MIXED MEDIA

CREATIVE IDEAS FOR MARKETING, PUBLIC RELATIONS AND WORKING WITH THE MEDIA

Demystify the Media

60% of Americans admit that they get all their news from television, leaving 40% reading newspapers and listening to the radio. It's important to know what is "news" and some "rules of the game" when dealing with the media and making news for your agency.

BY SUSAN L SILK

The entire process of dealing with the media is based on relationships and an implied philosophy of "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

The prospects of leadership of any organization being called upon for an interview—print or electronic are skyrocketing. Cable, satellites, teleconferencing, new television programming and the competition of electronic technology means that few will escape media exposure.

The first decision you must make is how you choose to see the media—as the "enemy," "Grand Inquisitors" or perhaps as individual puzzles. If you are really honest, your Initial reaction to that question must surely be strongly negative.

In most organizations, especially corporations, the media has earned a black eye. Most officials "know" that Mike Wallace lurks behind each and every camera lens, there are no honest reporters and "journalism" is a very dirty word.

Of course, there are some dishonest reporters because there are dishonest people. However, 99.9% of the reporting done everyday is straightforward fact- gathering; few reporters are investigative, and there is only one Mike Wallace.

But there is a very strong bias against, and an even strong fear of, the media—especially the electronic media. The goal of my company, Media Strategy Inc. (MSI)—a strategic-thinking external communications firm—is to attempt to set aside that negative bias and learn to overcome that fear.

Your goal is to be prepared for that call from a reporter or producer: your goal is to know your message, to know your audience and to know your reporter.

Here are some "rules of the game" taken directly from MSI's Media Training Guide.

Rule #1: Never, never have "no comment"

Even when the exploding conflict may be a negative situation for your organization, never have "no comment." Readers/viewers interpret that position as an admittance of guilt or fault. There is no excuse for throwing away your chance to present your side of the conflict, your second-side of the story. When the reporter calls, you may not be prepared at that instant to respond. Ask the reporter when his/her deadline is and then call back with your explanation. It is O.K. to buy time to compose your thoughts. It is not O.K. to have no thoughts.

Rule #2: Build relationships

What if you do not have news or an event right now but know that you will or you might? Then it should be imperative for you to establish a media relationship and that is true for those seeking proactive media attention as well as those of you honest enough to admit that some day you may have a media problem.

When you do not want anything, call a reporter you don't know and introduce yourself and your organization. Perhaps you read an intriguing article the reporter wrote and you have additional questions— ask them. Perhaps a television assignment editor called hoping your company was impacted by a news event but you were not. When time allows, call back when that newsperson is not on deadline, and oner to share some materials that explain what your agency does.

Public relations people are particularly guilty of never calling the media except when they are pushing

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something/someone. Then it is too late.

Get to know the reporters who cover your "beat" or are new to town. The entire process of dealing with the media is based on relationships and an implied philosophy of "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." You may not like some of these people but you will learn to understand where the reporter and/ or producer is coming from. That is the goal.

Learn all you can about the hierarchy and decision-making process of the mass media. In print, reporters answer to, and may be assigned a story by an editor, that editor of a page or a section of the newspaper reports to a city editor, national editor, international editor or feature editor. Eventually, the section editors report to the managing editor who reports to the executive editor or publisher. In radio and television, if the assignment manager makes the decisions about coverage, then establish a relationship.

Many television news departments now have "planning" editors. These are key people because they organize future news coverage and so are worth an in- person meeting or at least a telephone call. If the executive producer is the ultimate decider, arrange an introduction, a lunch, or a cup of coffee.

Why bother? It will come in handy when you need a reporter's or editors trust. Trust and respect have to be built. It is in your best interest to actively work at building that bridge!

Rule #3: Always be prepared—know your facts

No matter how close a relationship you have with a reporter, your responsibility is to be prepared for each and every interview. Therefore, it is expected that you will take the time needed to prepare your thoughts, even notes, before meeting with the reporter (writer).

Never make the mistake of "winging it." That's when you may fail to make Important points or say something you would never want to see in print.

If, when you ask the reporter about specific questions he or she is very vague, do not be surprised. And, often reporters like to have two or three questions in mind and then just go with the natural flow of the conversation. Often reporters like to get an interviewer's candid response to questions so they won't want you too "primed."

Rule #4: It is O.K. not to know

If the reporter asks a question you are not prepared for, perhaps something you were not forewarned about, don't get rattled. Don't guess, don't try to fill the void. Say you will have to find out the answer and get back to the reporter with that information. And do just that.

If the reporter asks questions on a clearly unrelated topic (out of curiosity or because he/she seems to have had a hidden agenda) it is all right to say that you think it is unfair to ask you questions beyond the scope of that for which you are prepared or that you feel that the report is violating the terms upon which you agreed to do this interview. This last response is very effective on live broadcasts because it quickly shifts the audience sympathy from the questioner to you, the victim. It is a great way to stay in control.

SUSAN L SILK
is president of Media Strategy, Inc. (MSI), a Chicogo based strategic-thinking external communications firm. Media Strategy specializes in social issue/public policy management: grassroots media, government and community outreach and training;
and crisis communications consultation, tost fall, MSI presented a highly successful hands-on media training seminar for board members and professionals through the Illinois Association of Park Districts. Excerpts from Media Strategy's copyrighted Media Training Guide ore reprinted here with permission granted by MSI. For more information, please call MSI at 312.944.7398 or email them at msimstc@aol.com.

1 Jargon "News" is most simply denned as something new or some things that are new. New information added to the known body of knowledge on any subject is "news." "Breaking news" is news that is just happening—it is now, it is immediate: a blazing fire, a hostage stakeout, the closing of a major bank, for example. "Hard news" is less immediate but new information about the most basic of journalistic topics: the aftermath of a fire, the finding of a body, long lines outside yesterday's dosed bank, for example. News, Conflict and You Of course, there is nothing really unique or unheard of about conflict. News reporters are searching for the answers to these questions: who, what, when, where and why. There are often two ore more reasons "why," two or more versions to every story. That conflict may be all the reporter can discover that is new about a topic, especially if the story has been pretty fully reported upon in the past. When conflict adds new information to an old story, it becomes "news." If the media covered the dosing of that bank and the next day reported on the long lines of frantic bank customers, those stories are old—they are no longer "news." But when an official of the bank accuses bank management of negligence, the entire story can be advanced one more day. It becomes "news" again. Conflict makes "news" and it makes "old" news "new" again. Does conflict make the best stories? Perhaps. Conflict is easy to understand, it's right versus wrong, black and white. Perfect for the quick deadlines of radio and television. And while reporters may charge ahead to find conflict, readers/viewers also rarely complain about reading/viewing such journalism. Mike Wallace may be feared by organizational leadership but viewers have kept "60 Minutes" a top-rated show for many years. Media critics accuse journalists of looking for conflict behind every situation. When reporters find conflict it is because at least one person "volunteered" to tell them that a conflict exists and a second person (perhaps the person who could have defused the conflict) did not. — Madid Strategy. Inc.

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