Introduction to Public Relations

Chapter 9:Social Media and Traditional Media Relations

Introduction to Public Relations

Copyright © 2012 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.McGraw-Hill/Irwin

Introduction to Public Relations Social Media and Traditional Media Relations

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HOW DO REPORTERS VIEW PR PRACTITIONERS?

• Reporters sometimes view PR practitioners in general as less than wholly honest and ethical trying to ‘spin’ the news to suit their clients or employers

However, they often consider those specific practitioners with whom they work as… Generally honest and ethicalTrying to do their jobs well

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HOW TO PR PRACTITIONERS VIEW REPORTERS?

• In general:As ill-informed and less-than-accurate in gathering and

presenting information• Specifically:

As communication channels (a public) practitioners need to reach their other publics.

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REPORTERS SHOULD BE VIEWED AS…

• Gatekeepers whose decisions influence a practitioner’s ability to communicate to a mass audience.

• In order to build a good relationship with the press, one should:

• Get to know the reporters and editors on whom they depend.

• Understand the constraints under which reporters and editors operate.

• Prove themselves worthy of the level of trust and confidence practitioners need to do their jobs well.

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THE UNWRITTEN RULES ARE VITAL

Get to know the reporters and editors on whom they depend.

Understand the constraints under which reporters and editors operate.

Don’t give any special treatment to any media representative. **

Never disclose to one reporter what another might be working on.

Make scheduled events as accessible as possible to all media.

Never break a confidence or betray a trust. Be open and honest about the news.

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HOW TO GET YOUR INFORMATION PUBLISHED

• You increase the odds for publication or broadcast when you know• what the different media need• how to prepare news releases to meet their needs• how to deliver information to reporters• Use “Media Catching” tools: Sites such as Help-A-

Reporter Out or ProfNet to find an avenue for your information

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PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONERS MUST…

Gather pertinent information: who, what, when, where, why and how.

Assemble facts in a format suitable to the media being solicited. Deliver the information objectively, quickly and accurately. Write like you are the reporter. (read some articles for practice!)

• Presented in inverted pyramid format• with all spelling and grammar [and every fact] correct• No clichés or obscure terminology / technical jargon

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VARIABLES WHEN TIMING NEWS RELEASES

• Time of day• An earlier time may get you more air time, but you risk

being dropped from evening programs.• Day of week

• Saturday is the slowest news day, so you’re more likely to be “picked up”, but Saturday media is the least followed.

• Calendar considerations• Readership / viewership is lowest on holidays.

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NEWS VS. PUBLICITY

• Practitioners tend to speak in terms of publicity. But the media want news.

• Their news is your publicity, which means that…

• Information you provide must be newsworthy.

• It must meet the standards of the media to which it is submitted.

• It must be timely.

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HOW DO THE MEDIA DEFINE NEWSWORTHY?

• Anything that captures and keeps the public’s attention.

• Is your story really newsworthy???

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WHAT IS PUBLICITY?

Publicity can be PLANNED or SPONTANEOUS.

What Publicity is not…

Publicity is not ‘FREE.’ (cost to produce and distribute, just doesn’t cost to place in the media)

Publicity is often not CONTROLLABLE.

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NEWS (PRESS) CONFERENCES

• Less frequent than they used to be because of webinars / social media / phone/video-conferencing

• Don’t need to have them very often—only for special situations where in-person contact is appropriate (big events)

• Schedule with media deadlines in mind, if possible

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REMEMBER TO INCLUDE: An on-site, well-equipped newsroom for media representatives Qualified, and trained, company personnel available for

interviews – coach your people beforehand Video news releases for those who can’t attend

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USES OF VIDEO IN PR

Video News Release (VNR): short news package no longer than 90 seconds Can be accompanied by additional video (b-roll) with background

information. Electronic media kits: electronic collateral with typical media

kit information. Special channels for your company on Youtube or post a

video on your organization’s web or Facebook page or link to it from a Twitter tweet.

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION: GUIDELINES

Crises can usually be anticipated or even prevented when organizations build and maintain good relationships.

Communication plans for crises need to be in place and periodically tested.

Have a designated spokesperson/team with specified roles. Gather all relevant facts and verify. Take responsibility for correcting the situation. Setup a media center. Don’t release names of dead or injured until relatives have been

notified.

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CRISIS COMMUNICATION CONT’D

Respond to all media inquiries If you don’t know the answer, say

so, and promise to get back to them as soon as possible.

Do not speculate about anything. RULE OF THUMB: Never say

“No Comment”

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