COALFIELD COMMUNICATIONS

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COALFIELDCOMMUNICATIONS
Working with the News Media Part 2 Laying the
Groundwork - Getting Your Story Out
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Overview

• Basics of Press Policy
• Press Spokespeople
• Building good press relationships
• Tools
• Developing your message
• Talking to the Press
• First steps you can take

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Press Policy
Discussion
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Press Policy
Discussion
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OSMs Press Policyin a NutshellPlease Call
Home!Report all press inquiries to the Office of
Communications,either before or after
responding.Use Your Head.If you are sure you
are the best person to respond to a reporters
questions, and the situation makes it necessary,
its okay to respond to reportersand then call
the Office of Communications.Ask For Help.If
youre not sure youre the best person, if you
dont know the answer,if youre not sure you
know everything you need to, or if youre just
not sure what to do, call your supervisor or the
Office of Communications to get help.
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Spokespeople
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Who is the best person to talk to the press?
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Spokespeople
Full-time, trained press spokespeople Part-time s
pokespeople Managers Experts Those who are
stuck with it.
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Who is the best person to talk to the press?
Agency Director Regional Director Field Office
Director Program Director Team Leader Technical
Expert Administrative Staff Public Affairs
Officer
Policy Facts Statistics Insight Background Politic
s Analysis Opinion Public Information Copies of
documents
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Building Good Press Relationships
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Building Good Press Relationships
Who is scarier? The reporter you know or the
reporter you dont know?
Contact -- Get to know whos who in the
media Keep Track Know what they need and
want Relationship -- Establish a comfortable
relationship Make yourself useful - Be a
resource Keep it alive Provide information
regularly
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Feed the animals be a resource
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Press relationship survival tips
Be accessible Do reporters know how to contact
you? Always return phone calls If we dont tell
our own story, who will? Know the medias
format and ground rules. Make promises and keep
them Its okay to say I dont know. Never
lie (even indirectly)
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Tools
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Press Kit One-page agency overview Fast
facts Officials, press contacts Goals Values Hi
story Message Photos, graphics
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• Other tools and tips
• Web pages
• Concise fact sheets on issues
• List of staff who are good at interviews
• Up-to-date facts by your phone
• Updated list of successes
• Be prepared with visuals
• Steal good ideas that work
• What else?

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Message
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What is a message?

• A concise point you want the audience to know and
  remember
• Tells why the issue/program/etc is important in
  the audiences world.
• Is the key point(s) you are going to get across
  no matter what!

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What is your message?

• What you do We bring good things to life
• What you stand for Truth, Justice, the
  American Way
• What you offer Low prices every day
• What your customers expect Protect and Serve

Discussion
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What is your message?

• What you do ?
• What you stand for?
• What you offer?
• What can your customers expect?

Discussion
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Three Keys to Speaking with one voice
1. News release 2. Talking Points 3. Qs and As
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Talking to the Press
If you can talk to a teenager, you can talk to a
reporter.
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Before the interview
Determine what Message you want to get across.
Stick to it. Make a list of Talking Points
before the interview. Think about the Questions
you will be asked and what your Answers should
be.
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Listen to the question before you try to
answer. Bridge from a negative question to a
positive answer. Use plain language no
acronyms or jargon. Be brief. When you run out
of things to say shut up! Avoid off the
record comments. Never say no comment.
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First Steps
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First Steps

• Study your agency what do you do?
• Develop key messages to tell your story
• Study the press who covers you?
• Create a press kit to introduce yourself
• Other ideas
• Schedule a press day
• Invite reporters to ride along
• Arrange an editorial board meeting

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Your Message
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Talking Points Exercise Each team works with the
worst case scenario from the prior public
meetings discussion. The situation is youve
just left the worst case scenario public meeting
and are ambushed by the press outside. Prepare
1-3 talking points to use with press covering
your worst case scenario. If possible, develop
1-3 Qs and As
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Quick keys to Survival Do the right thing. Get
your story straight. Tell the right people.