Balkan Civic Practices no.4 Media Relations - Guide for Civil Society Organisations

8/9/2019 Balkan Civic Practices no.4 Media Relations - Guide for Civil Society Organisations

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Marika Harjula

Balkan Civic PracticesB A L K A NC I V I L

S O C I E T Y

DEVELOPMENT

N E T W O R K

M E D I A

R E L A T I O N S- G u i d e f o rC i v i l S o c i e t yO r g a n i s a t i o n s

In partnership with



Marrëdhëniet me median - Udhëzues

për organizatat e shoqërisë civile4



Balkan Civic Practices [#

B A L K A NC I V I L

S O C I E T YDEVELOPMENTN E T W O R K

Balkan Civic Practices #4

Partnership in Action - Strengthening BalkanCivil Society Development Network

This project is unded by the European Union

In partnership with

Media Relations - Guide

or Civil Society Organisations



Media Relations - Guideor Civil Society Organisations

© MCIC

All rights reserved. No part o this publication may be reproduced in any orm withoutthe permission rom the Macedonian Center or International Cooperation (MCIC).

Copies o the publication can be order by post or e-mail rom

Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN)Macedonian Center or International Cooperation (MCIC) – SecretariatBCSDN Coordinator: Tanja Haner - AdemiAddress: Nikola Parapunov bb, P.O. Box 55, 1060-Skopje, MacedoniaE-mail: [email protected]: http://www.balkancsd.net

Publisher: Macedonian Center or International Cooperation (MCIC)Executive Director: Saso KlekovskiAuthor: Kristina Plavšak Krajnc, M.I.A. or CNVOS, Slovenia

Copy-editing: Tanja Haner - AdemiDesign and layout: Koma, Skopje, MacedoniaPrinted by Borograka, Skopje, MacedoniaPrinted in Macedonia, September 2007

D 67856906

TThis document has been produced with the nancial assistance o the European Un-ion. The views expressed in this publication represent the view o the author and not

necessarily the position o MCIC. These can also under no circumstances be regarded asrefecting the position o the European Union.

CIP – Katalogizacija vo publikacijaNacionalna i univerzitetska biblioteka “Sv. Kliment Ohridski”Skopje

316.776(035)

PLAV[AK Krajnc, Kristina

Media Relations - Guide for Civil Society Organisations / [author Kristina Plav{ak Krajnc], - Skopje : Macedonian Center forInternational Cooperation, 2007, - 52 str. ; 30 sm. – (Balkan Civil Practices ; 4)

ISBN 978-9989-102-45-5

a) Mediumi – Koristewe – Prira~nici

COBISS.MK-ID 69970698




TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 5Introduction 5

. Why the media are important or the CSOs 6. What are media relations 7

CHAPTER 2 9Knowing and understanding the media 9

. What and who are media and journalists 9. How do dierent media work

CHAPTER 3 7Working with the media 7

. How to communicate with the media 7. How to efciently organise media relations 8. Tools and techniques o media relations 0

Press release Press conerence 4 Interview 9 Media events

CHAPTER 4 7Conclusion and check-up list 7

CHAPTER 5 46Further reading and links 46

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 48MACEDONIAN CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION (MCIC) 49

CENTRE FOR INFORMATION SERVICE, CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF NGOS (CNVOS) 50

BALKAN CIVIL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT NETWORK (BCSDN) 5



Media Relations - Guideor Civil Society Organisations4




CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Civil society organisations (CSOs) have more or less diverse expe-riences with media and journalists, our various activities, projectsand efforts are often ignored, poorly understood or falsely present-ed. As could be deducted from numerous discussions with variousCSOs from Slovenia and the Western Balkan countries, many havesimilar remarks, complaints and fears about the media. To nameonly a few:

The media don’t care about work and good intentions o CSOs.

They just look or sensations.The journalists do not have enough knowledge to cover certainCSO issues. They oten cover our issues in a supercial way,with incomplete inormation, mistakes and also with a certain political bias.We have no time and money or working with the media.We have sent so many notices to the media, but they eitherdon’t publish them or take a piece o inormation rom them.We have organised a press conerence, but nobody came. Journalists call only when they need something or when they have a bad news about us.We simply don’t respond to journalists’ calls and questions.Their only intention is to bother us or to present us in a badlight.We don’t need the media, we just work in our eld as well aswe can.

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This textbook attempts to address most common questions, doubtsand misconceptions about the media, while communicating andworking with them. It is based on notes prepared for the workshopson Media relations for CSOs held in Tirana (Albania), 8-10 February2007 and in Novi Sad (Serbia), 1-3 March 2007. Thus, the textbookincludes valuable feedbacks, rich experience and illustrative case

studies given by the participants of the workshops in the WesternBalkan countries. Although this textbook should serve to CSOs inthe region as a “rst aid” and a basic equipment for their mediawork, it does not pretend to offer a universal recipe or a magicalformula, for how to come on the rst newspaper pages or amongthe rst minutes of the main television news. When working towardsefcient and qualitative media relations, CSOs in the region shouldrely on creativity, innovation, exibility, openness and enthusiasm,all of which is already prove by their projects, initiatives, everydaywork and efforts.

The introductory chapter talks about the relevance of media andmedia relations for CSOs. The second chapter introduces speciccharacter and functioning of the media – their logic, rules andways. The third chapter gives suggestions on how to communicatewith the media and organise CSOs media work. It presents sometools and techniques of media relations – press release, press con-ference, interview and media events.

. WHY THE MEDIA ARE IMPORTANT FOR THE CSOS

We live in an era of mass media. Some call it “media reality”. Fromthe media we get to know most about the world in which we livein. Many events are noticed only when they are recorded and pub-lished by the media.

Civil society organisations in their various elds of work and socialaction are closely connected to the media and, somehow, in specicinterdependent relation to them. Media reports are an importantsource of information for CSOs about, what is going on in their eldand in other relevant elds (internationally, domestically, profes-sionally etc.). On the other hand, the media are also the key meansfor making CSOs voices heard, enabling the information about theCSOs’ work, about our positions on certain issues; and about our




events and how this can reach broader publics. Through the mediaCSOs build bridges to their stakeholders, members, supporters, cli-ents, donors, government, and inuential people.

At the same time, the media represent unique public fora as theyoffer space and time for public debates, confrontation of different

views and politics. Media representatives, journalists, editors andcolumnists are inuential opinion makers as they take their own po-sitions on certain issues advocated by the CSOs. Therefore, mediacan be potential allies or opponents to CSOs, helping or obstructingCSOs when trying to convince and mobilise broader publics.

When we think about the importance of media for CSOs, we shouldconsider media primarily as:

Key inormation-communication channels Important special publics and ora Relevant social actors Partners and potential allies

. WHAT ARE MEDIA RELATIONS

Media relations consist of numerous activities through which or-ganisations and their representatives communicate with the media,

inform, convince, discuss, and negotiate with journalists and edi-tors, respond to media reports, questions and initiatives, indirectlyaddress specic media readers and viewers, and exert public pres-sure on relevant actors and institutions.

Cases of intensive, one-way sending of press releases to media ordeclining communication in case of unpleasant media questions donot fall within such a denition of media relations. Similarly, anyad-hoc communication, such as “having a coffee” with the journal-ist, does not mean that we have truly built media relations. Mediarelations grow through long-term processes of exchanging mes-sages and news, of continuous professional cooperation, of follow-ing common aims and mutual interests, of respecting the “rules ofthe games”. CSOs and the media build their partnership on the basisof trust and understanding, positive experience, common beliefsand values, vision and culture.

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Accordingly, CSOs shouldn’t measure our success merely by not-ing whether or not media have published positive news about us.We should have a positive, constructive and proactive approachtowards the media and work towards fair, trustworthy, and con-sistent cooperation and partnership with the media. Thus, it is ofcrucial importance that the CSOs prepare, plan, think in advance

about how to work with the media, so as to bring added value toour projects.

All in all, we have to understand that media relations are:

An open ended, two way ow o inormation Strategic, systematic, efcient and responsible communication A long-term, dynamic relationship

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CHAPTER 2

Knowing and understanding the media

. WHAT AND WHO ARE MEDIA AND JOURNALISTS

With media relations, like in any partner relationship, it is essentialthat we rst attempt to get to know our partner as well as we can,in order to understand his/her actions and be able to respond ap-propriately.

Put in simple words, media are organisations, companies, whichamong others produce news and news stories. One of the most im-

portant, although not the only, media activity is journalism. This isa professional activity of collecting, selecting, checking, analysing,interpreting and organising information (writing, editing etc.),as well as distributing news stories. A basic aim and obligation ofjournalism is to provide truthful and unbiased reporting in publicinterest, giving voice to all sides involved and showing a particularissue.

Journalism is not advertising - otherwise also an important media

activity - which contrary to journalism, deals with paid informa-tion, media space and time to the advantage of specic clients whopaid for their media advertisements. Journalism is also not litera-ture in which individual, subjective, author’s views are presented,often just ction.




Journalists are people who have journalism as a job, a profession,even a life-style and they do not do it as their hobby, it is not onlytheir caprice and they do not have primarily vicious intentions. Theirbasic aim is not to bother people and write bad stories about them,but rather to gather, check, select, organise, analyse and interpretinformation, which they receive from various sources. News or news

stories become a concrete and useable product (“truth”) only, whenthey are properly edited, technically prepared, placed within thewhole media product (newspaper, radio or TV programme), and atthe end, published and delivered to the media public. Not to men-tion that it has to be read and viewed by many…

Media-journalistic activity is primarily dened by its informationalfunction that is, to inform about the most important events, andto cover the news. Media and journalism have also other impor-tant functions: to inuence public opinion, raise public awareness,

mobilise, educate and to a large extent, also entertain people. Inthe context of such functions, media, journalists and editors think,evaluate and prioritise what is worthy of covering and publishing.Therefore, the question of what is newsworthy represents the mainlead and a key to success when dealing with the media.

What is an event?

Everything that happens

Everything we know that happenedEverything that was not planned to happened but came aboutas a surpriseEverything that is truly important

However, not every event is news! News is not everything that hap-pens. An event happens and can become news if the media reportabout it. Journalists have to notice it, know about it, cover it andmake a news story about it. How and why this happens?

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What are the criteria to choose an event and make itnews, what is newsworthy?

Something that is happening or has recently happened (today,yesterday)Something based on current and actual facts

Something relevant for a larger group of peopleSomething different, new, unexpectedSomething interesting, entertaining, and attracting a lot of at-tention and popularity

Journalists usually look for stories that are relevant at present timeand in a concrete environment, that describe interesting or eventragic life stories, that include conicts and accidents, that are ac-companied by well known personalities and that are in one way oranother different, unusual, not everyday stories. To this end, onequotes a cliché example of news: a man biting a dog and not morecommonly, a dog biting a man. From our point of view, an evenbetter news story, with a positive spin, would be if a dog wouldsave a man.

Last but not least, journalists build their stories on credible, trust-worthy sources of information and speakers. CSOs should take thisinto account, provide for such speakers and be aware that the in-formation passed to the media will be independently checked with

other people.

Besides informative, opinion-making, educational and entertain-ing functions, media are also characterised by:

Media technology, i.e. a process specic for each media, whichis needed for the production and distribution of the news andthrough which news become available products.

Media organisation, i.e. institutionalised ways of operationand division of tasks within media houses where news storiesand media products go through different hierarchical structuresof editors, news desks, technical departments, etc..

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Media people are journalists, editors, columnists, photogra-phers, camera people, technical staff, owners, and news sourc-es, working together in the media.

When working with the media one should take into account all fourbasic media parameters – function, technology, organisation and

people. It is important always to respect and know the answers tothe following questions:

What is the deadline for certain news story?

Whom/where to call for certain news?

. HOW DO DIFFERENT MEDIA WORK

Although various media have common characteristics, they dieramong themselves, they cover events and prepare news stories indierent ways with regards to the time interval, the area o cover-age, the topics covered, the ormats o news stories and nally, thediverse eects o the published or aired news stories. In the rstplace, CSOs should analyse how dierent media (national vs. re-gional and local, print vs. broadcasting, popular vs. qualitative andspecialised) cover CSOs and their work. Furthermore, CSOs shouldalso think how the current situation can be improved and how thegap between today’s media reality and its desires, aims and expec-

tations can be narrowed.

Thereore, here we will look into characteristics o dierent mediaand try to uncover their potential added value, also by means othe ollowing table:

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Table 1: Characteristics o dierent media

TIME AREA TOPICS FORMATS EFFECTS

PRESS

AGENCY

non-stop,

24h

national;

international

diverse short news main

inormation

service

DAILY

NEWSPAPERS

daily regional,

national,

international

diverse photo-news,

interviews,

articles,

editorials

most readers

MAGAZINES periodical specic

target

groups

specic

topics

longer

stories -

eatures

attractive to

readers

RADIO live local,

regional,

international

diverse must tell,

not show;

limited time

listening all

day

TELEVISION evening

news

local,

national,

international

diverse must show,

not tell;

limited time

most

convincing

to people

INTERNET N/A N/A N/A N/A direct

access,

attractive,innovative,

interactive,

popular,

inexpensive




Press agencies cover news non-stop, in 24-hour cycles; they havenational and international areas of coverage, they cover diversetopics, but mainly in the formats of short news, background storiesand news interviews, with explicit sources of information (i.e. withfull names and functions of people and organisations).

They provide ecient announcements and reviews o the most im-portant events and, as such, they are the main inormation servicesor many other media, which ollow the news rom press agencies.

Daily newspapers come out in daily editions (some in two: morn-ing and evening editions), with special supplements on certaindays. They cover regional, national and international news, withnews stories organised in order o their importance and their ocusin dierent elds (politics, oreign aairs, culture, sports, accidentsand crime etc.) on dierent newspaper pages or sections. Moreover,

news stories appear in diverse ormats (photo-news, interviews, ar-ticles, editorials, columns etc..)

Most o the population still read at least one daily newspaper, al-though, mostly “tabloids” or “yellow press” with scandals, popu-lar stories, big ront page titles and colourul photos. News storiespublished on the rst (and on the last) pages o daily newspapers,in particular photo-news, draw a lot o attention and are generallyperceived as very important.

Magazines come out in periodical editions (weeklies, ortnightlies,monthlies etc.) and are aimed at specic target publics (women,experts, political parties, interest groups, etc.). They cover special-ised topics and have longer stories (articles, eatures, interviews,opinion pieces etc.).

Their news stories provide more in-depth and extensive coverage,showing and explaining specic problems and dimensions o prob-lems, they are also more reader oriented. For readers magazines are

usually more attractive also because o many colourul photos andquality print.

Radio always attempts to ollow the news “on the ground”, to bein the midst o happening and to provide live coverage. It has newsshow on the hour or at certain time o the day. It can cover inter-




national, national and local news. Voice is the only tool o a radiojournalist (“radio must tell, it cannot show”) and news stories areusually time limited (i.e. 10 sec to 2 min).

People listen to radio during the whole day,while doing their dailytasks, as well as work and in their cars. Radio is the rst on the scene

to cover the news live, other media usually ollow. Radio has also animpressive mobilising eects, particularly during the time o warsand natural disasters.

Television covers news in daily circles, intended or the mainevening or hourly news. The area o coverage and also topics cov-ered dier, depending on whether news is produced or the nation-al public services, commercial TV stations, local cable programmesor international satellite networks. Television exists only with good,live images, realistic shots rom the eld, and with statements made

by people involved (“showing not telling”) . News stories are short(10 sec to 2 min), only illustrating and emphasizing partcular issuescovered, but not being able to go in- depth o any complex andproblematic issues.

The general public, however, still considers television to be the mostinfuential and convincing media. The main evening news still havethe highest ratings, and people began to watch more and more talkshows with exciting, conrontational debates with well-known ac-

tors involved (“inotainment”). Television, thereore, to a large ex-tent still sets (national) priorities in public discourse and opinion.

Internet is a very important new media, surrpassing all o theabove-noted media parameters, with no time, area, topic, ormatand eect limits imposed. Its added value is immense: it providesdirect access to inormation and documents, it enables more attrac-tive, innovative and visualised presentations o contents, as well asit allows interaction and involvement o the public (e-mail, polls,chat rooms, orums, blogging). It act, it actually allows everyone

to become a journalist or an editor, and thereore, it enables CSOsto create and develop with support o our public, ecient, ree ocharge web pages.




CASE STUDY 1

Balkan Civil Society Development Network at www.balkancsd.net

This is a good example o how CSOs rom dierent Western Balkan

countries have developed their own media. As it looks now, the webpage is intended primarily or internal exchange o inormationwithin the network, including internal databases or member CSOs.Nevertheless, it has a large potential to become the main portal al-lowing easy access to many CSOs in the region. In order, to open itup to other interested publics, primarily potential donors and themedia, one should work on making the web page more transparentand attractive.

Here are some suggestions how to do it:

The basic presentation o the network should be seen at the verytop o the page; it should be clear and concise, stressing its im-portance or the region, with relevant examples o projects andactivities;News should be up-to-date, presenting most current and inter-esting developments in the CSO sector in a short, visually attrac-tive way, including appeals, invitations to participate and con-tribute, maybe with occasional public polls and competitions;There should be a separate Press room, with all necessary inor-mation or the media (i.e. identity card o the network and o the

member CSOs, contact persons or media relations, announce-ments o uture events, press releases, speeches, audiovisualmaterial etc.)

Ecient tools, unctioning as extensions o the web page, are e-mail alerts and newsletters, which should be sent out, on a regularbasis, to all stakeholders o the network and involved CSOs.

To sum up, one cannot classiy media into more or less important, theycomplement each other in their diverse eects and can contribute to

presenting wholesome picture about CSO with dierent news stories.One should thus strive to deal with all media as equal, at the same timerespecting their diversity, special needs and eects and work towardsspecial opportunities and advantages with each o them. Because vi-sual images are also very infuential means o communcating inorma-tion, we should treat media people, photographers and cameramenincluded, with special attention and care.

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CHAPTER 3

Working with the media

. HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE MEDIA

Our communication with the media should be always based on pro-essional, cooperative and polite attitude towards the media andthe journalists. As we already stressed, it is important to know andunderstand your partner, as well as to keep in mind the ollowing:

Media/journalists’ need or a news and news stories Deadlines or certain news stories

Journalists’ and editors’ correct names and positions

When communicating with the media, we ollow certain unwritten“rules o the game” which should always be set in advance. How-ever, “silent” upholding to the rules largely depends on the qual-ity o relations and the level o trust between a CSO and an indi-vidual journalist. As proessional communicators, in most cases, wetalk to the journalist “on the record”. This means that we are wellaware, and also agree, that the inormation passed to the journal-

ist in such a conversation could be published as such, and that wewill be quoted as a source with ull name and position. On the otherhand, we will rarely use “o the record” in our media communica-tion, rather in exceptional cases, since journalists obeying such anagreement cannot publish the inormation presented and are actu-ally let without a news story. We can help a journalist with “back-ground inormation” which will not be directly published (i.e. with

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explicit quotes, but can rather direct a journalist how to build onhis/her story, it can disclose how to urther search and check ad-ditional inormation, how to ask questions and look or quotes withsome other people and organisation, etc..

There are dierent ways o communicating with the media: phone

calls, written communication (including e-mails), on the spot atmedia covered events, personal communication. As in all proes-sional communication, one has to nd a proper combination oormal and inormal ways and opportunities with each individualjournalist or editor. Here try to develop a distinct, personal note, becommunicative, persistent, correct and reasonable, try to sell yourstory, but never be annoying, bad-tempered or aggressive. Alwayskeep in mind that you are building a long-term, balanced relation-ship with an individual journalist and media. As in every relation-ship there are ups and downs, good and bad days. So, we simply

must not take things too personally.

Never lie to journalists! I you tell a lie you will be caught sooneror later, and the journalist will never trust you again! Better say,“I don’t know, I will check and call you back later when I get theinormation required”. Prepare in advance or a brie introductiono yoursel, o your organisation, o a project, an initiative or an is-sue, you want to present to the journalist. Always remember whatmessage you want to convey and why, and attempt to target your

communication. Als, be prepared or an on-the record conversationwith the journalist in whatever circumstances.

. HOW TO EFFICIENTLY ORGANISE MEDIA RELATIONS

Any organised work with the media starts o with the sel-question-ing o each CSO: Who are we? What is our mission? How do we wishto infuence the world around us? What do we want to communi-

cate?While answering such questions, we can better understand

ourselves, dene our identity, clear out our aims and expectations.Starting with ourselves allows us also to eciently prepare and or-ganise our media relations.

Thereore, the rst step should be to prepare our identity card, i.e.basic presentation o the organisation, vision, description o activi-




ties and projects, contacts, visual presentation (logo o the organi-sation, relevant photos), etc., all o which can be sent or passed tothe media at any time. This could be upgraded or specic mediaevents by means o the so-called press kit, which includes cur-rent inormation and press releases, background material aboutprojects, our photos. etc..

While ocusing on our organisation, we should at the same timeollow developments in relevant environments, also in the media.We should observe which media cover our organisation, projects,initiatives and issues, how news stories about us are prepared andplaced within the media, what emphasis is given and in which con-text. Here we should also consider where – in which media, on whichpages, on which programmes – we want to appear, or be presented,what kind o news stories we can oer, what media stories triggerour response, etc.. For a better review we should le relevant media

publications in orms o press clippings, and store them to our me-dia archive (including photo, audio and TV material, media ques-tions). This will not only allow eedback on our actions, analysis andevaluation o our media work, but it will also encourage pro-activeand positive responses, as well as planning and adjusting o ourmedia tactics.

For ecient media communication and work we need a mediaadrema, i.e. a list o journalists and editors who have already cover

edus or who are important or our organisation. This list should in-clude up-dated inormation with exact names, positions, addresses,contact numbers and e-mails. Thus, it is very important to ollowcurrent changes in the media, new employments o journalists andeditors, and to maintain updated and precise media adrema, whichwe check and use requently. We can also keep separate adremas orelevant journalists and editors o the most important media (i.e. asa phone book, or e-mail posting purposes etc.), or classiy themaccording to the eld they cover (i.e. oreign aairs, social aairsand health, culture, education etc.).

On the other side, we should designate and name spokesperson(s),i.e. a person responsible or media relations and available or me-dia calls, questions, quotes and interviews; people, project man-agers, experts at the organisation who are willing and competentto talk to media on certain issues and projects. Once we publicly




announce a person as a spokesperson or a contact person or ad-ditional inormation on a project, he or she should be always opento the media, having accessible contact numbers and e-mails, andbe prepared or on-the-record conversation with them. In any case,our organisation should communicate with unitary messages, har-monised voice and image, to be clear, well understood, taken into

account and respected.

While having all the necessary tools or ecient organisation o me-dia relations, one should consistently perorm additional activitiesor ecient work with the media.With respect to this do not orget to:

Look and ollow the media: who covers us and in what way,what topics are relevant, interesting, and newsworthy or themedia;

Talk among yourselves, coordinate, brainstorm in a largerteam: talk about how to present a certain issue so as to make itwell understood by the media and by the general public, whatmedia questions can be expected, how to plan or certain mediaevents etc.;

Plan and think strategically: “What to say to whom on whatoccasion with what intention and what eect?”

Evaluate: sit back at the end o a project, a media event oran interview, refect on your mistakes and achievements, whatanswers have been responded to, which inormation have beenmissed by the media, try to make urther improvements.

. TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES OF MEDIA RELATIONS

Here we will present certain orms o media communication, thatollow basic journalistic rules and are adapted to orms o news sto-ries and news events. As they are well accepted by journalists andthe media, they allow the CSOs to be most ecient in their commu-nication with the media and in getting their messages published asintended.

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Press release

This is a written news story, respecting basic news criteria. It has tobe informative, interesting, short, simple, concise and prepared tobe published as such. It should respond to four questions which arebasic for any media news (4W): Who, What, Where, When. As one

works in the interest of a particular organisation, one should alsotry to show a bit of How and Why. A press release has a struture

of an inverted pyramid, this means that the most important factsare stated right at the beginning, in the rst sentence or paragraph(so-called “ead”), then the facts follow as to their importance pri-ority, not chronologically. A press release can also include interest-ing quotes by key actors whereby one should keep them short andmost illustrative. The title (5-7 striking words) should emphasise,the “news”, the gist of information and attempt to attract reader’sattention.

At the top, a press release should include the place and date of pub-lication, as well as the organisation’s identication (also visual, i.e.in a form of the organisation’s logo). At the bottom of the releasethe contact person’s data for any further questions should be listed.A press release should not exceed the length of maximum one page(30 lines, 1,5 paragraph space). In most cases, press releases canbe immediately published as such (“for immediate reease”). How-ever, in exceptional cases, we can give it to the media in advance

before an event, speech, launch of a report actually happens, andask the media to wait with the publication until certain acceptabletime (“embargo”).




CASE STUDY 2

Example o a bad press release

INVITATION

Our organization was ounded in 1992. We had a lot o success since then. We helped many people during that time. Why don’t you join us?!

We want to celebrate with you and invite you or a press coner-ence at our premises (Ljubljanska 8).

Please come and support us.

Thank you very much.

Yours sincerely,

SF team

Here are some o the most common mistakes in writing pressreleases:

stating acts chronologically, not starting o with the mostimportant data; orgetting what news is (i.e. what was said orconcluded, what are the results and impacts, not merely that “apress conerence was held”);using strong adjectives instead o giving real acts and numbers(do not say many, a lot, very successul, but say how many, statewhat the achievements are);omitting the title, date and location o the press release;hiding important inormation in the third or ollowing para-graphs (i.e. well known personalities chairing an event);directly, personally addressing the journalist (i.e. one shouldnot use Dear, Yours, Thank you, Sincerely, etc.);using abbreviations, not clearly stating the contact person and

the organisation.

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CASE STUDY 3 Example o a good press release

Ljubljana, 8 February 2007

Media notice/invitation

15 YEARS OF CARE FOR ELDERLY IN NEED

Slovene philantrophy has since its oundation in 1992, developedsuccessul programmes or help elderly living home alone and with-out relatives. Last year more than 350 volunteers rom 50 Sloveneschools visited 722 people at their homes.

On the occasion o our 15 anniversary, volunteers, teachers and co-ordinators o voluntary work rom all over Slovenia will meet at aSlovene orum to discuss cases o good practices and their experi-ences.

The Slovene orum will take place on

Thursday, 5 February, beginning at 9 AM,at Ljubljanska 8, LjubljanaConerence Room, First Floor

Open to the media, kindly invited!

For questions and urther inormation please contact: Kristina Plavšak Krajnc Project manager Phone: +386 441 5617 Mobile +386 31 980 234 E-mail: kristina@ flantropija.siwww.lantropija.si




Apart rom its classical orm, press release can come out also in oth-er orms, as a press statement, media notice/invitation and right toreply.

Press statement is a written position on a particular issue, also anopen letter, which was prepared in advance read in ront o the

cameras (its length is in accordance with the media space available– approx. 20 sec o spoken words).

Media notice/invitation gives technical inormation about a me-dia event, attempting to provide brie answers to basic 4W and luremedia to the event with a bit o Why.

Right to reply responds to published inormation, which reers tothe organisation but is based on alse or untrue acts. Correctionsshould be precise, clear, and short, with no comments on or insults

o the journalist and his/her (style o) writing.

Press release can be distributed by means o a media adrema (bymail, e-mail or ax), respecting deadlines or certain news stories,as well as or the expressed interest o an individual journalist ormedia or our news story. Press release can be included in a press kitand used at media events and other occasions. Nevertheless, merelydistributing a press release does not guarantee that it will be pub-lished. Filing our press release to 50 or more media addresses doesnot mean anything, i it is neither read nor published. Oten jour-nalists will use it as an introduction, a background or or settingthe context; or a news story journalists require a live communica-tion, interpretation o the news sent, as well as urther direction.Thereore, we should always ollow up with a phone call, trying tomake more out o our press release and respond to individual inter-ests, and possible questions o a journalist writing the news story.

Press conerence

This is a staged media event, with a speaker(s) conveying amessage(s) and answering to media questions, on the record (withdirect quotes). In a current explosion of press conference, CSOsshould reconsider why one wants to organise a press conferences.The proper reasons for such a decision are:




1. The inormation you want to communicate is so complex a dia-logue is required to clariy it.

2. You intentionally want to dramatize your news announcement.

Thereore, it is important to choose a proper moment/opportunityor the press conerence (or example at the launch or at the end o

an important project, with remarkable achievement, visit, results,in crisis situation etc.). In addition, good and interesting subjects,messages, speakers, even a well-chosen location o the press con-erence will attract media’s attention. Above all, one should strivenot to waste reporters’ time and be always prepared or potentialquestions.

A media briefng is as ecient (or even more so) as a press coner-ence, although it is oten understated and ignored way o mediacommunication. This is an organised, but more inormal meeting

and conversation with a reporter or a group o reporters or back-ground inormation (no direct quotes). By these means we can in-troduce new issues, present new inormation, new experts and theiropinions; clariy, interpret, elaborate on issues/projects in progress;update reporters, help them prepare their news stories, give themideas; get acquainted with them through ace-to-ace communica-tion, keep the communication open, etc..

We should plan and prepare or a press conerence careully and wellin advance. Organisational activities should ollow these steps:

AT LEAST ONE WEEK BEFORE THE CONFERENCE

Check, pick and reserve a convenient date and time; try notto overlap with similar media events and other relevant mediahappening;Check, pick and reserve a proper location and room, at an ac-cessible location, meeting technical requirements (i.e. withsucient seats, electricity, outlets or TV lights, microphones,loudspeakers, speakers’ podium or a table, place or a stand or

TV cameras, a stand or dictaphones, a projector, a computer, avideo camera, etc.);Prepare and send a media notice/invitation, clearly statingwhere and when the conerence will take place, who the speak-ers will be, what the main topic and issues are, why the journal-ists should be interested to attend, who the contact person is orurther inormation and questions;

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Prepare press kits, including the identity card o the organi-sation, materials concerning the topic o the press conerence,a list o names and positions o the speakers, photo materialetc..

AT LEAST A DAY BEFORE

Coordinate and set a scenario or the press conerence, i.e. time-and content-line o speakers (maximum 2-3);Anticipate media questions, brainstorm in a larger team;Check attendance o invited journalists and media by phone;Update press kits;Make nal arrangements in the conerence room, in particularprovide or good photo opportunities: sitting arrangement orspeakers and journalists, name tags or speakers, background(logo, colour, fags, fowers), rereshments (usually served be-

ore the conerence).

THAT MORNING

Make nal calls to news desks;Check the conerence room thoroughly;Rehearse the press conerence.

DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE

Circulate an attendance list and make sure that the present jour-

nalists give their data;Distribute press kits;Greet the journalists, make introductory words and short pres-entation o the speakers;Speakers continue with short statements, then media questionsollow;Focus on the topic chosen or the press conerence, don’t try toelaborate about broad problematic o the organisation and itseld o action;Talk loud and clear, sit up straight, look toward the audience,

make eye contact, try to appear nice or the photo and TV cam-eras ;Watch the time: 30-45 minutes, including questions!Always allow enough time or questions, which should be wellorganised: journalists raise their hands, a moderator gives the

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foor to them one by one, journalista rst introduce temselvesand their media, tells or whom the question is intended andthen poses a short and concise questions; one can answer toeach question separately or in a group;Tape the conerence (audio, video) and make photos or themedia archive and subsequent evaluation;

Thank media politely or attending the conerence, say goodbyeand invite journalists to urther communication.

AFTER THE PRESS CONFERENCE

Keep on talking to the present journalists;Organise individual interviews i requested;Call key reporters who did not attend, send them press kits (apress release or a transcript o the press conerence), summarisethe main issues raised at the press conerence;

monitor and tape the coverage, le the material or media ar-chive (clippings, recordings, photos), analyse!

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CASE STUDY 4

Example o a successul press conerence

Launching o a campaign against violence against womenby Association or emancipation, solidarity and equality

o women in Macedonia (ESE)

Each year in the period o “International 16 days o activism orcombating violence against women” the Association for Emanci-pation, Solidarity and Equality of Women of the Republic of Mac-edonia (ESE) organizes public campaigns about domestic violence.The last two campaigns were initiated jointly with relevant CSOsactive in the eld, as well as with governmental ministries and in-stitutions responsible or to the legal regulation o the problem in2004. Traditionally, the launch o each campaign was introducedby a major press conerence. In 2006 the ESE and Akcija Zdruzenska(partner organisation) used a dierent approach or organising apress conerence: it took place in a caé in the city centre o Skopje,at the weekend (on Saturday). The choice o such uncommon loca-tion and time, on one hand, allowed or more inormal atmosphereand easier accessibility and, on the other, it decreased the risk oparallel events taking place, it provoked media interest and assuredjournalists’ attendance.

Taking into consideration that the media and their audience aremore attracted by human stories, they also prepared a video clip(to be shown or the rst time and, as such, announced in the me-dia notice/invitation) o a victim o domestic violence, in whichshe was talking about her experience with violent behaviour o herhusband. Besides this, they used most up-to-date and, alarmingdata gathered rom research about the prevalence o domestic vio-lence in Macedonia, which were interpreted in simple words andby means o understandable illustrations. Representatives o theMinistry o Labour and Social Aairs and rom the Ministry o In-terior were invited to participate at the press conerence. Duringthe campaign policemen and social workers distributed materialsto citizens, whereby they expressed their will and readiness to dealwith the problem and support the victims o domestic violence.




Five national TV stations covered the press conerence, and the vid-eo clip with the victim was broadcasted on both programmes o theMacedonian television, in Macedonian and in Albanian languages.Ater the press conerence the print media that did not attend re-ceived a well prepared press release and, consequently,our majordaily newspaper published inormation about the campaign on the

ollowing Monday. In addition, three radio stations requested aninterview on the subject and reported about the campaign.

Interview

This is a one-to one, on the record conversation or the media. Ajournalist can either use it as a method o acquiring inormationand publish some quotes, or publish it as whole with questions andanswers. When we arrange or an interview, we should be clearabout what we want to achieve by it. Do we want to inorm, passon new inormation? Or do we want to clariy badly and wronglyunderstood matters in our eld? Maybe we simply want to make anappearance in order so that the public will recognise us, give a aceto our organisation and content to what we are doing?

In any case, i we agree or an interview, we must be ready to speakon the record, meaning that everything we say during the interviewcan be published. Thereore, we have to prepare or the interview,

knowing exactly what our mission and, current priorities are as wellas what is the main message that we want to deliver during the in-terview. Beore the interview, one should prepare a basic statementabout the organisation or the project presented (- sentences,maximum 0 sec. in lenght) and three most important pointsone wants to make (“islands o saety” ) . Furthermore, one shouldthink about the media audience addressed by the interview (i.e.general or specic, like: children, women, elderly, experts etc.). Weshould adapt our messages, language and style o communicationto the audience. In addition, we should inquire about the speciccharacteristics o the media outlet or which we are giving the in-terview: Will it be an interview or the print media? I it is or televi-sion, will it be live or recorded? Will we sit with the journalist ace toace or will we talk to him via phone or satellite?




During the interview, you should ollow some simple, but very im-portant rules:

Be preparedControl the situationBe confdent

Tell the truth

As it is in our best interest to carry out a quality interview, techni-cally and content wise, we should careully check and take care othe ollowing:

Keep track o media requests and nd proper timing or the in-terview, even by giving initiative when we have something im-portant, interesting, and newsworthy to tell;Check on the journalist, the media outlet (audience, circula-tion/ratings, topics), the programme or show, section or sup-

plement, who has already had interviews with the same media;Check the media expectations: Why have I been chosen? Am Ithe right speaker or the interview?Ask and agree on the orm (live or taped, alone or in a panel),length and the main ocus (topics) o the interview, but neverdemand questions in advance!Talk to the journalist beore the interview and try to help him orher with the preparation, send him/her the speaker’s biography(getting the names and unctions right!), your organisation’sidentity card, other inormation or background material, you

can also discretely give some suggestions to the journalist;Anticipate issues and open questions, that might be discussed,as well as the journalist’s attitude towards the topic or your or-ganisation, his/her style o doing the interviews;Check the photo-op during the interview and what sort o pho-tos would be preerred (a portrait, a relaxed or dynamic photo,a picture in the oce or outside, on the eld);Choose a proper location or the interview: noise ree, isolatedroom, with inormal sitting arrangement, rereshments served

beore the interview;Record the interview;We can agree on authorisation o the interview, but we shouldnever demand it; in case the journalist agrees, he/she will sendus the transcript o the interview beore its publication, so wecan review and correct our answers i there are some mistakes,but we should never correct titles, subtitles, introduction, ques-

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tions, structure or style o the interview, as these are the respon-sibility o the journalist and o the editor;Check the publication o the interview (When? How? In whatcontext? With what eect?), make a press clipping and store itin the media archive;Do not orget about the ollow-up, keep on communicating

with the journalist.

In cases o television interviews, we should payspecial attention to the ollowing:

Dress conservatively, comortably, and neatly. Wear solid col-ours, light, but not white, fashy or shiny abric, do not wear toomuch jewellery or makeup. Check yoursel in the mirror beoregoing (hair, tie).Take care o your background, because viewers might be dis-tracted by it and will not pay attention to what you are say-ing. I you are not in the studio, just stand in ront o a simplewhite wall, possibly with a logo o your organisation, never havea door, window or people talking behind your back.Don’t debate ormally and score on the basis o arguing pointswon or lost, rather try to be persuasive about the issues and ap-pear as a likeable and trustworthy person.Have an outline o your main points in ront o you.Be simple, clear, and direct. Keep your answers short (maximum

20 sec. long, in so-called “ sound-bites”).Do not use proessional jargon, use as ew numbers and statis-tics as possible, dene technical terms as simply as possible, usecommonly used words, vivid language and colourul illustra-tions.Don’t be passive or overly polite. Be enthusiastic and energetic,but above all, be yoursel and behave naturally.Always tell the truth. Better say, “I don’t know”.I you don’t hear or understand a question, ask the interviewerto repeat it.Always assume the microphone or camera is on. Never say any-thing you don’t want to be heard on television.

Here are some other general suggestions and practical advise onhow to react in certain situations during the on-air interview in atelevision studio:

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STARTING AN INTERVIEW, FIRST FEW MINUTES IN THE STUDIO

Appear ahead o the scheduled time or the interview;Allow enough time and attention or technical preparations:lights, camera, microphone, sitting arrangements;Sit comortably in your chair, neither too tensely nor too relaxed;Do not worry about the camera, always look directly at the in-

terviewer; except in case o satellite interviews: in this case im-agine the camera is the ace o the interviewer;Repeat the basic statement about your organisation/project and3 most important points you want to make (“islands o s aety”).

IF THE INTERVIEWER KEEPS MOVING AWAY FROM THE POINTS YOUWANT TO MAKE

- use the so-called “bridges” and get back to your points: Let me add...

I am oten asked...That may be true up to the point, but...That’s not my area o expertise but I do know that... It seems that the most important issue is... Let me clariy…This reminds me o…This is a part o a larger picture…

IF THE REPORTER ASKS A qUESTION YOU DON’T WANT TO ANSWER

Try not to avoid;Say you cannot answer;Use your “islands o saety”.

IF THE REPORTER ASKS NEGATIVE qUESTIONS

Never repeat the negative;Stay positive and in control, do not get insulted or angry, thejournalist oten already knows the answer, but he/she is simplychecking your reactions;Correct any misinormation quickly;

Don’t answer with alse inormation;In certain cases you can be really direct, insist on your answerand turn the question back to the journalist, but be careul notto receive negative reaction:

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“We are doing the best we can. What would you suggest to doabout it?”“I am sorry, I do not understand your anger. All I am trying todo is to respond.”“I am answering your question, but probably I am not giving you the answer you want.”

“I do not think that you are really hearing what I am saying.”

IF THERE IS lONG SIlENcE

Do not worry or be araid o the silence, the report is responsibleor time and dialogue!Try to avoid llers: hm, ahm, well, you know.

IF YOU ARE ASKED TO ADD MORE THAN YOU WANT TO SAY

Go back to your “islands o saety”;Repeat and elaborate on dierent stories and illustrations.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THE qUESTION

Say it directly: I am sorry, I don’t have that inormation, but I’llbe happy to get back to you with it.Always really get back with the inormation!

Media events

These are organised, greater events, attractive to the media andalso covered by them. Media events are, or example, conerences,estivals, round tables, protests, demonstrations, international vis-its, etc..

Beore we start preparations and organisational activities or such acomplex event, we should thoroughly consider how we will attractthe media and how we will meet their basic needs or news stories.Here we should keep in mind the newsworthiness criteria and try

to organise a media event which will be dierent, resh, innova-tive, creative. Maybe we can open new questions, refect on currentproblems rom a dierent angle, involve well-known personalities,include human stories. Most importantly, it should be our priorityto provide good photo and TV material!

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CASE STUDY 5

Example o good media event

Case o Visa Regime Campaign byThe Citizens’ Pact or South Eastern Europe

The aim o the campaign in 2005 was to bring visa regime issue tothe agenda o the mainstream media in the European Union andWestern Balkans. European public at the time was still terried bythe amous “Polish plumber”: EU enlargement to 10 new countriesbrought millions o workers rom Central and Eastern Europeancountries to the West, and politicians were using and misusing thisact heavily. Media were very cautious about any issue related tothe possible new migration to the EU countries. On the other hand,media in the Western Balkan countries were generally not interestedin this issue, considering it too long-term and insucient or reshand attractive news.

Ater careul research, the Citizens’ Pact or South Eastern Europerealised that they need to produce something that would be newsby itsel, but closely related to the visa regime issue. They were dis-cussing how the visa regime issue might be made interesting oranyone, even or those who were not (directly or at all) aected byit. During many discussions they have noticed that almost every-

body had an interesting, humorous story rom a visa regime queue,either one’s own or o one’s riends or relatives. So, they decided topublish a book entitled “The Best Stories rom the Visa Queues”. Inorder to keep the media interested they rst announced a competi-tion or the best stories and then chose the best stories and pub-lished the book.

Competition itsel reached signicant media attention in the regionand it was covered by most mainstream media in Serbia, Montene-gro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ater the book was published inDecember 2005, it received coverage in some prominent Europeanmedia like the BBC, Der Standard, MTV Europe. The book turned tobe a very powerul tool in connecting people who could help, sothe Citizens’ Pact or South Eastern Europe succeeded promotingthe book, and thereby, the visa issue in the European Parliament inMarch 2006.




From the early beginning o our organisational activities we shouldprepare a media “riendly” programme, which would enable jour-nalists to directly attend and ollow our event and consequently, re-port better about it. We should plan photo opportunities (so-called photo-ops), press statements, press briengs, press conerences.We should also take into account that media work under deadlines,

thus we should allow enough time or them to work (they will spendtime to get to the location, attend the media event, press coner-ence etc, take the interviews, still they will have to get back andnish their news stories on time).

We should also decide on the “regime” or the media in advance:will the media be allowed to attend reely during the whole time(“open or public”) or will there be restrictions at some points(“closed to public”) or will they require special press accreditations,meaning that they will have to register their names in advance. In

case o any restrictions on the spot, we should pay special attentionto inorm the journalists ully and on time, not to make them eelthat we are hiding something rom them or that they are excludedor certain reasons. Such negative presumptions would most cer-tainly refect in the published news stories.

At the scene o the media event we should secure adequate work-ing conditions or the media: we can anticipate what technicalrequirements will certain media have (i.e. sound system, lights,

electricity plugs and wires, podium or photographers and TV cam-eramen, satellite dish and links, parking or special media vans).I necessary, we should allocate also provide or a room, a place,maybe a couple o computers, or journalists to be able to work onthe spot. We should also plan a place or briengs, press conerenceor interviews when scheduled. It is very important to have a specialperson in charge o communicating with the media, and that jour-nalists recognise him/her in order to address any sort o technical orcontent questions and requirements to him/her. Other team mem-bers should have clear division o tasks and should coordinate tasksthroughout the event so as not to provoke uncontrolled situationsor double work on the spot.

As in the case o a press conerence, we should plan and prepare ora media event careully and well in advance. Organisational activi-ties should take the ollowing steps:




Conclusion and check-up lists

The basic aim o this textbook was to bring media closer to therepresentatives o CSOs in the Western Balkans and to enable themto work eciently with media, hand in hand. However, each CSOshould know its relevant stakeholders in its own countries and localcommunities, including media, journalists, photo reports, and edi-tors, and take their specic characteristics and logic o unctioninginto account.

With regards to media work and communication, participants o

the regional media workshops themselves oered some importantadvise:

I you can’t nd a solution to your problem, try to change theangle. “Do it again”, but with new decisions and improved ac-tions on the basis o experience and gained knowledge. You may think that public is wrong having no interest in what you consider important, but it won’t help you any to judge it.Try to present your problem in a more attractive way, try to

pack rather unattractive project objective in a more attractiveone. Don’t be araid to admit your own mistakes. The sooner youadmit them the better you can correct them!

Here, we provide additional support for everyday media operationsby CSOs and their efcient media relations: the included practical

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CHAPTER 4




check-up lists can be photocopied and used at each media commu-nication and for media projects. We also give suggestions for fur-ther readings on the topic of media relations and some useful linkson regional media databases and information concerning media inthe Western Balkans.




CHECH-UP LISTS

4. Media call

Date:_______________________ Time:____________________

Name o the caller:_____________________________________Phone:______________________________________________

Media House:______________ Address:____________________

Questions, requests, other issues:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Deadline:____________________________________________

Received by:__________________________________________

Answered by:_________________________________________




4. Press conerence

Date and location:_____________________________________

Topic:_______________________________________________

Speakers:____________________________________________Moderator:___________________________________________

Responsible or organisation:_____________________________

At least a week beore:

q Date, timeq Location, roomq Media notice/invitationq Press kits

At least a day beore:

q Scenarioq Check the attendanceq Press kits - nal version!q Final arrangements in the room

That morning:

q Last media callsq Check the roomq Practice

During the press conerence:

q Distribution o press kitsq List o attendanceq Introductionq Media questionsq Record and take photosq Say thank you and goodbye, keep on communicating

Ater the press conerence:

q Individual interviews

q Call the journalists not presentq Press clippings, media archive

Media questions, requests, other:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




4 .

L i s t o f a

t t e n d a n c e

P r e s s c o n f e r e n c e , o r g a n i s e r ,

t o p i c ,

d a t e a n d

l o c a t i o n

N a m e

M e d i a H o u s e

A d d r e s s

P h o n e

E - m

a i l

1 . 2 .

3 .

4 .

5 .

6 .

7 .

8 .

9 .

1 0 .

1 1 . 1 2 .




4.4 Interview or print media

Date:____________Time:______________Length:___________

Place:___________By phone:____________Written:__________

Topic:_______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Media house, section:___________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Journalist:____________________________________________

Phone:______________________________________________

Remarks:____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Speaker:_____________________________________________

Preparation or the journalist:_____________________________

____________________________________________________Sent materials:________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Responsible:__________________________________________

Photographer:________________________________________

Date o publication:_______Published:______Clipping:________




4.5 Television interview

TV station:

___________________________________________________

Programme, show:

___________________________________________________

Date:____________Time:______________Length:___________Live:___________Recorded:____________Arrival:___________

Location:____________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Topic:_______________________________________________

___________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Journalist:____________________________________________

Phone:______________________________________________

Remarks:____________________________________________

Speaker:_____________________________________________

Other speakers:_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On air-expected date:_____ Real date:_____ Media archive:____




4.6 Media events

Media event:_________________________________________

Date:_______________________________________________

Location:____________________________________________

Responsible or organisation:_____________________________

Responsible or media: _________________________________

Regime or media:

Open or public:_____Closed or public:____Accreditations: ____

Beore the media event:

q Media notice/invitation

qMedia brieng, press kits

q Plan or inopoint, place or journalists and briengs, technicalrequirements

q Check location in advance!

During the media event:q Check attendanceq Communicate, communicate, communicate!q Interviews on the spotq In-house media production

Ater the media event:q Call the journalists not presentq Press clippings, media archiveq Keep on communicating!




4.7 Media programme

Photo-ops

Time:________________________Location:___________________________________________________________________

Press statements

Time__________________Location:_______________________

Speakers:_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Remarks:____________________________________________

Press conerenceTime____________Location:___________Speakers:_____________________________________________________________

Remarks:____________________________________________

Working conditions or the media:

Technical requirements:

1.__________________________________________________

2.__________________________________________________3.__________________________________________________

4.__________________________________________________

5.__________________________________________________

Ino-point:___________________________________________

Working place:_______________________________________

Brieng place: _______________________________________

Transportation:_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________




Further readings and useful links

Carol Fennelly: Managing Media. A Guide or Activists. TheCommunity or Creative Non-Violence.Available at: http://tenant.net/Organize/media.html Sarah Silver: A Media Relations Handbook or Non-governmentalOrganisations. New York/London, 2003, Independent JournalismFoundation and the Media Diversity Institute.Available at:www.ilga-europe.org/content/download/1622/10119/le/Media%20

Relations%20Guide.pd

NetNovinar.org, educational and inormation portal or journalismin the Western Balkans:http://www.netnovinar.org/netnovinar/compiled/p511.htm

The South East European Network or Proessionalization o theMedia (SEENPM) involving 18 member media centers rom theregion:

http://www.seenpm.org/index.php?nav=front.php

Media Center, Belgrade, a multimedia organisation in the SouthEastern Europe providing ull-scale services in the media sphere,ounded by the Independent Journalists’ Association o Serbia in1994:http://www.mediacenter.org.yu/code/navigate.asp?Id=14

CHAPTER 5




B92, ounded in 1989 as a youth radio broadcasting to Belgradeaudiences, provides also a national television network, a websiteand an internet providing service, with strong commitment toresponsible journalism and positive social change:http://www.b92.net/link/

Balcan.org, web-portal or exchange o inormation among CSOsrom Slovenia and the Western Balkan countries, prepared by CNVOS – Centre or Inormation Service, Co-operation and Development oNGOs (Slovenia):http://www.balcan.org/

Graganski svet (Civic World), a web portal providing news romthe CSOs in the Western Balkans, prepared by Macedonian Centeror International Cooperation:http://www.graganskisvet.org.mk; http://www.civicworld.org.mk




About the Author

Kristina Plavšak Krajnc, M.I.A. graduated in journalism at Universityo Ljubljana in 1994. In 1996 she obtained her Master o InternationalAairs degree rom the School o International and Public Aairs atthe Columbia University in New York.

She worked as a press secretary to the Prime Minister o Republico Slovenia (1996-2000) and as a teaching assistant and researchellow in political communication and public diplomacy atthe Faculty o Social Sciences in Ljubljana (2000-2004). Since

2000 she is the ounding member and the director o a non-governmental organisation Media Forum, Center or PublicCommunication, Ljubljana. Currently she is advisor to the Presidento Republic o Slovenia, on cooperation with the non-governmentalorganisations.




MISSIONMCIC is a civic society organization which believes in peace,harmony and prosperity o Macedonia and the Balkans, based on theuniversal principles o civic society and participatory democracy,good governance, equitable social and economical development,interdependency and cultural diversity.The goal o MCIC is to encourage and lead the changes in solvingthe social challenges using innovations and establishing alternativemodels and including them in the main fow.For the implementation o its goals and tasks, MCIC mobilizes andorganizes human resources, nancial and material assets, both inthe country and abroad.

GOALS AND METHODSLong-term goals o MCIC are:

An even and sustainable economic development leading to a so-cial cohesion and to a decrease o poverty through rural and re-gional development, employment, entrepreneurship, educationand access to public services;A diversied and deep-rooted civic society promoting the inclu-sion o a number o interest groups that aect the main streamso social lie;A righteous and democratic society based on the principles ogood governance, decentralized system o management and ahigh degree o trust;An accepted cultural diversity, interdependence and dialogue,refecting in every segment o public lie;Established partnerships or the development and a strength-ened social capital.

MCIC implements its activities through:

Representation;

Development o capacities;Networking and partnership;Co-nancing;Inormation – public relations.

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MACEDONIANCENTER FORINTERNATIONALCOOPERATION

(MCIC)




Centre for Information Service, Co-operation and Developmentof NGOs was established in early 2001 as an independent, non-protand non-governmental organisation. The aim of CNVOS’ 27 founding

organisations was to empower NGOs in Slovenia, promote their roleas important parts of civil society, and ensure the realisation of theirobjectives.

CNVOS’s main objectives are to:Encourage networking within the NGO sector and supportestablished networks;Ensure communication between the Government and NGOs atthe national, regional and local level;Foster cooperation among NGOs at the local, national and

international level;Collect and spread relevant inormation or NGOs;Increase public awareness about the signicance o NGOs andcivil society in Slovenia;Ensure eective lobbying and improve the legal, nancial andsocietal position o NGOs in Slovenia.

CNVOS’s guidelines or realising its objectives are to:Encourage and support the development o NGOs in Slovenia;

Advance cooperation and networking among NGOs;Encourage cooperation between NGOs and governmental bodies,local authorities, etc.;Promote voluntary work and solidarity;Analyse and address the needs of target groups;Share inormation, knowledge and experience;Ensure effective lobbying.

Since its establishment, over 250 organisations have already joinedCNVOS. The Centre thus welcomes all NGOs interested in active

cooperation, creative implementation and effective realisation ofthe CNVOS objectives to join its network.

More inormation: www.cnvos.si, [email protected] or + 386 (0) 1 542 14 22.

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CENTRE FORINFORMATION

SERVICE,CO-OPERATION

AND DEVELOPMENTOF NGOS (CNVOS)




BALKAN CIVILSOCIETYDEVELOPMENTNETWORK

(BCSDN)

Balkan Civil Society Development Network (BCSDN) is an informalnetwork of 12 civil society and ecumenical organizations from 8countries and territories in the Balkan region (Albania, Bulgaria,Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia (incl Kosovo),

Slovenia).BCSDN members are: Albanian Civil Society Foundation, DiaconiaAgapes, Macedonian Center for International Cooperation, Women’sAlliance for Development, Pokrov Foundation, OpportunityAssociates Romania, AIDRom, CRNVO, Ecumenical HumanitarianOrganization, NIT/Cenzura, EOS and CNVOS.

VISIONSustainable peace, harmony and prosperity of societies in theBalkan region.

MISSIONEmpowering civil society through sharing and developing localpractices, concepts and strengthening civil society actors.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES1. To increase communication with civil society actors in the region

as a basis for bi/multilateral cooperation;2. To increase mobilization of resources and support;3. To increase knowledge and skills as a base for higher quality of

our work;4. To increase promotion of intercultural exchange and culture of

resource-sharing as a base for efcient/effective network.

STRUCTUREBCSDN consists of partner organizations, which are equal in theirrights and duties as members of the network. Principle of coopera-tion, partnership, tolerance, dialogue and respect for others are themain working principles in the network. This consists of the SteeringGroup, Core Group, Working Groups and Secretariat.The Steering Group is composed of directors or senior representa-tives of partner organizations and meets on annual meetings (eachspring) to discuss the management and strategy of the work. Prin-ciple of rotating Chairperson is applied to each meeting.




Working Groups are thematic mechanisms for cooperation on spe-cic issues and themes. Each partner can initiate, lead and join anyWorking Group.The Secretariat, which is currently situated in the Macedonian Cent-er for International Cooperation in Skopje, Macedonia, manages thedaily functioning and coordination of the network.

ACTIVITIESIn the period 2003-2004, activities were directed at strengtheningindividual/staff and organizational capacities and skills of part-ner organizations through tailor-made packages of trainings, ex-change and consultancies. As a result of these, a joint pool of train-ers and courses has been established and capacities of all partnershave been strengthened through exchange of best practices andinformation.While maintaining focus on individual/staff and organizational

strengthening, network’s activities in the period 2004-2007 focus onthematic cooperation through 3 common priority themes (EU fund-ing, lobbying and advocacy; training and consultancy standardsand ethics, resource mobilization) and specic themes (e.g. womenand anti-trafcking; corporate social responsibility and anti-cor-ruption; decentralization; diaconal practices). This cooperation en-tails trainings, exchanges/exposures, workshops, publications andWorking Groups. Additionally, activities are to be performed, whichwill promote intercultural and resource-sharing such as civil societydictionary, case study exchange, regional visits.



Marrëdhëniet me median - Udhëzues

për organizatat e shoqërisë civile4

Balkan Civic Practices no.4 Media Relations - Guide for Civil Society Organisations

Documents

Transcript of Balkan Civic Practices no.4 Media Relations - Guide for Civil Society Organisations