Introduction to Media Relations

What Is It?

In a nutshell, media provide ways to communicate information. We can do this via traditional media (newspapers, magazines, newsletters, radio, television, conferences, advertisements) or new media (the internet, social-networking sites, blogs, e-newsletters). Media relations involve communicating effectively with the media and making sure your message gets “out there” by:

• Writing press releases and announcements

• Creating relationships with journalists and communities that share common interests

• Monitoring press coverage of your organization and issues that interest you

• Encouraging people to feel connected to and interested in who you are and what you do

All media terms are explained in the Media Relations Glossary, found in Appendix 1.

Traditional Media

Traditional media refers to communication methods that have existed since before the Internet. Industries considered part of traditional media include broadcast and cable television, radio, movie and music studios, newspapers, books, magazines and other print publications. As most people use it to find out about the world, traditional media is a great way to reach a wide audience. It differs from new media in that you build a relationship with a journalist, who then presents your message, rather than connecting with people directly.

In Canada, national traditional media include:

CTV  CBC  APTN  GlobalTV  Radio Canada  Télé-Québec  TV5  TQS  Globe & Mail  National Post  Le Devoir  La Presse  Maclean’s  The Walrus  L'actualité  CanWest News Services  The Canadian Press

New Media, Social Media or Web 2.0

New media refers to new ways of communicating that have developed since the Internet has become widely used. This new media phenomenon has been creating a buzz and even traditional media are tapping into social media sites for their own reporting. For example, CBC used Twitter during the elections to get a glimpse of what people who were talking (or tweeting) about the election were saying.

Social media is about making meaningful connections with people who are genuinely interested in who you are and what you’re up to. Compared with traditional media, which reaches a broader audience, new media can offer an inexpensive and direct way to build relationships with people – and there are many creative and exciting ways to do it!

If you have used any of the following sites, you’re already well on your way to becoming an expert in social media:

Twitter  Facebook  Digg  YouTube  Google Bookmarks  del.icio.us  Flickr  StumbleUpon  reddit  Newsvine  livejournal  Mixx it!  Blogger  TypePad  WordPress  Bebo  LinkedIn  MySpace  Meetup.com  Wikipedia  buzzup  epinions  Yelp  Photobucket  myspace  Second Life  Miniclip  Kongregate  Technorati  Blogpulse

Getting Started

The first step is taking stock of what you have and where you’d like to be. A great media strategy means taking time to set things up … but once you find your groove, it can be a straightforward, and even addictive, process!

The easiest thing you can do to understand how media works is pay attention to it. Try and see the connections between media, watch how others communicate their messages, from local bands to large corporations, and learn from their hits and misses!

Whether it’s a bit overwhelming or completely exciting, media relations are totally do-able!

Build a Media Plan

A media plan is to help you to brainstorm, focus, and create a communications strategy. When you have an idea of what you would like to get done and how to go about doing it, things seem much easier!

For help organizing your ideas, check out the Sample Media Plan, in Appendix 1.

Create a Presence

It is important to have a place where people can find you. This may be your own website, blog or a group on the Girls Action website. This will feature information about you, your organization or group, and what you do ... and from there the possibilities are endless.

Google Alerts and News Feeds

Creating a Google News Alert or news feed is an easy way to follow topics of interest in the media. You select the location, the type of publication and the key words and then you are either sent links to articles as they are published or they are collected on a website for you to read. It makes following what is happening in the media a breeze! You can even create an alert using your organization as a key word, so that you will know if you or your organization has been mentioned in the media!

Connecting with Communities

Connecting with Bloggers

A great way to connect with people who share your interests is to read their blogs. When something interests you or ties in with what you do, make a comment and link back to your blog or website.

To find bloggers with similar interests and who cover the topics that are important to you, try these tools: Technorati  Blogpulse  Google Blog Search  Google Alerts

Connecting with Journalists

It’s important to know who is writing about the issues that matter to you and what you do! When you’re reading articles in newspapers, magazines or blogs, listening to the radio, watching TV or chatting to people, make a note of who is talking or writing about what matters to you.

When a journalist discuss something that you like, get in touch and let them know. This can be as simple as sending an email to a journalist that tells them how much you enjoyed their story. Include your details (including your website or blog), so that the journalist knows who you are and what you do.

This little action can provide support in two big ways: by letting the journalist know that people are interested in the topic that they are writing about, they feel supported. If they want to cover this issue again, they can prove to their editor that there are people who care! It is also a simple way of introducing yourself and what you do.

Staying Connected

e-Newsletters

Content can include:

• Details about events that your organization (or sister organizations) are holding
• Features about participants in your group
• Descriptions of actions and activities
• Opinion pieces about stories in the news and media
• Links to fabulous blogs and news stories of interest
• Images, art, sketches, cartoons, comics
• Interviews with local community members

Op-Ed

An op-ed, or opinion piece, is a thought-provoking article of about 600–800 words that expresses the opinions of a writer or an organization on a matter of public interest. It presents a single, clear point of view and is not an objective discussion of both sides of an issue. An op-ed is written to grab the attention of various groups, such as legislators, opinion leaders, business owners, or the community-at-large. It urges them to consider or take action on an issue and can be serious, satirical or light-hearted. It is typically published in advance of a major event, legal or political decision, anniversary or news topic that will likely interest a large audience or create a national debate. Op-ed writers need to answer the question: “Why should readers care?”

Points to consider when writing an op-ed:

• Choose a subject that is timely and newsworthy
• Include a first paragraph that grabs readers, draws them in and clearly states an opinion
• Focus on one idea and express an opinion supported by accurate facts and statistics from a reputable source
• Offer a provocative perspective – possibly one that is contrary to popular opinion
•  Appeal to a general audience with short words and verbs; avoid jargon, clichés, textbook language, and overused adjectives and adverbs
• Include a last paragraph that has "punch" and leaves a lasting impressionⁱ

Letter to the Editor

Consider writing a short letter to a newspaper in response to a recent news story that appeared in the paper. It is a great way to get the word out about who you are and what you do while raising awareness about an issue. Often, if the media get a response on an issue, they will cover it again!

Interviews

An interview offers a chance to persuade a journalist with your arguments, impress them with your knowledge, and amuse them with your wit. Even if you don’t feel witty or able to think on your feet, you should still give every interview you can. Research shows that 20% of editorial content comes from prepared messages (news releases), while 30% comes from unexpected comments and 10% from non-verbal communications (interviews).ⁱⁱ The key to a successful interview is to prepare and to practice. The more you do, the better you get!

Writing a Press Release

There are different types of press releases (news release, event release, social media release), but they all follow a similar format (if you want to know more, they are each defined in the glossary). Once you understand what it needs to contain and you’ve got your facts on hand and time to be creative, you can write a compelling press release.

Nothing beats knowing what you want to say, why it matters, and to whom you want to say it.

Check out a Sample Press Release on in Appendix 1.

Elements of a Press Release

The shorter the better: a press release is typically one or two pages long. If you have more information to share, you can have this prepared in a separate file for those journalists who are interested, or you can provide links to this information in the press release.

Press releases share common elements, including:

• Headline: An eye-catching one liner at the top of the press release
• Dateline: The date and the city
•  Introduction: A summary of the release under the headline, usually two or three lines
• Body: One or more paragraphs that provide details, statistics, research, background and other information relevant. Answers the who, where, what, when, how and why
• Quote: If you can fit a quote in that is relevant or witty, this is often a great way to get a mention in an article
• Summary: Especially important for an event – recap the main details: location, date, time, cost
• Boilerplate: A short description of who you are and what you do
• Media Contact Information: Your name, email, contact telephone number and website link
• Close: A symbol that indicates the end of the press release (usually “-30-“)

All of these elements are defined in the Media Relations Glossary, found in Appendix 1.

SMR

SMR stands for Social Media Release. It’s just media jargon that means making your press release as interactive as possible using tools on the Internet.

To add interactivity, you could:

• Add tags or key words so that someone can find you when they’re searching for information
• Include embeddable video, audio or images
• Post your press release in your social networks of choice with a link back to your website
• Blog about it with a link back to your website

For additional information on Communications, visit our Online Resource Centre.