Working with the Media

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Working with the Media

• Bob Hughes
• Corporate Communication and Counsel
• hughes_at_corpcoms.com

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Bob Hughes

• 10 years Sydney commercial radio
• 2ws, 2mmm, 2dayfm
• 10 years ABC radio Sydney
• 10 years Sunday Telegraph
• Trained recently Elanco, Caltex, Commsec
• Trains media professionals and students
• PR Olivier Internet Job Index
• Issues Various clients
• Farmer at Oberon, (4th Generation)

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It is all on the record!
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Working With the Media

• Why Get Close to the Media?
• How Can the Media help your Board?
• How Do You Influence the Media?

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Media Strategies

• How Do You Generate a Story?
• How Do You Deflect Attention from an Issue?
• How Do You deal with Difficult Questions?

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This month

• EC funding outcome will be positive Cobb
• Dubbo Daily Liberal, Australia - Jun 20, 2006
• ... areas set to end on June 30. Dubbo RLPB is an
  exception with EC income support running out on
  July 21. Mr Cobb said he continued to ...
• Family calls for farmers to notify when baiting
• Cowra Guardian, Australia - Jun 8, 2006
• ... "I just think they are baiting too close to
  homes, especially for 1080.". Mrs Holmes has
  contacted the RLPB board, with representatives
  visiting last Friday. ...
• Fighting for rights
• Bombala Times, Australia - Jun 6, 2006
• The 'Your Rights at Work' big orange bus parked
  outside the Bombala RLPB, with union
  representatives disembarking to meet with the
  workers that had gathered. ...
• Aerial baiting targets killer dogs
• Macleay Argus, Australia - Jun 5, 2006
• ... Kemspey RLPB ranger Mick Thorman said the
  Kempsey area was a perfect breeding ground for
  wild dogs because of the abundance of food and
  shelter. ...
• CWA ladies to make pumpkin cake
• Nyngan Observer, Australia - Jun 1, 2006
• ... We catered for the RLPB field day in Cobar
  and Triako 'Hera' Mine information afternoon. In
  June we will be feeding over 300 RFDS Rally
  drivers a hot lunch. ...

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News is.....

• What you don't want others to hear about you....
• the rest is advertising.

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Media Relations Strategy

• Why go to the media? What do you want out of it?
• What do you want people to think of your issue?
• What do you want them to do?
• Who is your audience?
• What's in it for them?

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Media Relations Tactics

• What is your news angle, and what are your key
  messages?
• Which media is right for your target audience?
• What different angles can you use for different
  outlets?
• Who are other spokespeople?
• How do you measure your outcomes?

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Impressions

• PR is about the impression you create
• Branding is the mind share you have in people
• It isn't logos
• It is about associating with the existing values
  in the minds of your audience

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The 7 Story Drivers

• Catastrophe
• Crisis
• Controversy
• Crime
• Change
• Conflict
• Colour (or Human Interest)

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If a journalist calls....

• Who is it? Where are they calling from?
• Why are they calling you?
• What specifically do they want to focus on?
• Who else have they spoken to, what did they say?
• What's the deadline?
• How much time do you have to prepare?

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Questioning

• Beware the assumption in the question
• Flyfishing
• The Jackhammer

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Media Releases

• Must grab journo's attention fast
• Headline should be punchy
• Don't bury your lead
• Absolutely correct information
• Short sharp sentences
• Be publishable, or readable 'as is'.
• Plenty of contact details (and have the mobile
  on!)

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Josh Murphy - Prime

• Releases, what releases?
• Where do I get pictures?
• Can you set up a property, or a person with
  experience
• Researchs on the web
• Wants two stories to justify trip away

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Simone Cobb - ABC Radio
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Treat journalists as clients

• They're not out to get you
• But they do want the great story
• They need backgrounders and Google a lot
• Don't go off the record
• Don't threaten, encourage.

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What makes a news story?

• Throw a punch
• Pull at heartstrings
• Talk about change
• Follow a hook that's already in the news
• Give an award, do a survey, hold an event

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Deflecting Attention

• Offer a distraction
• Give context
• Accept responsibility
• Take action

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Difficult Questions

• Know what you can and can't say
• Don't go there
• Prepare and rehearse
• Acknowledge
• Bridge
• Communicate your message

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Difficult Questions

• I'm not the right person....It's not the right
  time
• That depends on (something else)....
• I can't comment on that, but I can tell you.....
• The important point is....
• What most people are concerned about is....

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Say nothing about

• Personnel matters
• Any litigation
• Commercial in confidence
• Family matters
• Unresolved business moves
• Inhouse information

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Key Messages

• On the loss of a CEO
• We can't comment on HR matters
• Many people contribute to the success of this
  organisation
• It's business as usual

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Metaphor, analogy, visual language

• Life wasn't meant to be easy
• Like a dog returning to its own vomit
• I but saw her passing by, yet I will love her
  till I die

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The Double Whammy

• To be or not to be
• Do unto others as you would have them do to you
• Hospitals used to save lives, now they save money
• We have nothing to fear but fear itself

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Being Media Friendly

• Communicate regularly
• Follow their stories, know their name, and their
  beat
• Understand their needs
• Be available
• Give background, help them out with the basics

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Your Company Story

• Is your 30 45 second ad for your company, told
  in your own words.
• What incidents make you proud?
• What funny or even sad incidents express the
  spirit of your business?
• What was the influence on your life that led you
  to this place?

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Your Company Story

• Company stories should be
• Short (just a few sentences)
• Unique
• Clear (i.e. jargonless)
• Concrete (to give a vivid image)
• Exciting (let your passion shine through)
• Service Oriented (the story teaches how well you
  serve your clients)
• Strategic (based around what you want people to
  think of your business)

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Spokespeople

• Should be clearly defined, and on message
• Need authority, credentials and fluency
• Need to be very available from early to late
  and sometimes 7 days
• Need to be across current issues
• Need support from the team

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Crisis

• Is the government involved?
• Will the issue have wide public impact?
• Was the original activity a news event?
• Is there tear jerker potential?
• Is there someone benefiting from exposure?
• Is there a significant amount of money involved?
• Is there a well known person involved?
• Does it fit a broader social trend?
• Does it run counter to commonly held beliefs?
• Any 3 and you may have a crisis....

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Crisis response

• Put people, then environment ahead of property
  and profits
• Focus on acting responsibly
• Explain what has happened tell it all, tell it
  fast
• Act decisively, reassure the public
• Put it in perspective and say when it is over

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When dealing with the media

• Never fudge the truth you will be found out
• Never go off the record if you don't want to
  see it don't say it
• Never talk too much answer what you've been
  asked.
• Never speculate predictions will come back to
  haunt you.

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When dealing with the media

• Never comment on anyone else's story beyond how
  it relates to your organisation.
• Never defame anyone (ask if this was said about
  me would I feel hurt?)
• Never say anything if you are uncertain. Buy time
  and get the information.

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When dealing with the media

• Anticipate questions do your research
• Always prepare and rehearse
• Provide a backgrounder if you can
• Know your key messages
• Use examples analogies and metaphor

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When dealing with the media

• Always remember your audience speak in their
  language
• Remember the ABC
• Acknowledge,
• Bridge,
• Communicate
• Take ownership of your problems
• Keep to your own ground your organisation

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E media

• Cheap, easy (now) but think of your audience, and
  their connectivity
• Blogs allow anyone to quickly get on the web.
• Add a digital camera for pictures
• Professional results are easy to achieve
• Must be relevant and regular, and have new
  information as people are looking for it.

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On Balance

• Don't be too tough on yourself
• Ask, is my RLPB better off, even by 1,
• from what I've done

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Good Luck!

• For a copy of the presentation and extra
  notes,and possibly the podcast, please email
• hughes_at_corpcoms.com