1.

0 Introduction

Generally, the expression that presented by Bivins, Thomas (2008) shows that media relations
can be defined as the relationship that a company or organization develops with journalists,
while public relations extend that relationship beyond the media to the general public. It was
agreed by Fisher, Christian (2010) and he mentioned that entrepreneur needs to establish and
maintain long term relationship with the media professionals so that they are able to bag
advantages in the future.

At the mean time, Jane, Johnston (2008) expressed that media relations involves working with
media for the purpose of informing the public of an organization’s mission, policies and practice
in a positive, consistent, and credible manner. In other words, the media relations involving the
efforts of coordinating directly with the people responsible for producing the news and features
in the mass media. Unquestionable, the major objective of the media relation is to maximize
positive coverage in the mass media without paying for it directly through advertising.

According to the explanation that contributed by Johnston, Kevin (2010), media relations plan
should be consistent with the organization’s goals as well as strategies. He also mentioned that
when practitioners prepare the media relations plan for an organization, they should develop and
understand the organizations framework as well as goals as it can help to convey messages to
achieve this goal.

Apart of that, Lister, M., Dovey, J., Giddings, S., Grant, I., & Kelly, K. (2009) also explained
that a media relation plan provides a strategic roadmap for media activities that organized by any
organization, along with increased chances of programming success. It was agreed by Ridgway,
Judy (2006)and he also mentioned that media relations is a cost effective marketing tool to reach
a target audience on a small or large scale using the broad reach and influence of the media. He
expressed that there are four elements of media relations are cornerstones for achieving the most
positive results. These four elements include planning, media tactics, execution as well as follow
up.
Due to that, a media relations plan will be developed for one of the most established educational
services provider company in Sarawak. The key information like situational analysis, goal,
objectives, target audiences, strategy development, key message and story angel development,
tactics and media list development will be included in the respective media relation plan. Apart
of that, the importance of the media relation plan for the organization as well as the suggestion
on the important elements that must be considered by the organization in building a positive
media relations environment will be discussed systematically in this working paper. The
discussion in this paper will be supported by various kinds of examples and literature review.
2.0 Media Relation Plan Preparation

As for the discussion in this part of the paper, the focus will be put on the preparation of media
relation plan for the targeted company, namely CEG International. The details and information
for entire media relation plan will be figured out and discussed accordingly as below:

2.1 Situational Analysis

Generally, the intensive research carried out shows that CEG international has much
creditability, involvement and is passionate about their work and participants. They are
domestically concerned and provide the ability to influence the people within the local
communities. The tuition class that offered by CEG International was analyzed by using SWOT
analysis model and the results of the analysis as shown in table below:

Strengths
 Clear mission and vision of the company
 Creditability
 Involvement
 Ability to influence
 Community involved
 Affordable school fees
 Provides quality education services
 Established customer relationship (Parents and students relationship)
Weaknesses
 Lack of adequate funding
 Brand image
 Time
 Lack of public relations
 Poor physical and facilities
Opportunities
 Effective communications
  Cause-related marketing
 Promote affiliation
 More special events
 Updated websites
 Near to school
Threats
 Funding
 Relationship are potential of change
 Can be easily ignored
 Unpredictable educational policy by government
 Lots of part time tutors work at home
Table 1.0 Situational Analysis on CEG International Based on SWOT Analysis Model

2.2 Goal

As for goal, the respective activities aim to increase the awareness about the existence of the
brand of CEG International among the people in the society or community. The strategic
planning led to developing a campaign, of which extract the mission of CEG International onto
all communities.

2.3 Objectives
Obviously, there are four major objectives that been set by the management of CEG
International. These four objectives as listed below:
 To raise awareness of the mission for the company
 To develop a consistent image which the public can relate
 To create more public involvement by scheduling more special events
 To strongly bring company’s mission and knowledge into the communities, with
intentions of the organization developing new missions and goals.

2.4 Target Audiences

Generally, the explanation of this part of the plan will be focused on the targeted audience. It is
important to know who should be targeted in doing media related events in order to gain the
maximum benefits from the respective events. As for CEG International, the targeted audience
could be divided into two categories, namely primary audience and secondary audience. It as
listed in table 2.0 below:

Primary Audience
 Primary and secondary school students
 Parents
 SPM leavers
Secondary Audience
 Potential referrals
 Formal clientele
 Family members
Table 2.0 Targeted Audiences

2.5 Strategy Development

The strategies that been developed and used will be based on foster the relationship with the
press members (reporters) from the local printed media (newspaper). It is important so that more
positive news from the events that organized by CEG International will be reported and released
in major local newspapers like Sinchew Daily, Utusan Sarawak, United Daily, See Hua Daily,
International Times, The New Sarawak Tribune and Borneo Post.

2.6 Key Message and Story Angle Development

2.6.1 Key Message

Unquestionable, key message is very important especially in deliver the needs of the educational
services that provided by CEG International. The key messages for CEG International as listed
below:
Key message 01: Unable to get flying colors in examination if students don’t know about
CEG International
Key message 02: All student, no matter which primary or form they are in, deserve a
quality tuition services
Key message 03: Weak students will be weaker in academic until parent realizes the
important to tuition.

2.6.2 Story Angle Development

Obviously, the events that will be organized is a free charity tuition services that provided by
CEG International to orphan in Salvation Army Children’s Home and poor children. Therefore,
it is a kind of charity activity that will be a newsworthy for the reporters from various kinds of
printed media to report it. It is because the free tuition class for poor children is very much
closely related to the local community especially poor family members in the community.

2.7 Tactics
According to the explanation that contributed by Ridgway, Judy (2006), tactics are specific tools
used or actions taken to reach the targeted audiences and assists in meeting the goals. Media
relations will be the tactic from a long list of communication disciplines. The major tactic is
hosting a press conference to announce the free charity tuition services for orphan in Salvation
Army Children’s Home and poor children. In other words, all the press members from Sinchew
Daily, Utusan Sarawak, United Daily, See Hua Daily, International Times, The New Sarawak
Tribune and Borneo Post will be invited to attend the respective press conference to report the
details of the respective charity programme that organized under CEG International.

2.8 Media List Developments

Generally, it will be important and significant for the organization to create an updated,
comprehensive media list in order to help distribution of the media materials. As for the
respective programme, relevant brochures will be created and distributed to create awareness
among the local community on the existence of the respective events.

3.0 The Importance of Media Relation Plan for the Organization

According to the explanation that contributed by Johnston, Kevin (2010), media relation plan
plays an important role in establish a positive relationship between the organization like CEG
International and local medias both printed and electronic media. He further explained that
proper media relation plan will enable the management of the company to complement current
marketing plan whereby avoid from missing key opportunities to reach the targeted audience and
gain visibility of the firm.

At the mean time, the research outcomes that presented by Ridgway, Judy (2006) also shows that
creating and maintaining a media relation plan is important to allow communications
professionals to identify and pursue the most beneficial opportunities. It was agreed by Jane,
Johnston (2008) and he also expressed that researching the target publications and determining
appropriate opportunities for pitching allows Public Relations professionals to reach a wide
target audience. He even mentioned that researching the market itself allows for more
comprehensive understanding of what is and isn’t viable for the firm in the current market
conditions.

Besides that, Fisher, Christian (2010) expressed that a good media relation plan is important to
gain the third party validation especially on the services and products that offered by an
organization like CEG International. He further discussed that there are many methods of
marketing content, but none offer the independent validation of credible, third party sources like
printed media (newspaper) discussing the importance of the company and values of its offering.
It was agreed by Lister, M., Dovey, J., Giddings, S., Grant, I., & Kelly, K. (2009) and he also
mentioned that at no time in history has the value of an endorsement or perceived endorsement
by a trusted content source been more valuable than it is today. In fact, customers know that
advertisements are just that advertisements, that social media’s been inundated by “fake news”
and that customers reviews as well as rating systems can be rigged with fake responses.
Therefore, endorsement from third party especially well known printed media is crucial in order
to establish a good name and status of an organization.

On top of that, good media relation plan also play a significant role in reinforces the brand
strategy where it matters. For the example, all the aspects of strong media relation campaigns
come together to generate significant value as the validation of media coverage can not only help
further a brand in raw numbers of views, but elevate the brand by virtue of its association with
trusted information sources from local printed media. Then, effectively communicate the brand
will identify in the media relations efforts so prospects and customers properly associate the
brand with its products and services like tuition services by CEG International.

Apart of that, the process of media relation planning will also enable the management of the
company like CEG International to make sure that the marketing contents are also media
friendly. In order words, it means that editorial value to business and / or trade publication is
important to deliver a significant boost to the lead-gen campaigns.

Lastly, good media relation plan also important to advocacy for the company management’s
point of view. For the example, when the competitors with different models or products and
services pitch their stories or their angles on hot topics and CEG International don’t and it will
make CEG International lost to the competitors. Therefore, the media relation plan can play a
crucial role in advocacy the point of view from the management of the organization.

4.0 Recommendation on the elements that must be considered by the organization in

building a positive media relations environment
As for this part of the paper, the discussion will be focused in the recommended elements that
must be considered by CEG International in building a positive media relations environment.
First at all, the ideas that presented by Ridgway, Judy (2006) shows that the public relation
officer of the company should always become a reader of the journalist in order to establish
better relationship with them. He also mentioned that reading and understanding the works that
written by the journalist will make the respective journalists think that he is highly respected and
it will be easier for the public relation officer to invite him to cover the events or news that
related to CEG International. In fact, such kinds of efforts must be carried out continuously in
order to establish better media relation with the local printed media.

At the mean time, the research outcomes that presented by Lister, M., Dovey, J., Giddings, S.,
Grant, I., & Kelly, K. (2009) also show that the management of the company must be respectful
of journalist’s time especially in the hosted events. In other words, the events that inviting the
journalists must start and end punctually to give a good perception to the journalists else they
might reject to attend all kinds of events that organize by the company. Then, the media relation
of the company will transform from worse to worsen. In other words, time punctuality of the
event is one of the key point in establish good relationship with the journalist.

On the other hand, face to face interaction is another strategy that proposed by Jane, Johnston
(2008) to establish positive media relation environment between the company like CEG
International and local printed media. He mentioned that although many public relation officers
are understandably sensitive about journalist’s schedules, some of the most important
relationships grow through face-to-face interaction. It may be coffee, drinks or dinners, or
attending the same industry events. It is important to improve the relationship between the media
and organization like CEG International.

Then, the suggestion that proposed by Grunig, James E; Hunt, Todd (2010) shows that the
management of the company must stay positive in order to maintain a great relationship between
the journalists and also the management of the company. He believed that no one in the world
would like to be a friend with those people who are always in negative moods. Due to that, the
public relation officer himself or herself must always stay positive so that the press members will
like to keep in touch with them and build a better media relation with them at the end of the day.

Lastly, one of the most popular responses to the question of how to build better media relation
environment is to help the journalist to do their job better. It was agreed by Ridgway, Judy
(2006) and he also mentioned that it doesn’t mean that pushing an irrelevant pitch with the
pretense of “help”. He believed that a good information contribution will be crucial to establish a
good and solid relationship between the journalist and the management of the company.

5.0 Conclusion
As a conclusion, media relations can be defined as the relationship that a company or
organization develops with journalists, while public relations extend that relationship beyond the
media to the general public. Apart of that, media relation plan provides a strategic roadmap for
media activities that organized by any organization, along with increased chances of
programming success. A good media relation plan is important to allow communications
professionals to identify and pursue the most beneficial opportunities as well as gain the third
party validation especially on the services and products that offered by an organization like CEG
International. Then, it also play a significant role in reinforces the brand strategy where it matters
as well as enables the management of the company like CEG International to make sure that the
marketing contents are also media friendly. In order to establish a positive media relation
environment, the management of the company should reading and understanding the works that
written by the journalist as well as be respectful of journalist’s time. Besides that, the
management of the company should do more face to face interaction and stay positive in order to
maintain a great relationship with the media members.

6.0 Reference
Bivins, Thomas (2008). "Home - School of Journalism and Communication". School of
Journalism and Communication. Retrieved 2018-04-23.

Fisher, Christian (2010). "The Relationship Between Public Relations Practitioners & the
Media". The Houston Chronicle.

Jane, Johnston (2008). Media Relations: Issues and Strategies. 1st ed. Sydney, Australia: Allen
& Unwin Academic, 2008

Johnston, Kevin (2010). "Ethical Issues Confronting Public Relations for Practitioners". The

Houston Chronicle.

Grunig, James E; Hunt, Todd (2010), Managing Public Relations (6th ed.), Orlando, FL:
Harcourt Brace Jovanovich

Lister, M., Dovey, J., Giddings, S., Grant, I., & Kelly, K. (2009). New media: A critical
introduction. (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.

Ridgway, Judy (2006). Practical Media Relations. Aldershot: Gower, 2006.