Working With the Media

1. Working With the Media Lisa Hyde, MPA NEDARC June 27, 2004

2. Objectives • Understand the power and importance of working with the media in EMSC • Tips for writing a press release • Tips for interviews • Tips for media relations

3. Power of the Media • In the mid-1950s, the blue-jeans industry was in deep trouble • Jeans used to be associated with farmers, factory workers, and an adult work ethic • Jeans had become associated with rock and roll and teenage troublemakers

4. The Campaign • In response to the crisis, the denim industry waged a campaign to rejuvenate denim’s image • Formed the national Denim Council in 1956 • At first targeted teens, but were unsuccessful • Finally realized they needed to target parents, especially mothers

5. Campaign Strategies • Encouraged fashion designers to create new women’s sportswear made from denim • News releases about the “new look” of denim • Feature articles and positive denim stories for business and fashion reporters • “Jean queen beauty contests” • Teamed up with the Peace Corp • Outfitted the first group of 200 corp volunteers in denim

6. The Results • By 1963, manufacturers were flooded with orders and jeans sales rose dramatically • Delinquency image disappeared • Jeans gradually became associated with a more casual dress ethic • Just look around!

7. What Can This Mean for EMSC? • Media have a huge impact on our western culture, including public health • EMSC can be highly influenced by media and public relations • Awareness of EMSC-related issues • Perceived need of EMS and EMSC • Injury prevention buy-in: • Car and booster seats, pool fences, gun locks, etc.

8. Media Can Often Be the Best Way to Educate • In a national survey of adults, TV was ranked the #1 source of health information, above medical professionals • 35% reported that they talked with their doctor about a medical condition as a result of seeing a media story • 54% reported that they changed a health behavior because of something reported by the media Source:Rodale Press. Survey of public opinion regarding health news coverage. Emmaus, PA: Rodale Press; 1998.

9. Media Set the “Agenda” • Media often define • What is “important politically” • What problems we should worry about • What is “appropriate” and “acceptable” for the public

10. What If You Don’t? • “If you don’t exist in the media, for all practical purposes, you don’t exist” • Miss out on great opportunities • Media coverage is often free

11. What the Media Have to Offer EMSC • Media can offer airtime and space • News coverage • Public service announcements (PSAs) • Paid ads • Editorials • Public affairs programs • Talk shows • Feature articles • Community calendars

12. Media Can Be an EMSC Co-Sponsor • Co-sponsorship can bring a great deal of exposure for your events • Co-Sponsorship might include: • Extended news coverage of the event • Use of media name/logo for publicity • Free advertisements or promotional spots • Financial contributions for products, t-shirts, flyers

13. What Do You Have to Offer the Media? • Health information sells • People are interested in health and want to improve their own • Second only to big national news

15. The Media Need Your • Stories • Airing public health stories enhances media credibility and respect • Especially ones about children • Data • It makes their stories more reliable

16. When Using Data with the Media • Get the numbers right • List the source • Present data VERY simply • Present it graphically if possible

17. Two Things Everyone Should Know When Working With the Media • How to send an effective press release • How to handle interviews effectively

18. Press or News Releases • Primary medium for communicating news and events to the media • A press release is a document with a news story in a ready-to-publish form

19. Logo For Immediate Release: Contact: Jay Sheppard June 17, 2004 Phone: (802) 437-3928 NEW BOOK GUIDES PARENTS ON HOW TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE FROM INJURY Millions of American kids play youth sports everyday and some of them get hurt. TK Sports Training Inc. has compiled a valuable resource book aimed at parents of young athletes. "Sports Medicine for Parents of Youth Athletes- how to treat and prevent sports injuries in young athletes" is written to help parents who may not know what they can do to help prevent injury to their child. “This is a great idea. I have coached youth soccer for several years and I know that I have not always been prepared should something happen on the field. I hope that all the parents on my team can get this book right away.” Steve Bitker, soccer coach.Sports Medicine for Parents of Youth Athletes is available now. For more information on this book and the program behind it visit www.tksportstraining.com/smyapromo.htm or call Kevin Rockwell at 510-763-8669, or email krockwell@tksportstraining.com # # #

20. News Release are Typically About • Recent incident in your community • Feature story about a certain issue/problem • Recent or upcoming event • New resource or report available • New legislation • New research • Funny/strange/feel-good story

21. News Releases are Rarely Published - Why? • Editors judge them on their newsworthiness • Less than 5% of press releases actually get used • Not newsworthy enough • Little localization • Poor writing, incompleteness, inaccuracy, poor timing

22. How to Write a Great News Release • Find the right story • Choose the right medium • Figure out your primary message • Write the story

23. Find the Right Story • This will make or break your success • Brainstorm interesting events, human interest stories, or other news related to EMSC • Evaluate whether or not you think an outsider or editor would find the story interesting

24. What Stories are Newsworthy? • New • Relevant to the audience • Timely and perishable • Controversy or conflict • Proximity • Consequence or breakthrough • Human interest or personal angle • Prominence or celebrity • Irony or unusualness • Anniversary or seasonal

25. Possible EMSC Stories • Successful EMS save of a child • Story of a child tragedy that could have been prevented • Story about a child health fair, car seat check, bike rodeo, or other event for the public • A press conference awarding EMSC heroes and children in your community • Governor signing a proclamation honoring EMSC day

26. Choose the Right Medium • Which medium will best reach your intended audience? • Is it interesting to the general public or just people in EMS or public health? • Is there a population segment you want to target? • Will having video or audio footage best tell your story or would a newspaper story?

27. Be Proactive • Identify several news operations you plan to work with • Introduce yourself and your organization • Find out if there is a specific contact person • Be aware of any deadlines and find out what their schedule is like

28. Figure Out Your Primary Messageor Lead • The most significant and most interesting aspect of your subject • Think about what your headline would be • Should be short, simple sentence • Remember news is what is happening now • If you don’t understand what you’re trying to say, neither will your audience • Phrase your message in a way your audience will understand

29. Examples • Good leads: • “Lost three-year-old boy saved by rescuers last night” • “EMSC program to launch a new ATV safety training course” • Bad leads: • “New pediatric intubation protocol for EMT-Ps” • “The annual Child Safety Fair is this Saturday”

30. Writing the Story • Prepare the material as you would if you were a reporter trying to write an article • Make life as easy as possible for them

31. Writing the Release • Learn good techniques, because the odds are against you • Keep it brief • One page is best • Write from most important to least important • Discuss who, what, when, where, why, how

32. Logo For Immediate Release: Contact: Jay Sheppard June 17, 2004 Phone: (802) 437-3928 NEW BOOK GUIDES PARENTS ON HOW TO KEEP CHILDREN SAFE FROM INJURY Millions of American kids play youth sports everyday and some of them get hurt. TK Sports Training Inc. has compiled a valuable resource book aimed at parents of young athletes. "Sports Medicine for Parents of Youth Athletes- how to treat and prevent sports injuries in young athletes" is written to help parents who may not know what they can do to help prevent injury to their child. “This is a great idea. I have coached youth soccer for several years and I know that I have not always been prepared should something happen on the field. I hope that all the parents on my team can get this book right away.” Steve Bitker, soccer coach.Sports Medicine for Parents of Youth Athletes is available now. For more information on this book and the program behind it visit www.tksportstraining.com/smyapromo.htm or call Kevin Rockwell at 510-763-8669, or email krockwell@tksportstraining.com # # #

33. News Release Content • The first sentence is critical • Avoid cliches • An editor will likely toss a news release with words like “unique,” “revolutionary,” and “state-of-the-art” • Localize the information • Edit carefully • Remove excess words and confusing terms • Be absolutely certain that every fact and title in the release is correct and names spelled correctly • Errors can be costly and embarrassing

34. Sending the Release • Should be addressed to the editor’s or reporter’s name • Obtain an current media contact list for your area • Can be sent by mail, fax, hand delivery, or email • Depending on the urgency of your message and the preference of the editor • Can also be sent broadly through an electronic newswire • Large organizations and universities may have a public affairs office that handle distribution for you

35. Other Media Tools You Can Use • Media advisories: • Briefly describe an upcoming media event • Lists who, what, why, where, when, how • Describes interview, photo/video possibilities • Fact sheets: quick-reference tools • Data are useful • Don’t overwhelm • Press kits • PR Agencies

36. After the Release • Don’t just send the release and forget about it • “The number of times a release is lost is directly proportional to the size of the newspaper and attention to detail you invest in sending it” • Call the reporter/editor soon and ask if they got it • Don’t worry if they don’t remember your story - Just offer to send them another copy of the release

37. Pitch the Story • Tell the editor/reporter why your story is great and why they should publish it • Try to offer another story angle or new information • If you’re not excited about your story, they won’t be either • Be available for questions • Hope for the best

38. Remember • This is not paid advertising - the use of your information is out of your control • Your coverage will depend on how newsworthy your event is and what else is going on that day • Don’t complain that your story wasn’t used • Be prepared for them to get the story wrong

39. Interviews • Another common interaction you might have with the media • Interviews might happen • After an important EMSC-related incident • When a reporter wants data related to EMSC • At a community event you hosted • If the reporter calls you back after a news release to ask questions

40. Preparing for Interviews • Important to prepare • Anticipate and rehearse different types of questions • Prepare talking points • Memorize important data • Make sure you understand the different story angles • Recognize that newspaper, TV, and radio each have slightly different needs

41. Develop Your Key Message • Keep it simple • One or two key points • Learn to speak in sound bites • Don’t wait for the perfect question • Answer the question you wish they had asked • Deliver your key point in every answer

42. During the Interview • Discuss only those activities with your area of expertise, knowledge and responsibility • If you don’t know something, say so • Be honest • Avoid using technical jargon and acronyms • Try to target the real issues behind the questions

43. Be Professional At All Times • Be courteous and relaxed, but on your guard • Be careful about joking around • Do not be sarcastic • Don’t say something, then add, “that’s off the record.” -There’s no such thing • Stop talking when you have answered the question – don’t fill the pause • Be prepared for them to quote everything you said: good or bad

44. When the Issue is Controversial • Don’t let a reporter put words in your mouth • Don’t volunteer information unless it supports one or more of your message points • Don’t answer hypothetical or "what-if" questions, unless the information supports your strategy

45. Good Media Relations • Essential for getting your message to the public • Try to build good working relationships with media individuals

46. Media Relations Tips • When calling, ask if they have time to talk • Learn their names and spell them correctly • Don’t come on too strong with requests • But don’t be intimidated by the reporter or feel like you are at their complete mercy • Your relationship is give and take • Do make life easy for them

47. Conclusions • Don’t neglect to work with the media in your EMSC programs • They are an important and often free resource • Utilize these simple techniques for • Writing and sending press releases • Responding to interviews • Try to establish and maintain ongoing working relationships with media in your community

48. Questions? Lisa Hyde (801) 581-5755 lisa.hyde@hsc.utah.edu www.nedarc.org