Media Relations Tools

PRO527
News release

 A news release is a written or recorded communication directed at

members of the news media to announce something claimed as having
news value. The primary reason is to help achieve organizational
objectives.
 When they form the basis of stories in the news columns of print media,
news release can create awareness about ideas, situations, services and
products.
 Cost effective - Almost any organization can create and distribute news
releases at a nominal cost compared to the cost of buying advertising.
 Credibility factor - News releases that appear in the news columns of
newspapers are much more believable than an advertisement.
Rules for writing a news release

Lisa Barbadora, a director of public relations and marketing for Schubert

Communications, gives these rules for writing news release:
 Use short, to the point headlines and subheads.
 Do not describe products using phrases such as ‘unique’ or ‘total solution’.
Use descriptive and creative words to grab the editor’s attention, but make
sure they are accurate, and not exaggerated.
 Critique your writing by asking ‘who cares?’. Why should readers be
interested in this information?
Rules for writing a news release, cont.

 Write in active voice, be direct, and avoid pairing words like ‘clear and
simple’.
 Sentences should be no longer than 34 words.
 Leave out the big words – you don’t want to sound like a ‘pretentious ass’!
 You do not have to be formulaic in your news release writing all the time.
Break out of the mold to attract media attention.
 Do not expect editors to print your entire release. Important information
should be in the first two paragraphs.
Pitch Letter

 The Pitch Letter is used to interest an editor or reporter in a possible story

idea, interview or event; that the story on a product, service or event
should be printed or broadcasted by the assigned staff reporter.
 It is also used to convince a radio or television producer to book a
company’s spokesperson on a talk show.
 Pitch letters open with a grabber, i.e. an interesting statement that impels
the reader to continue reading.
 They explain why the story is relevant to the editor's readership, listenership,
or viewership. That means it must allude to the scope and importance of
the story.
 Pitch letters should be personally written to specific people (i.e. section
editors)
Three phases of a Good Pitch

1. Researching the publication

 The writer must do homework because there is no such thing as ‘one size fits
all’
 Be familiar with the publication’s style, format, readership, deadlines and
regular features.
 Reading articles written by the reporter or editor is important as the writer needs
to be familiar with the reporter’s style, interests, background and regular beat.
 The writer should be aware of current issues, business trends and societal
concerns.
Three phases of a Good Pitch, cont.

2. Preparing the Pitch Letter

 Write a succinct, attention- grabbing letter.
 Strive for brevity - the pitch letter must be written in one page length or less.
 The sentences must be clean, sharp and to the point. The syntax as well as the
spelling should be flawless.

3. It should have an enticing lead.

Example of a bad lead is, “I’m writing to inquire if you would be interested in a
story about…”
Example of a good lead is, “Would you like to replace your ex-husband with a
plant?” (Story about photographer who is expert at removing other individuals out
of old photos)
Elements of a Pitch Letter

According to Melvin Helitzer, author of ‘The Dream Job: Sports Publicity’, a

pitch or query letter should have the following 6 elements:
1. Enough facts to support a full story.
2. An angle of interest to the readers of that specific publication.
3. The possibility of alternative angles.
4. An offer to supply or help secure all needed statistics, quotes, interviews
with credible resources, arrangements for photos and so on.
5. An indication of authority or credibility.
6. An offer to call the editor soon to get a decision.
Pitching to the Media
Remember to develop story angles from a reporter's perspective:
 conduct yourself in a manner free of hype, clichés, and puffery.
 use proper etiquette when contacting a reporter or editor.
 provide interesting statistics that the journalist can quote in other industry
round-up stories.
Pitching to the Media, cont.

In order to help your creative juices flow and create a compelling media story,
ask yourself these questions:
1. What does your company do? - your elevator pitch and the 2-3 sentences
that clearly introduce your company.
2. Why did you start a company? - Where did the motivation, inspiration and
drive to start your business come from?
3. What makes your product or service offering different or unique?
4. What’s the pricing and how is it available?
5. What makes you uniquely qualified to be successful with this company? -
What’s your relevant background or experience? Awards won?
Pitching to the Media, cont.

6. Who is using/could use your product and service right now? - Be clear
about your target market.
7. How will your product or service make your customers’ lives easier?
8. If you could make three points about your company, product or service,
what would it be? - The answer to this question alone is an entire media
pitch.
9. Do you have an approved customer testimonial you can use in your
marketing? - Testimonials carry a lot of weight or at least show that your
product, service or offering is real.
10. What’s the boldest, most outrageous or provocative statement you’re
willing to make? - Get on the edge of what you want to say and take a
stronger stand for what you believe in.
Follow Up Your Letter

 A good approach is by writing in the letter, “I will contact you next week to
follow up, but in the meantime you can reach me at 017-6476503 with any
question.”
 The reporter or editor may ask the writer to send more information.
 You have to make sure that all information is provided within 1-2 days.
 Don’t forget to ask how the reporter would like to receive the information
(editors or reporters all have their own preferences).
 Follow–up often means that a writer graciously accepts ‘No’ for an answer.
Building a media list
 There are three basic ways you can build a media list to pitch a particular
story: (Jon Greer, The Media Bridge)
 Fastballs: If you do a lot of homework, you can build a highly accurate
media list that includes only those reporters who cover a certain beat or
topic, using a media database and doing research into past stories to
create that list. If you do this, you will be pitching fastballs -- that is, fast,
straight-ahead pitches right to your targets.
Building a media list, cont.

 Curveballs: You can also be creative in building a media list, adding

general assignment and feature reporters, or other reporters who might be
interested in the story. Then, when you follow up, you tailor your pitch to
what you know about that reporter's interests.
Building a media list, cont.

 Wild Pitches: pitching everyone in sight, from the managing editor down to
the lowliest cub reporter. Journalists hate this, but there's a reason PR
people do it: it sometimes works and it's not that much more expensive
than the other two approaches. Why it works? By spreading the story to the
widest audience, you may find a reporter willing to do the story who
otherwise might have slipped through the cracks.
Case History

 The Case History is frequently used to tell about a customer's favorable use
of a company's product or service. Magazines often welcome case
histories, contending that one person's experience may be instructive to
another.
 A five-part formula:
1. They present a problem
2. They indicate the dimensions of the problem
3. They indicate the solution adopted
4. They explain the advantages of that solution
5. They detail the user company's experience after adopting the solution.
Feature Articles

 A feature story is a special human interest story or article not closely tied to
a recent news event. It goes into great detail regarding concepts and
ideas of specific market interest.
 Features can be about any subject, from the fluffiest lifestyle piece to the
toughest investigative report.
 They normally appear in newspapers’ entertainment sections, magazine
stories and agency publications.
 Feature writing requires writers to shift their thinking, handling matters like
perception, image making, and conceptualization.
Feature Articles

A FEATURE spells:
F – factual not fictitious
E – entertaining
A – appealing to the emotions
T – timely or not timely
U – unusual
R – reader-oriented
E – explanation, extrapolation – extending or
projecting known info
Feature Articles, cont.

There are 3 things to keep in mind when writing

a feature article:
1. Writers need to conceptualize how
something lends itself to feature treatment.
2. Writers need to determine if the information
would be interesting to and useful for a
particular audience.
3. Writers must be sure that the feature would
help to achieve the organization’s
objectives.
Here’s to a Better Feature Release

1. The Power of Lists: Offering a list of items or a list of tips to help

a person or company do something can not only benefit the
reader but it can also be an attractive filler item for any editor.
2. Focus on the human interest: The best stories are compelling -
often means telling someone’s real story.
3. Going against the grain helps: What is your ‘man bites dog’
story?
4. Ok to freshen last year’s story: If you talked about a charity you
helped last holiday season, do another story on it this year. Be
different - include any number of updates or follow ups to the
success or failure of the previous year’s results.
5. Longer isn’t always better: You’re not writing a white paper here; just telling
a great story. This can be done in 500 words.
6. Try to work in or have ready a video element because you never know
when it’ll get picked up virally or if a television news station wants to do a
story on your piece.
7. Also, don’t forget photos: Same as above; this time only with photos. It’s
important to have a visual component to your story for social media
purposes.
8. Look for juicy customer stories: What are your customers up to lately and
how are they using your products? Get to know your customers better
because that’s where you'll find story ideas.
9. How did you fail: STOP thinking about how great you are! Tell them how you
FAILED and then picked yourself up and dusted yourself off. It will make your
company look resilient and smart.
10. Are there any associations that can offer perspective to your story? The goal is
to get others involved in your story so that it’s not all about you.
11. No time limit: Feature stories can be pitched longer than hard news since they
have a longer shelf life. As long as the issue (or peg) behind the story is still in the
news, feel free to pitch away.
12. Creativity rules the day: It’s time to get creative and capture people’s
imaginations a little. Learning how to write a feature press release will help you
sharpen your creative skills.
13. Break out of the textbook inverted pyramid: Who, what, when, where, how,
why, blah, blah, blah, puke. Stop it.
14. Look for a strong news peg: What else is going on in the news that you can
attach your story to? Ex. a drug company may tell the story of a customer
struggling with health care reform because of the inability to get insurance.
15. Have great data to support message: Take that drug company for example.
Write about the number of uninsured Malaysians, the cost of private health care
if you don’t have insurance and the amount of money saved in doctors’ visits
by staying healthy through an all-natural diet rich in supplements.
16. Don’t be too promotional: Remember that it truly isn’t about you. It’s the story of
the people or places being affected by issues surrounding your company. Ex. a
roofing company should talk about people and hurricanes, not specifically
about roofing shingles.
17. Try tying it to a seasonal holiday: So many news sites today are all about
content. This is especially true when holidays come around.
18. Find a few really strong sources: There are other people, organizations and
businesses that can add to your story and offer some really great
perspective.
19. Think about who would pick up your feature: Remember, content is king -
some media outlets may just take your story and publish it verbatim!
20. Think about where else you want to put your feature: Be it PR Wire,
Marketwired or Pitchengine, etc.
21. Have your bio ready at the end: boiler plate with a link to your company’s
website, blog, etc.
Media advisories

 Media advisories are also known as media alerts

 They are short press releases or memo about a news conferences or
upcoming event sent by public relations practitioners to journalists.
 They are designed for journalists not for the public.
 The main purposes of media advisories are to inform and convince the
journalists that these events are genuine news stories that are worthy of
coverage
 Media advisories are sent with a news release or by themselves.
 They are often used to announce the time and location of a press conference,
event, or an interview opportunity.
 The common format: short, bulleted items rather than long paragraphs. It
should not exceed one page in length. It might contain the following elements:
 A one-line headline
 A brief paragraph outlining the story idea
 Can be written in narrative form or bullet form, answering the questions (5W 1H)
 A short paragraph telling the journalists whom to contact for more information
or to make arrangements.
Media Interviews

 In all interviews, the person being questioned should say something that will
inform or entertain the audience. The PR practitioner should prepare the
interviewee to meet this need.
 In setting up an interview, the PR person should obtain its purpose from the
interviewer.
 It is also important to be well acquainted with the interviewer’s style.
 Short, direct answers delivered without hesitation help a guest project an
image of strength and credibility. They also provide better quotes or
soundbites, which is valued by the media.
Media Interviews

 In a print interview, the person interviewed is interpreted by the reporter,

not projected directly to the audience.
 On radio and TV, listeners hear the interviewee’s voice without intervention
by a third party.
 During a TV interview, where personality has the strongest impact of all, the
speaker is both seen and heard.
Media Interviews

A successful radio or television broadcast interview appearance has three

principal requirements:
 Preparation - Guests should know what key message should be
emphasized.
 Concise speech - Guests should answer questions and make statements
precisely and briefly.
 Relaxation – ‘Mike fright’ is a common ailment for which no automatic cure
exists.
Choosing and training your
spokesperson
 No one should be called upon to speak to the media on behalf of an
organization unless that person meets two criteria:
1. skilled in the art of giving interviews,
2. available to the media whenever the media want.

 However, just meeting the criteria is not enough.

 Contradictions could arise, confidential information could be inadvertently
leaked, or one or more of the spokespersons could be goaded into discussing
topics for which they were unprepared or would fall into other pitfalls, resulting in
inaccurate and harmful media coverage.
The Solution?

Create a spokesperson structure that would serve 2 primary aims:

1. to ensure that your organization will be able to maintain control over the
messages it conveys to the media
2. to ensure that information given to the media and the subsequent media
coverage are truthful and will generate an accurate and balanced public
perception of your organization.
Primary and Secondary media
contacts
 Designate a Prime Media Contact who fields all media inquiries.
 At times, however, it’s advisable to get designated spokespersons or your
Secondary Media Contacts to enter the picture – strategic employees
trained to give media interviews when called upon to do so by the Prime
Media Contact.
 These are your organization’s top executive (President, CEO, Chairman), other
executives (CFO, VP, legal council and other senior officers) and depending on
the nature of your organization – could include department heads, branch-plant
managers and technical experts.
Who should be the Spokesperson?

The characteristics to look out for:

 Knowledge of the topic to be discussed with the reporter.
 Understand the organization’s overall objectives and strategies.
 An ability to tell what s/he knows in everyday Bahasa or English and from
the POV of the reporter and his audience.
 The confidence of top management.
 A desire to do the interview.

(from Howard & Mathews “Managing Media Relations”)

What next?

Immediately, after you’ve set the appointment and determine whether the
interview will be on the phone or in person, communicate with your
spokesperson (in person or by writing) the following:
 Date, time, place and expected length of the interview.
 Type of story the reporter is working on -- e.g. in-depth feature of your
organization or survey piece on your industry.
 What the reporter told you s/he wants from the interview -- e.g. quotations
on corporate objectives, general sales plans for a new product line, your
opinion of a new community development plan, etc.
What next?

 What information you’ve provided the reporter. What materials did you
send as background package? (e.g. AR, sales brochure, factsheet, etc.)
 Background on the reporter if this is the first time your spokesperson is
dealing with him/her.
 If photography is involved, what special arrangements you’re making for
the reporter or TV crew.
 Suggestions to two - three key points the spokesperson should stress in the
interview.
 Advice on handling media interviews (next slide)
 Insist on the need to get together before the interview to review on
anticipated Q&As.
Hints on Interview Techniques

1. Prepare and practice. Write out your key points and practise them aloud till
they sound natural to your speaker’s ear.
2. Place most important points at the beginning of each response where they will
be clear and isolated. (especially important in TV and radio)
3. Refer to interviewer by name, early and often.
4. “It’s not only what you say, but also how you say it that communicates.”
5. Don’t feel pressured to respond instantaneously to a difficult question on a
complex subject.
6. Never forget our ultimate audience -- who reads the publication or watches the
program.
7. Humanize response by giving a little bit of the speaker’s personality as well as
the organization’s position.
Hints on Interview Techniques, cont.

8. Don’t be embarrassed if a number or detail is not at hand. Simply tell the

reporter that the media person (you!) will get it. By delegating follow-up
details, the spokesperson’s train of thoughts won’t be interrupted.
9. Don’t let a reporter put words in the speaker’s mouth. Every time they hear
phrases like, “Are you saying that…?” Or “Do you mean…?” or “Isn’t it
really…?”, alarm bells should ring in their heads.
10. Don’t give in to pressure to go beyond the bounds of our stated position.
“Say what you need to say, then stop.”
11. Don’t be cornered into meeting a reporter’s deadline if it forces the
speaker to provide incomplete or unsubstantiated facts.
12. Be calm.
Hints on Interview Techniques, cont.

13. Avoid tongue twisters.

14. Avoid jargon, speak plainly, use examples and illustrations expressed in
layperson’s terms. Ex: bankruptcy is like someone stepping into a tepid bath and
slashing his wrists -- you might not feel yourself dying, but that’s what would
happen.
15. “Consider what your words will mean to others.”
16. Don’t make ‘off the record’ statements. Never lie.
17. Keep wise cracking instincts in check around the media.
18. “Don’t spend your brief time with a reporter arguing against the other side.”
19. Don’t answer hypothetical questions.
20. The media person should check out all media requests for information over the
phone - who’s the reporter, what he wants, and why.
Hints for TV appearances

1. Appearances do count.
2. Remember, TV’s a visual medium – act natural.
3. If videotaped in one’s office, suggest other attractive
areas of your operation for background footage.
4. Remember, TV’s an intimate medium. Talk one-on-one
with the reporter. Ignore the camera.
5. “Don’t be intimidated with a reporter’s habit of
thrusting a mike at you and pulling back before you’re
done talking.”
6. Remember to always be ‘on the record’ all the time in
the reporter’s presence.
7. Try to avoid nodding as the reporter talks since this
could be misconstrued as acknowledgment of the
premise behind the question.
Additional hints for Radio
1. “Have key points written out and handy where you can see them.” Be
careful not to rustle the pages.
2. Shorten sentences and eliminate difficult phrases.
3. “Speak in a conversational tone as you would with a friend on the phone.
Gesture as you would during a normal conversation.”
Follow-up after the interview

 Call your spokesperson with feedback -- give both your impressions, as well
as the reporter’s. If the reporter was critical, and you foresee a potential
problem in the coverage, go ahead and mention it to the spokesperson.
 If the spokesperson is really bad, resolve to find another spokesperson in the
future.
 As soon as the story comes out, check the quotes and facts for accuracy.
 Make sure the spokesperson gets a copy of the article in advance of other
people in your organization. Offer your reaction, get his/hers as well.
News conferences

 A news conference makes possible quick, widespread dissemination of the

sponsor’s information and opinions through the news media.
 A news conference allows two-way communication between the
organization and the media personnel.
 It avoids the time-consuming task of presenting the information individually to the
news outlets and ensures that newspapers and electronic media simultaneously
hear the news.
 However, if a news release or press kit can provide the information for the
reporters, then there is no need to hold a news conference.
Dealing with the media in a news
conference
 The same rules and guidelines that hold true for a one-on-one interview
hold true for dealing with the media in conference.
 Fraser P. Seitel in his book ‘The Practice of Public Relations’ recommended
these additional guidelines in a press conference:
 Don’t play favorites. Invite representatives from all major news outlets.
 Notify the media by mail and e-mail well in advance. Ordinarily, the media
advisory announcing the event should reach the editor’s desk at least 7 to
10 days before the event.
Dealing with the media in a news
conference, cont.
 Follow up early and often. Journalists are notorious ‘no shows.’ So follow up
frequently to get an accurate expected count.
 Schedule the conference in mid-morning. Journalists are on deadline in the
afternoon. So, 11.00 a.m. to noon is about right for most press conferences.
 Hold the conference in a meeting room, not someone’s office. You want
enough space, but not too much space. There’s nothing worse than a
sparsely attended event in an oversized room.
Dealing with the media in a news
conference, cont.
 The time allotted for the conference should be stated in advance. That will
help avoid people drifting out at various intervals.
 Keep the speaker away from the reporters before the conference. Mingling
prior to the conference will only give someone an edge. Keep all reporters
on equal footing in their contact with the speaker.
 Prepare materials to complement the speaker’s presentation. Just because
journalists are there doesn’t mean they’ll write the story the way you’d like
it. Therefore, press kits and releases are a must.
Dealing with the media in a news
conference, cont.
 Remember TV. This means, prepare your executives for TV reporters, light
men and soundmen who are notorious for knocking things over, disrupting
organized proceedings, and generally being slobs.
 Let the reporters know when the end has come. Just before the stated time
has elapsed, the practitioner should announce to the reporters that the
next question will be the last one.
 Cue the reinforcements.
Additional hints for speakers at a news
conferences
 Several hours before the news conference, familiarize yourself with the venue set-up. Work out
signals with the media relations person. Don’t show up again till immediately before the
scheduled news conference.
 Don’t mingle with reporters before the conference. Ignore the many microphones placed on the
podium.
 Begin your formal remarks. Follow the text that has been included in the media kit, fairly closely.
Don’t become long-winded.
 When opening up the session to questions, use an open phrase like, “Now I would be happy to try
to answer your questions.”
 Once you select a reporter’s question, establish eye contact as much as possible while you
answer.
 If asked to answer similar questions by TV people, don’t hesitate to repeat key points.
 If few journalists turned up, proceed as planned.
 30 minutes is a good length for a news conference.
 Mingle with the reporters afterwards.
Publicity Photos

The Importance of Publicity Photos:

 Photos add interests and increase likelihood that a release will be published
 Photos are easy to provide digitally
 More people ‘read’ photos than read stories
Components of a Good Photo

 Technical quality - Good contrast, sharp detail, high resolution

 Subject matter - Mug shots, documentary, ‘grip and grin’. Avoid large
group photos.
 Composition - Simple and uncluttered, focus on the subject, tight shots,
‘frame’ the picture
 Action - People should be doing something
 Components of a Good Photo
 Scale - Important with inanimate objects. Compare to something known to
viewers
 Camera angle - Unusual angles draw interest
 Lighting and timing - Eliminate shadows indoors. Select outdoor locations
based on time of day, which affects lighting
 Color - use the industry standard
PR Uses of Photography

Photographs may be used for PR purposes in the following ways;

 To build a photographic library so that prints are available to meet requests
and for general use when pictures are needed
 To supply with news releases
 To illustrate feature articles
 As picture stories, sometimes in sets
 For window and showroom displays
 For display in travelling exhibitions and on portable display panels at
seminars, press receptions and other events
 For illustrating house journals
PR Uses of Photography, cont.

 For illustrating PR literature and visual aids, including educational leaflets,

folders and booklets, posters, company histories, staff induction handbooks,
annual reports, instruction manuals, and technical data sheets: good PR
literature may also be used as sales literature and for advertising purposes
such as direct mail enclosure.
 For stills as used in television studio backgrounds during TV news bulletins.
For conversion in 35mm slides and for use in slide-tape presentations: these
may be color-slides taken on color film. Videos can be produced too on
the slide-on–film principle.
Working with Photographers

 Finding photographers - Maintain a file, consult colleagues, review

portfolios
 Contracts - Require written contract, deliverables, costs, rights to use
 Photo sessions - Plan to use time efficiently, communicate needs with
photographer
 Ethical Considerations - Legal and ethical issues about altering
photographs - Cropping, retouching
Writing Photo Captions

 Don’t write the obvious

 Provide context and additional information
 Write in active, present tense
 Captions are two to four lines long
 Photo news releases (PNRs) are photos with extended captions
Creating other Graphics

 Charts - To make numbers understandable

 Diagrams - To show how something works
 Renderings and scale models - To show how a finished structure will look like
 Line drawings and clip art - Symbols, designs, objects, cartoons
Maintaining Photo and Art Files

 Index photos and illustrations

 Key information:
i. Date of activity
ii. Date of photo
iii. Location
iv. Releases from people portrayed
v. Names and titles of people in photos
vi. Name and contact information for photographer
vii. Restrictions on photo use