Media Guide 2 - Using the Media

The Importance of the Media
In the absence of large budgets for advertising, publicity and promotion, media coverage is probably the most effective channel for community organisations to communicate their message to the public:

• People will not volunteer for something they do not understand. The more media coverage you receive the more likely it is that when you appeal for volunteers, people will come forward.

• Recognition is a great way to say thank you to hardworking staff and volunteers. To have more people understand what they do and the issues they are dealing with are reward in itself.

• Generating public awareness not only of the work of your organisation but of broader projects like active, caring communities and a collective sense of responsibility.

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Using the Media

Using the Media

Building Relationships
Establishing a good relationship with the media can pay dividends. Get to know your contacts. Do your homework on the most important local press, radio and TV. Find out the kind of coverage (documentary, magazines, hard news), the approaches (features, magazine, informal, chat, discussion and debate) and who’s covering what.

In the absence of a media database, you can find out phone numbers from your local phone book/directory enquiries. If you do not have a contact name, ask whoever answers the phone to put you through to the News desk and explain what you are looking for.

Key things to establish:

• When is a good time to call/when be not a good time to call?

• Deadlines for when they go to press.

• How would they like to receive information (fax, email, post) and what they are interested in.

• If you are speaking to a newspaper, also ask to speak to the picture desk and ask him/her what they are looking for in terms of content and format.

• Make sure you get their direct phone number, fax and email address.

• Keep a record of contact, to you know what was discussed and when.When you call again, remind the journalist what you discussed before – this helps build the relationship.

• Provide a monthly, quarterly media briefing to keep them in touch with what’s going on and to keep them informed of future activity.

• You could approach your local newspaper and ask if they would be interested in running a regular column about the work you do.

• Invite them to events (not necessarily for coverage).

• Once they meet you face-to-face they are more likely to remember you and less likely to say no when you phone!

• Invite the local editor onto your board or committee, ask for advice, and ask them to present awards or to sponsor an event.

• Involve them.

• Let your contacts know about responses to appeals, successes or spin offs from their coverage.

• Congratulate and thank them for their help.

Where possible nominate a press officer, one or more spokespeople and a board/executive member responsible for media relations. The organisation’s spokesperson needs to have current and up-to-date information at their fingertips and be well briefed before answering questions from the media.

Set up your Resources

• Compile your own list of media contacts.

• Start compiling a media resource bank. This should include:

• • Background information

  • Photographs

  • Quotes

  • Spokespeople and their contact details

  • Facts and statistics (about your organisation and issues)

  • Case studies (with relevant permissions)

  • Cuttings

  • Press packs

  • A good ideas file

What is not news?
Just about anything you do can be turned into news. All you need is the right angle or hook to hang it on. Make it seem fresh, new, topical and important – even a cheque presentation done innovatively can be news.

Even routine events and your work programme can be useful for the media. Give your diary of events to a newsroom for their diary. If they have a slow news day, or something else that ties in with what you are doing, they may just send someone along. It helps them keep in touch with your every day work.

How to make news
You need to be prepared to capitalise on anything which can be a hook or angle for your own organisation’s work. Scan the newspaper; be aware of what’s going on in magazines, on TV and Radio. You need to be able to react to any local or national developments which affect your work or the people you work with.

You need to be proactive. Phone your media contacts and offer them a quote, or interview or recent statistics. Use examples, anecdotes and personal experience if you can.

Writing letters to newspapers or using radio phone-ins can also offer you opportunities.

Photographs can also be used to create news on their own – if you have a particularly good photo, send it off with a caption.

Features
Features are stories about people, events or issues which are not time specific. They can be written on topical issues, with more background and analysis than a news item. Or they can be written simply because something has caught the writer’s imagination. All parts of the media will have feature editors, who are open to suggestions and ideas.

We all know interesting people and feel passionate about work or certain issues. Your job is to translate that into possible feature material. You can either approach a features writer with a ready-made package or ask if they would be interested in your idea for a story. For example, a day in the life of a carer, plus testimonials, services available, statistics and photo opportunities.