Mainstream Media: Breaking In - Democracy for...

July 25, 2006Paid for by Democracy for America, www.democracyforamerica.com,

and not authorized by any candidate.

Mainstream Media:Breaking In

Goals and Agenda

• Learn who really makes the news– Hint: It’s you

• Find out what tools you need to getyour campaign or issue into primetime, front page coverage

2 Questions? Email [email protected]

What is Mainstream Media?1. Media – n.pl. me-di-a (-d-) or me-di-ums- a means of mass

communication, such as newspapers, magazines, radio ortelevision.

2. Media (used with a sing. or pl. verb) The group of journalists andothers who constitute the communications industry and profession

The Middle Box

3

Campaign Message

Voters

Feedback/Reaction

Campaign Media

Questions? Email [email protected]

Paid vs. Earned MediaPaid vs. Earned Media

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““For our purposes, media is our amplifier.For our purposes, media is our amplifier.””

vs.

No such thing as free media!


Paid Media: Advertising Earned Media: part of the reporter’s story

How Important isMainstream Media?

• By far, Americans agree that localand cable TV news are thenumber one source for politicalnews, followed by print, and radio

• 11% get news from the websitesof news organizations like MSNBCand CNN

• 10% get news from AOL andYahoo

• 2% get their news from blogs

Data from 2004 Pew Research Studies:Link 1 and Link 2

Respondents able to choose multiplemedia outlets in the survey so totals don’tadd up to 100.


Print

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““The most important source of political news forThe most important source of political news forpeople who care about politicspeople who care about politics””

• Print media sets the tone• 5 Sources

– Daily Papers– Weekly Papers– Alternative Weeklies– Neighborhood or Suburban

Weeklies– Specialty Press

• Main constraint: physical space


Radio““They all need one thing: sound.They all need one thing: sound.””

• Get to know the News Director• 3 Categories

– News, entertainment,talk radio

• Ways to fill sound need– Interviews, prerecorded

sound bites (radio feed), live feed• Main Constraint: Time


Television ““The news director believes that most people will always payThe news director believes that most people will always pay

attention to crime, car chases, and scandals. Ideally, yourattention to crime, car chases, and scandals. Ideally, yourcampaign is involved in none of these.campaign is involved in none of these.””

• Two realities: Getting on TV isimportant, and it’s pretty hard to do

• In 2004, local TV stationsgave 12 times more coverageto sports and weather, than tolocal candidates (Lear Center)

• Visuals– Simple, compelling, creative

• Main Constraint: Time


Newswires ““The mediaThe media’’s medias media””

• Newswire: an agency that compiles articles,press releases, and media event schedules forother media outlets to use (ie. Associated Press,Reuters)

• Valuable service for media – and you• Get into the Daybook


TV and Radio Organizational Chart

10

Owner

Community Affairs

Anchors

AssignmentDesk Editor

Reporters


Manager

News Director

Producers

Print Organizational Chart

11

Publisher

EditorialPageEditor

Columnists EditorialBoardMembers

CityDeskEditor

InternationalDesk Editor

NationalDeskEditor

Beat Reporters


Managing Editor

What is Newsworthy?

Your campaign/issue should be:1. New and Hot2. Local and Relevant3. Visual and Quotable4. Human Interest5. Conflict or Controversy


““Your job: convince the reporter youYour job: convince the reporter you’’ve got news.ve got news.””

Understanding the Weekly News Cycle

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Monday - Good day forstories, good day to pitch

Tues. - Thurs. - Best days topitch, best days for stories,best days for media events

Friday - Bad day for stories, worst day to pitch

Saturday - Worst day for stories

Sunday - Great day for feature stories, bad day to pitch


Understanding the Daily News Cycle

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4 am - Wire Services and early morning radio andnews directors are looking for stories

7-9 am - Drive Time, peak radio listening

11-2 pm - Good time for news conferences, pitchto print reporters

1-5 pm - Expect calls from reporters on deadline

4-6 pm - Bad time to pitch, peak radio listening,continue to expect media inquiries for front pagedeadlines

8-9 pm - Front page deadlines, and national newsbroadcasts

10-12 pm - Local TV broadcasts

See PDF forexpanded schedule


Tools: Advisories and Releases• News Advisory – Think of this as an invitation to the media

• News Release – This is your chance to write the story forthe reporters; don’t let them draw their own conclusions


See PDF forexamples

Tools: Feeds and ActualitiesRadio Feeds – Audio version of the news release, in a 30

second radio spot

Actualities – Live recordings of a candidate or speaker aan actual event


Tools: Pitch Calls““News finds reporters, not the other way around.News finds reporters, not the other way around.””

• Pitching your story: let the reporter know you’vegot news

• Who, what, when, why?• Why isn’t your story in the news?

– No pitch, bad pitch– No relationship with outlet


Tools: Letters to the Editor

– Reactionary– Timely– Concise– Local, Personal

– Grammar and Tone– Smart and Witty– Contact Info– Follow Up

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““LTELTE’’s s are both effective and easy to use, the perfectare both effective and easy to use, the perfectbang for your buck!bang for your buck!””

The Tactics: What Works


Tools: Letters to the Editor Pt. 2

– Reactive: The Rapid ResponseTeam

– Proactive: LTE Seeding– Get Active: Build an LTE Team

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The Strategy: Where The Strategy: Where LTEs LTEs fit in a campaign orfit in a campaign ororganizationorganization


Wrapping Up

This session doesn’t cover everything. Checkback into Night School to learn more aboutblogs and websites, media lists, themessage calendar, and reporterrelationships

Sign up for future Training Academy events tolearn about Op-eds, news conferences, andcrisis management.


Assignment

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Choose One• CREATE a News Advisory and

News Release• PUBLISH one LTE in a paper on a

topic in the next week


Thanks for coming!Don’t forget to sign up for our upcoming lessons:

• Leveraging Online Media: Aug 1• Sustaining a Media Presence: Aug 8

Help keep Night School free: Contribute now.Learn more about the DFA Training Academy:

www.democracyforamerica.com/training


Mainstream Media: Breaking In - Democracy for...

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