Gina Luttrell, PhD Assistant Professor of Public Relations & Social Media
Twitter: @ginaluttrell
APR Prep Session: Media Relations
Gina Luttrell, Ph.D.
March 8, 2014
Intro
Gina Luttrell, Ph.D., @ginaluttrell
Professor of Public Relations and Social Media at Eastern Michigan University
15 years as a PR practitioner
Began teaching in 2007
My career has spanned large corporations to Non-profits
Loved media relations
AP, CBS Evening News, newspapers, TV, magazines
Consult, research, present & conduct workshops to keep active and current in PR & SoMe
Forthcoming Text: Social Media: A Complete Guide for Public Relations Practitioners – Share Optimize Manage Engage
PRSA-Detroit Member &PRSSA Faculty Advisor, Eleanor Wright Chapter
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Pulse Check
How are you feeling so far about earning your APR?
How many consider media relations a key part of your job?
How has media relations changed or remained the same over
the past few years?
How would you define media relations?
What do you hope to learn from this session?
Interactivity in this session is a must!
Ask questions
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Media Relations & APR
Media relations is an integral part of public relations
It is one of the key KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) tested in
the accreditation process
Demonstrate your media relations knowledge in the PR plan you
discuss during Readiness Review
Media relations accounts for 5% of the computer-based exam
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Definition
Media relations definition
Mutually beneficial associations between publicists or public
relations professionals and members of media organizations as
a condition for reaching audiences with messages of news or
features of interest
Maintaining up-to-date lists of media people and a knowledge
of media audience interests are critical to the function
Dealing with communication media in seeking publicity or
responding to their interest in the organization
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Speed
News and the Web
Web has compressed
publication times
Media outlets publish
continuously
Greater focus on breaking
news
News at our fingertips,
wherever we go
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Who Are the Media?
News and the Web
Anyone can be a publisher or editor
Bloggers now have most of the power and
brand control
Readers regularly publish comments
on journalists’ articles
Social media spread word-of-mouth
at broadband speeds
Twitter and Facebook allow instantaneous
broadcasting of comments
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Who owns the story?
Media Channels
With what media type can you best reach your
target audience? Newspapers
Wire Services/News Syndicates
Magazines
Radio
Television
Company Webpage
VNRs
Direct mailings
Social media
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The Reporters Role
Generate reader interest
Tell all sides of the story, not just yours
Gather information from multiple sources:
customers, competitors, analysts
Obtain timely, useful information
Work under deadline pressure
Report on a variety of news, which may or
may not include your topic/industry or company
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Your Role
Good media relations ensures accurate, balanced and timely release of your organization’s information
We are the middlemen – the connector
PR & media have adversarial relationship, which serves the public interest
Cutlip’s guidelines for good media relations:
1. Be honest – never lie
2. Give service
3. Do not beg or complain
4. Do not ask to pull stories
5. Do not flood the media with news
Goal = establish trust and long-term relationships
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Your Role: Establish Credibility
Proactive Media Relations
Get as much information as possible prior to meeting Reporter’s interest/bias
Reporter’s knowledge of the industry
Media outlet and its audience
1. Tailor message to audience and reporter
2. Time message to publication and/or reporter deadlines
3. Initiate contact
Deadline
Establish Your Agenda Analyze your audience
Identify your objectives
Identify three key points
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Your Role: Establish Credibility
Additional Measures Can you relate this to a story this reporter wrote last year? Last week?
Can you relate this to a trend?
Don’t wing it Rehearse key messages
Support with colorful anecdotes, compelling statistics
Provide most important information first
Schedule time before the interview to
relax, get energized
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Your Role: Know Thy Reporter!
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The Interrupter/Machine Gunner -- Don’t let them finish what
you mean to say
The Baiter -- Don’t confirm rumor or speculation, or let a
reporter put words in your mouth
The Doubting Thomas -- Establish your credibility
The Quiet One -- Avoid the temptation to fill white space
The Dumb Act -- Watch out for hidden agendas, attempts to
catch you off guard
The Unfocused Reporter -- Help him/her find an angle
Your Role: Reactive Media Relations
Reactive
Information gathering Get all the information upfront, especially in crisis situations
Additional resources Offer reporters analysts and customers that will help them round-out their story
Time sensitivity “I carry my Blackberry and, like an addiction, must check it every few minutes; not to do
so can mean missed media opportunities, or worse, a newswire quote which reads,
‘couldn't be reached for comment’—which occurred recently when I didn't call a reporter
back within an hour. The journalist also expected instant gratification, and when I finally
did call back, it had already appeared on more than 80 websites. Is this indeed life
today?”
- Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5W Public Relations, in Bulldog Reporter
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Your Role: PR’s Reputation
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Fatal Flaws
Off the record: no such thing.
“No Comment”: makes it look like you have something to hide.
Off the cuff: you’re risking an outrageous verbal faux pas
Missing a deadline: the news cycle moves quickly; help the journalist
meet deadlines.
“I carry my Blackberry and, like an addiction, must check it every few minutes; not
to do so can mean missed media opportunities, or worse, a newswire quote which
reads, ‘couldn't be reached for comment’—which occurred recently when I didn't
call a reporter back within an hour. The journalist also expected instant
gratification, and when I finally did call back, it had already appeared on more
than 80 websites. Is this indeed life today?”
- Ronn Torossian, CEO, 5W Public Relations, in Bulldog
Reporter
Your Role: Tell the Truth; Just the Facts
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BP CEO Tony Hayward
“I think the environmental impact
of this disaster is likely to have
been very, very modest.”
“I’d like my life back.”
Untruths: Don’t lie, the truth
will out; and don’t withhold
bad information, it will turn
into a damaging, negative
story.
Don’t pick a fight: reporters
are neither friends nor
enemies; they are
professional colleagues.
Your Role: Seize the Opportunity
Get the interview you want!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IR_QZpebjo8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8DFEkT9IPk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msfhJtJd1KA
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Anticipate the story the reporter may want, and come up with an effective message. Don’t just say, “…I don’t really want to talk about it ...”
Best Practices
Media relationship best practices
Keep the audience in mind when pitching the
story
Keep it simple – jargon free
Use short, informative sentences
Start with your most important message point
Don’t argue with the reporter
Don’t repeat false statements
Don’t over-answer
Focus on key messages/bridge back to main points
“Well, what’s really interesting is … or… what’s
really important…”
Use facts at hand, not from memory
It’s okay if you don’t know an answer, but get back
to the reporter as soon as possible
Say “I don’t know, but let me find out and I’ll get
back to you” rather than winging it
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Be truthful
Never give personal opinions (speak to issue,
message and goals)
Do not respond to hypotheticals, stick to facts
Don’t only contact reporters when you want
something
Additional resources
Offer reporters analysts and customers that
will help them round-out their story
Never go “off the record”
Be gracious – say “Thank You!”
Social Media
PR/Communications Influence
Corp Communications, specifically PR, is best-positioned to “own” a company’s social media activity
Let’s break bread and share a meal
Social media is consumer influence and communications
Don’t take on SoMe if you don’t have the resources to maintain it
Message and branding strategy
Content production and distribution
Thought leadership is critical
Community relations, media relations via digital
Not about selling, not about ROI (I know, I know nobody wants to
hear that!)
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The Circular Model of SoMe for Social
Communication - Share, optimize, Manage, engage.
Up to this point, there has yet to be a widely
accepted model for social media planning. In
keeping with a more simplistic approach to
understanding the application of social media
planning the Circular Model of SoMe for Social
Communication is based on the fundamentals
supporting the Cluetrain Manifesto and Grunig’s
two-way symmetrical model of communication.
The Circular Model of SoMe for Social
Communication - Share, optimize, Manage, engage.
What Works in SoMe
Published content should be personable, yet connected to the brand
Leave the “I, I, I” “Me, me, me” at home!
Holistic voice with combination of PR, marketing and customer service
Multiple contributors with one manager (“air traffic controller” or “editor in chief”)
Thought leadership, business focus are expected
Responses are expected, even if it’s not an answer (“we’re checking on it”)
Quick responses are REQUIRED, not OPTIONAL!
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What works in SoMe/Crisis Comm
Amy Neumann, (@CharityIdeas) a digital media and technology expert, recommends incorporating the following actions during a crisis:
Stay on top of conversations about your company with simple tools
Watch for sudden changes in tone and sentiment from positive or neutral to negative
Set up and monitor keywords related to your business
Monitor who is talking to you across all social media platforms and website comments
Respond, both individually and more broadly
Use updates on the same platforms someone talks, and invite them to email you if deeper interaction is needed
Acknowledge there is a situation
Keep real-time updates flowing
Be honest and straightforward with details
Make sure customers feel heard by replying, directing them to resources for updates
Answer questions directly
Be gracious for their feedback, and do not delete negative comments
Update social media platforms with outcome, update websites
Notify the media for additional outreach
Outline the resolution, what was learned, and how similar situations will be prevented in the future
Neumann, Amy. "5 Steps for Crisis Management Using Social Media." Huffington Post, August 20, 2012. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-neumann/5-steps-for-crisis-manage_b_1791673.html (accessed October 16, 2013).
Summing it UP
Keys to Success
Provide compelling information
Know the reporter’s audience
Traditional and Social
Prepare and practice
Focus on key messages
Three key messages
Stick with your agenda
Answer the questions you want to answer
Act courteously
Be confident and positive
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Wrap Up
Recap of media relations
Resource / mentors
Contact me to connect!
@ginaluttrell
Media Training 101: A Guide to Meeting the Press by Sally Stewart
Public Relations, A Values Driven Approach by David Guth and Charles Marsh
Q&A
Thank you and Good Luck!
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