Media Skills 2014: Week 11
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Transcript of Media Skills 2014: Week 11
Inviting Media InWeek 11
The News Conference
• Also referred to as a media or press conference, or media briefing
• Allows an organisation to give the same message to all relevant media, all at the same time
• Often used for “big” announcements, or for strategic impact, or for launches (and can be in conjunction with familiarisation tours e.g. ChCh EQ zone)
• The challenge is often getting the media’s attention and guaranteeing attendance (don’t time your conference to clash with something else significant or a busy news time).
Why a News Conference?
• Reach many media at once • Minimise time & effort spent by your spokesperson
giving interviews • Minimise your costs in catering to journalists’ needs
by using economies of scale • When control/timing of message is key (e.g. interest
rate changes, disasters) • To clear the air, set the record straight, diffuse a
situation, or when there’s a crisis
The Process
• Invite all relevant media with an email “alert” or “advisory” (covering who, what, where, when, why) – sound interesting but don’t over promise
• Ensure you have the right (senior) staff to act as spokespeople (ideally also available for one-on-one interviews afterwards)
• Consider the right environment for the conference content, and take care with logistics including parking
• If it’s breaking news, any realistic time is acceptable; if it’s routine, choose a convenient time that fits with the news cycle (to optimise attendance) – early in the week and before midday best
• A supporting media release should also be produced; perhaps a full media kit
The MOST important thing to consider when planning a media conference is: • WHY would the media want to come? • WHAT will they get out of it that they wouldn’t get from
one-to-one, exclusive contact? • SEE something that will only happen ONCE • HEAR something that will only be said ONCE
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Don’t have a conference if:
• A media release could do same job • You don’t have outstanding news • You only have good or simple news (see point one) • You don’t want some things that haven’t yet been
uncovered to come to light, either on this topic or another topic about your client
• Your spokesperson cannot confidently and convincingly answer all questions or good talent is unavailable
• You could offer exclusives to get better targeted coverage
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Media Training
• Senior management or key personnel are required to “front” a media conference (best if they are personable, good voice, well presented/mannered, quick-witted)
• Your role as a PR or media advisor is to prepare these people for the situation; to make a formal statement or announcement and to take journalists’ questions
• Key messages should be concise, conversational and catchy (Johnston, 2007)
Webcasting
• Media conferences can (and probably should) be streamed live online (and subsequently posted) – part of the shift towards “visual PR”
• Webcasting is cost effective and opens your conference up to a wider audience
• Webcasting gives you more “control” over all aspects of your message presentation (no editing); and is a useful contribution to an online media room (Breakenridge & DeLoughry, 2003)
Journo – PR Relationship
• In your role as a PR/media liaison, you will be regularly interacting with and hosting journalists (and preparing/training other organisational staff to develop key messages and “front up”)
• Events like media conferences will run more smoothly if you have a positive professional relationship (though not a friendship!) with key media, and if spokespeople are well prepared
• See your Doorley & Garcia (2007) reading for more on reputational aspects
Don’t Forget
• Next week is our last lecture…I will also talk about the exam then