1 / 21

Media Relations

Media Relations. Maximising Media Relations: How the media works. First priority: Selling newspapers (or attracting listeners/viewers) Ad revenue depends on circulation, audience size

dyre
Download Presentation

Media Relations

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Media Relations

  2. Maximising Media Relations:How the media works First priority: Selling newspapers (or attracting listeners/viewers) • Ad revenue depends on circulation, audience size • For journalists, stature and promotions depend on getting stories on front page or at the top of the broadcast Local media focus on stories with local impact • Impact equals number of people affected x severity or magnitude of impact • Other factors: timeliness, drama, celebrity, novelty or bizarreness (man bites dog), etc.

  3. Maximising Media Relations:How the media works News gathering is active and passive • Journalists seek news proactively by investigating and working a “beat” • - Calling contacts • - Attending meetings, hearings, trials, etc. • - Following other media • Journalists are “fed” news • - Press releases • - Press conferences • - Media events, junkets • - Phone calls, emails

  4. Maximising Media Relations:How to work with the Media No matter how important your story, you have to promote it • Write press release • - Custom tailor it for each media outlet’s audience • Target individual reporters, not just the outlet’s main public address (e.g., the transport reporter or city administration reporter) • Create an “angle” or “hook” for your story • - Make it timely (an upcoming or recent development or event) • - Make it topical (how it relates, hot topic in the media)

  5. Maximising Media Relations:How to work with the Media Stress points that appeal to audience’s self-interest • Sustainable transport is: • Convenient • Healthy • Economical • Cool; and • (lastly) good for community and environment. Be credible -- don’t exaggerate • Trust is key to building relationship with reporters Be useful • Reporters make their own stories so listen to their questions and give the information they ask for

  6. Maximising Media Relations:How to work with the Media (cont’d) Use plain language • Don’t use jargon or acronyms (e.g. “sustainable transport,” “mobility solutions,” “GHGs,” “PM10s”) • Explain your measure as you would to your mother, friend or partner

  7. Maximising Media Relations:Create a Good News Angle How is your story ‘topical’ • How does it relate to current issues: • - The economic crisis • - Global warming • - The obesity epidemic • - Unemployment • - Traffic congestion • - Energy crisis • - Rising petrol prices • - Local problems

  8. Maximising Media Relations:Create a Good News Angle How is your story ‘timely’ • Notify media of event, development or other milestone that requires their immediate attention • - Awarding of project funding • - Project launch • - Announcement of project results • - Public event • - Public hearing • - Recognition and honours (e.g. winning of CIVITAS Award) • - Ceremony • - Press conference

  9. A successful media story • Editors look always for material with new insight • Strong visual impact • Direct human angle/YOU stories • Entertaining stories. • Stories non-experts can understand • No jargon • Solution stories • Topical – “today angle”

  10. UNsuccessful media story • Strong bias – unbalanced opinion • Long interviews with politicians or bureaucrats • No human angle • No local angle • No timely information • Too technical • Other problems: Too long, too generic, inaccurate information, not enough detail • BORING stories

  11. The media of the media Operational similarities & differences: • Print • Television • Radio • Online • Newswires

  12. Vast choices… Choose carefully: • Specialist press (transport industry, environmental newsletters, urbanist/urban planning media, CIVITAS MOVE newsletter) • Mainstream press (consumer interest - includes business, lifestyle, men’s/women’s books, automotive, etc., etc.) Also consider: • Local • National • EU-Level

  13. Vast choices… … but your angle must be relevant to the media’s audience.

  14. Poke your stakeholders Engage Citizens with Social Media From presentation at http://www.slideshare.net/Tomtrendstream/iab-social-media-research-october-22nd-2010?from=ss_embed

  15. People have more social media contacts than real-life friends

  16. People go to web before doing anything

  17. They research all purchases on line from shoes to trips to cars

  18. People trust Facebook friends more than professional sources

  19. … This is true for young and old

  20. CIVITAS VANGUARD REC Mobiel 21 POLIS ICLEI EUROCITIES SENTER NOVEM FGM-AMOR MOSTRA secretariat@civitas.eu tel: +36 26 504 046

  21. Thank you Greg SpencerRegional Environmental Center for Central and Eastern EuropeAdy Endre ut 9-112000 Szentendre, Hungary361-504-000, ext. 208361-504-042 (direct line)Bicycling blog: http://cyclingsolution.blogspot.com/

More Related