Media Relations and Communication Campaigns

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Media Relations and Communication Campaigns

• AGCM 3142

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Mass Communications and PR

• Mass Communications
• The production or transmission of messages that
  are received and consumed by large audiences.
• Public Relations
• Communication that attempts to establish positive
  relations between an organization and its various
  publics, usually through image-building
  techniques

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Media Relations

• Why build good relationships with the media?
• News media professionals often play the role of
  public defender
• If your organization appears in the media, it
  will be judged by the audience
• Such appearances can be free advertising, or they
  can ruin your organizations public reputation

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Media Relations, contd.

• Why build good relationships? cont.d
• The public values trustworthiness and ethics, so
  your public image should portray those ideals
• The media has the power to manipulate your
  organizations image
• Mass media professionals are key in informing and
  educating specific audiences about important
  issues in agriculture

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Types of News Media

• Print Media
• Farm publications (local, regional, and national
  magazines)
• Successful Farming, Farm Journal, Progressive
  Farmer, Rice Farming, Drovers, Pork, Cotton
  Farming, Rice Farming
• Popular newspapers and magazines (local,
  regional, and national)
• Time, Newsweek, USA Today, Ark. Dem/Gaz, NW Ark.
  Times,
• Other more specific publications (organizational
  newsletters)

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Types of News Media, contd.

• Broadcast Media
• Television news (local, regional, national)
• Radio news (local, regional, national)
• Radio and T.V. farm shows and reports
• Ag Day (syndicated T.V. program)
• Market to Market (PBS)
• U.S. Farm Report (WGN)
• Mid America Ag Network (radio network)

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Types of News Media, contd.

• Electronic Information Services and Web Sites
• DTN/FarmDayta
• Farm magazine Web sites
• University Agricultural Extension Web sites

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Using Mass Media to Communicate News

• News releases
• Information (which must be newsworthy) you want
  magazines and newspapers to print or radio and
  television news broadcasters to read
• Releases are targeted to organizations that are
  most likely to use the information
• Information from releases might be run as-is or
  might be edited

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Using Mass Media

• Press Conferences and Interviews
• Conferences
• Well-planned and organized
• Publicized by any means possible to the
  appropriate media outlets
• Speakers need to be prepared to answer questions
  honestly
• Interviews
• You set the parameters
• Determine the reporters purpose/angle

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Using Mass Media, contd.

• News Releases
• Must be timely
• Should have a strong, direct lead
• Must be correct grammatically, and factually
• Must be concise
• Should answer WWWWWH in the first paragraph
  (second at the latest)
• Must contain contact information

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Interview Dos and Donts

• Do your homework anticipate questions
• Speak in short sentences for sound bites and
  quotes
• Smile and focus on the positive
• Never have no comment and always be honest
• Say I dont know, and refer the reporter to a
  source who may know, if appropriate

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Interview Dos and Donts, contd.

• Take the makeup, if they offer it
• Dress conservatively
• Dont be afraid to stop talking when you have
  answered the question
• Stay on the subject, and dont speculate
• Answer one question at a time and have reporters
  repeat unclear questions
• Have visual aids, if possible

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Interview Dos and Donts, contd

• Nothing is off the record
• Minimize verbalized pauses (uh)
• No jargon or techspeak
• No yes or no answers
• Have a small group of representatives who are all
  on the same page
• Correct mistakes immediately
• Consider a prepared statement

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Planning a Campaign

• Realize that campaigns involve controlled and
  uncontrolled information
• Controlled house-produced publications, paid
  broadcast material, personal communications
• Uncontrolled news releases and reports

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Planning, contd.

• Each communication effort and each medium chosen
  must be planned with a specific audience and
  purpose in mind
• Ultimately, each medium has its strengths and
  weaknesses these must be considered carefully
  according to audience and purpose