interest of the city…?’

  3. Goals • To understand how best to answer media questions • To understand how to keep the upper hand in an interview • PRACTICE • Think about ways to use the media to your advantage while still conducting good public relations

  4. Introduce yourselves with media stories A. Good experience B. Bad experience

  5. Media relations 101

  6. Communication serves everyone’s needs • Role as facilitator: communicating between council/administration to public • Information-provider (proactive) • Question-answerer (reactive) • Problem-solver (-thwarter) • Problem-anticipater? • Media seeks to inform public • They need you. You need them

  7. Communicating well • Identify a spokesperson • Is it department head? PIO? Mayor? City administrator? • Assign a spokesperson and arm that person with knowledge/information/skills • Follow through • Make sure reporter gets information needed • Make sure your designee accomplishes goal

  8. Know your media • Establish relationships with all local media; don’t wait until a crisis or when you need something • Know how each media works, its deadlines, limitations AND how/where it excels • Be accessible 24/7

  9. Understanding print media • Newspapers are permanent and tangible • Stories tend to be long, fact- and detail-filled • Photos help tell the story • The local daily is your vital link to community (taxpayers/voters/business leaders)

  10. Newspapers cont. • Publishers - editor - reporter - copy editor • Grand Island Independent setup? • Editor, city desk editor, cops/fire, city council, health? Also: Lincoln Journal Star, Omaha World-Herald; Associated Press

  11. Television media • News director - assignment editor - reporter - photographer - anchor • Putting stories together mainly in afternoon • May have 4 or 5 newscast deadlines • Reporters most often are generalists • Stories are usually 1:15 to 1:45 minutes

  12. Radio media • News director/ reporter • Have deadlines throughout the day • Trend is to consolidation and less local news • Stories are usually less than :45 Make your ‘soundbite’ count

  13. Planning an interview

  14. What should I know? • Don’t do the interview on-the-spot • Chain of command/report? • Understand your medium • Will it be taped or live? • How long will the interview be? • When is the reporter’s deadline? • What is this story about (angle)?

  15. Key messages: 1. 2. 3. Supporting facts and anecdotes: A. B. C. Plan your interview

  16. Key Messages: 1. Health of our citizens is #1 priority of city. 2. We do everything possible to provide safe drinking water. Supporting facts and anecdotes: A. have top health dept. B. well trained workers C. proactive planning A. strict building codes B. test water weekly C. chlorination D. ozone More interview planning

  17. Anticipate Questions Tailor key messages

  18. The interview • Formulate key messages = write them down • PRACTICE • Prepare background, gather educational materials

  19. The interview • Be concise • Soundbites average 7 seconds

  20. The interview • Soundbites average 7 seconds

  21. The interview • How should I look? • Check the mirror • Dress professionally and comfortably • Maintain eye contact • Don’t rock, roll or swivel

  22. The interview • How should I look? Avoid herringbone.

  23. The interview • How should I answer? • Think before you speak • Speak slowly but naturally • Avoid jargon • Avoid speaking parenthetically, double-negatives • Always tell the truth • … then stop talking

  24. ‘Bridge’ to positive key messages Q: Did you use public funds to buy pizza for your staff? A: “I bought pizza with city funds but it was to reward the staff for hundreds of hours of extra work they did without pay.” Question-answering techniques

  25. The best answer to an ‘A’ or ‘B’ question is often ‘C’ Q: Is that stealing money or just exploiting a loophole in the law? A: “I was pleased to be able to recognize employees for volunteering to help get the job done.” Question-answering techniques

  26. Don’t repeat back an offensive statement or unfair language Q: So, you’re a dirty rotten thief? A: No. (Not, “ I am not a thief.”) Question-answering techniques

  27. Bad question… turn the tables. Q: Did you misuse taxpayer dollars? A: The real question is: do city employees deserve to be recognized for a job well done? I think this is one way we can keep our best employees from leaving for higher paying jobs. Question-answering techniques

  28. Other things to remember • Nothing is ‘off the record.’ • When you finish answering, stop talking • Never say ‘No comment.’ • Instead, explain why you can’t answer the question. • Q: Will the parks manager be fired for stealing the tractor? • A: “While we can’t talk about specific personnel issues, our policy is to review each case after it is handled by the judicial system.”

  29. Opportunities How making friends with, and serving the media is in your best interest

  30. Ideas to ‘serve’ print media • Have weekly briefings with reporters • News releases: Who, what, when, where • Serve on editorial board… make friends with publisher, editor too. • Write op-eds and letters-to-editor • Offer to have you or department heads write a column • News conferences: Only when necessary; go casual first if possible • Be generous with story ideas… be proactive. Call with ideas.

  31. Ideas to ‘serve’ broadcast media • Talk shows: Go live • Long form interviews, radio/TV if possible • Help get something visual or audio for their stories

  32. More ideas on good public relations = media • Advertise! • Plan events that will draw public AND media • Be accessible • Partner with media on public projects

  33. Practice

  34. Story scenario 1 Beloved 78-year-old resident Gertrude Smith passed away last week from complications of West Nile Virus (confirmed by her son, a local physician). Reporters discover that Gertrude had two weeks earlier complained to the city about the standing water near her home, which was runoff from a construction site. Neighbors and community health officials are asking for cleanup of the runoff, and a comprehensive mosquito control program. A reporter calls to get the city’s reaction.

  35. Story scenario 2 The library

  36. Story scenario 3

  37. Key messages: 1. 2. 3. Supporting facts and anecdotes: A. B. C. Plan your interview

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