Difference between revisions of "Building Personal Relations with the Media"
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==The information gatekeepers== | ==The information gatekeepers== | ||
| − | Media relations is mostly an exercise in building personal relationships with the media, with the reporters, the editors, and the producers | + | Media relations is mostly an exercise in building personal relationships with the media; that is, building relationships with the reporters, the editors, and the producers who are “the information gate-keepers” to our ultimate audiences—whether they are law-makers, diplomats, financial supporters, or the general public. This personal approach, which is embodied by two men who have been with the Heritage Foundation for 25 years, Hugh Newton and Herb Berkowitz, has paid huge dividends. Over the course of these years, it has also paid huge dividends for the media world in general. It is largely through their efforts that this country now has an op-ed page in most daily newspapers. This page opposite the editorial page that makes room for opposing views did not exist 25 years ago. It now does, largely because Hugh and Herb made the rounds arguing that many readers do not share all the same viewpoints of the editors—who risk turning off readers by their singular approach. They encouraged the newspapers to make room for differing views, and ultimately the op-ed page was born. Now, all organizations can take advantage of these pages. |
It pays dividends on your personal life, as well. You will find that some of your very best friends become the people you have met as reporters. You may not agree with them on one single topic of interest to your organization, but you realize they are wonderful people and they start to realize that you are too, and it makes them more receptive to your message. Media relations is a wonderful job to be in if you want to lead a full and rewarding life, because it is all about meeting people and selling ideas that you think make a difference. | It pays dividends on your personal life, as well. You will find that some of your very best friends become the people you have met as reporters. You may not agree with them on one single topic of interest to your organization, but you realize they are wonderful people and they start to realize that you are too, and it makes them more receptive to your message. Media relations is a wonderful job to be in if you want to lead a full and rewarding life, because it is all about meeting people and selling ideas that you think make a difference. | ||
| − | If you have a personality conflict with a media person, find someone else | + | If you have a personality conflict with a media person, find someone else—hopefully within your organization—to bring your message. Sometimes you might find someone in another organization that can be better at bringing that message around. The central thesis of this article is that effective media relations is all about personal relationships. When you have a bad personal relationship, then the whole construction falls apart for that particular media. If you know that, find someone who can work with you, or else write it off and move on. Moving on to "Plan B" may not be nearly as desirable, but a poor "Plan B" is much better than a totally unworkable "Plan A." |
| − | + | ==Eliminate "NGO speak"== | |
| − | ==Eliminate | ||
Depending on your audience, you have to be able to converse in the language of the people with whom you are dealing. Typically, that is more than one audience. If you are active legislatively, you need to know the legislative process. You need to know the language that they use. But when you are dealing with the media, you need to know who their audience is too. | Depending on your audience, you have to be able to converse in the language of the people with whom you are dealing. Typically, that is more than one audience. If you are active legislatively, you need to know the legislative process. You need to know the language that they use. But when you are dealing with the media, you need to know who their audience is too. | ||
| − | It is so easy to get wrapped up in the world of NGOs, and affiliated like-minded groups you are working with on a daily basis back home, that you think you do not have time to deal with the language of popular culture. The pop culture is the coin of communication wherever you are. What are the kids that you are dealing with watching on TV? What music and lyrics do they listen to? You need to know this so you can relate to them and speak to them on them on their own terms. | + | It is so easy to get wrapped up in the world of NGOs, and the affiliated like-minded groups you are working with on a daily basis back home, that you think you do not have time to deal with the language of popular culture. The pop culture is the coin of communication wherever you are. What are the kids that you are dealing with watching on TV? What music and lyrics do they listen to? You need to know this so you can relate to them and speak to them on them on their own terms. |
| − | The absolute best way to get the attention, the confidence, and respect of news people | + | The absolute best way to get the attention, the confidence, and respect of news people—and that is what you have to do—is through a combination of this kind of personal contact and to become a source of interesting material for them. This material should be timely, fact-based, intelligently prepared, accurate, and essentially useful. Some NGOs do this extremely well; others do not. And you need to eliminate "NGO speak." |
| − | + | An editor at a news service, when asked what were the major problems he encountered in dealing with NGOs, cited as the first thing when it came to news releases and to telephone pitches was “NGO speak,” which is also the “UN speak.” He recommended not to use acronyms or jargon when you are talking with a reporter. This is totally annoying to reporters and to others who are not part of the NGO world. Most reporters do not know what NGO stands for even if you say, "It is a non-governmental organization." | |
Imagine how reporters feel when they get a news release, or they get a phone call, and it is dedicated to the topic of UNFPRQ21. Mentally, they have hung up as soon as that is out of your mouth. They do not know what it is, and when it is presented like that, they do not want to know. It is alien to their life. Speaking in acronyms and jargons is not just an NGO problem, it is the same problem doctors have, engineers have, and so do economists. It is an insular world where you meet with others who speak that same language. It is all part of the mystification process that makes you part of an elite mystery, but also keeps you a secret from the rest of the world. You need to remember that a reporter’s job is to communicate news or opinion to regular people, to someone sitting on a barstool. Therefore, your job in media relations is to figure out why UNFPRQ21 matters to someone on a barstool, and then you communicate that without ever mentioning the acronym. If you communicate in simple everyday language to the reporter, you will get that, "Ah ha, I know what you are talking about, and I see why it is important." | Imagine how reporters feel when they get a news release, or they get a phone call, and it is dedicated to the topic of UNFPRQ21. Mentally, they have hung up as soon as that is out of your mouth. They do not know what it is, and when it is presented like that, they do not want to know. It is alien to their life. Speaking in acronyms and jargons is not just an NGO problem, it is the same problem doctors have, engineers have, and so do economists. It is an insular world where you meet with others who speak that same language. It is all part of the mystification process that makes you part of an elite mystery, but also keeps you a secret from the rest of the world. You need to remember that a reporter’s job is to communicate news or opinion to regular people, to someone sitting on a barstool. Therefore, your job in media relations is to figure out why UNFPRQ21 matters to someone on a barstool, and then you communicate that without ever mentioning the acronym. If you communicate in simple everyday language to the reporter, you will get that, "Ah ha, I know what you are talking about, and I see why it is important." | ||
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==What interests the media?== | ==What interests the media?== | ||
| − | A second and related complaint was that communications from NGOs tend to be far too self-referential in an almost circular logic. A phone call from an organization announcing a new initiative by NGOs forming | + | A second and related complaint about NGOs was that communications from NGOs tend to be far too self-referential in an almost circular logic. A phone call from an organization announcing a new initiative by NGOs forming "some special coalition to complete a certain task to bring certain results" is not of interest to most news media since it is insular, self-promoting, and self-aggrandizing. What the media wants is the facts: to know what the problem is, and what specifically you want to do about it. Before you get to that point, you should consider why this problem matters to the general public, or to the guy on the barstool for whom they are writing. |
Generally speaking, what interests the media? Tension. Conflict. Blood. Tell them what an argument is about, what is at stake, and who the players are on both sides. Their job is to present both sides. If there is a meaningful fight going on, and if something important is at stake, reporters will be interested in it if you explain to them why it is interesting. | Generally speaking, what interests the media? Tension. Conflict. Blood. Tell them what an argument is about, what is at stake, and who the players are on both sides. Their job is to present both sides. If there is a meaningful fight going on, and if something important is at stake, reporters will be interested in it if you explain to them why it is interesting. | ||
| − | The media love numbers, and they love lists. Though technical research studies are fine | + | The media love numbers, and they love lists. Though technical research studies are fine—as long as they are translated into everyday English—the media will also go along with the "soft numbers" of polls and surveys. Therefore, you may find the media being receptive if you do a survey on a topic that is of interest to you, at least tangentially, and you conduct it in a responsible fashion (credibility is everything here), and you are not asking loaded questions in the survey, or pre-selecting the respondents, and you get large enough numbers. Also it is helpful if you partner with someone who already brings credibility on that issue—either a professional polling organization or even with a newspaper or television station. That takes a little pitching, but sometimes you can do that. Thus, if you can provide the media with the authority of an issue, then they do not have to go looking for the facts. The benefit of this is that your organization is giving it to them and you are regarded as an authority on the issue. |
| − | To the extent that you find a poll that generates interest, you might want to consider doing it on a regular basis, so that you can track trends | + | To the extent that you find a poll that generates interest, you might want to consider doing it on a regular basis, so that you can track trends—which fascinates the media. For example, is opinion going in this direction or that direction? Once you have identified a trend, that becomes news; and then if you can provide a spokesman to analyze that trend describing what is driving it, what the dangers of that trend are, and what the promise of that trend is, you can get their attention. |
When you are pitching a story you need to keep things concise until you hear the reporter engage and say, “Yea, you’ve got me. Tell me more.” So when you are calling up to pitch a story, know what you are going to say in advance and have it honed down to approximately ten seconds. That way if you have not reached the reporter directly, you can leave a very polished engaging pitch on the line and move on. | When you are pitching a story you need to keep things concise until you hear the reporter engage and say, “Yea, you’ve got me. Tell me more.” So when you are calling up to pitch a story, know what you are going to say in advance and have it honed down to approximately ten seconds. That way if you have not reached the reporter directly, you can leave a very polished engaging pitch on the line and move on. | ||
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==Mutual learning process== | ==Mutual learning process== | ||
| − | When you are with a cause-oriented organization, it is important that reporters learn that you are a person and not just a strident voice | + | When you are with a cause-oriented organization, it is important that reporters learn that you are a person and not just a strident voice—that you have a sense of humor, that you have kids, that there is life beyond your cause. Otherwise, they just have this caricature of you in their mind of how you are and of how your organization is. Learning that reporters are regular people—interesting and wonderful&mdashh;is all part of the mutual learning process that helps lead to respect and trust, so important in media relations. |
Incidentally, the best type of market research you can do for your organization is to call up or take a reporter to lunch and ask him or her, “What are we doing wrong? What are we doing right? How can I do a better job of helping you do your job?” It is important to remember it is up to you to fit your world into theirs, not complain that they are not changing to fit your world. | Incidentally, the best type of market research you can do for your organization is to call up or take a reporter to lunch and ask him or her, “What are we doing wrong? What are we doing right? How can I do a better job of helping you do your job?” It is important to remember it is up to you to fit your world into theirs, not complain that they are not changing to fit your world. | ||
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One approach would be to have a joint press conference with a representative from the government, especially if they have money going into a project, or they are making a facility available. Also, remember that reporters in this controlled media are restricted by state controls, they know the stories they write have to meet certain requirements or they will never be printed. To the extent you can give them what they need--a package deal, not just what they need straight from your organization-- you have solved the problem for him and the information goes out. | One approach would be to have a joint press conference with a representative from the government, especially if they have money going into a project, or they are making a facility available. Also, remember that reporters in this controlled media are restricted by state controls, they know the stories they write have to meet certain requirements or they will never be printed. To the extent you can give them what they need--a package deal, not just what they need straight from your organization-- you have solved the problem for him and the information goes out. | ||
| − | Another resource well worth the time invested is having a good website which serves as a great reference for reporters or anyone else interested in one’s organization. These are invaluable tools for NGOs and a great way for really getting your message out. | + | Another resource well worth the time invested is having a good website, which serves as a great reference for reporters or anyone else interested in one’s organization. These are invaluable tools for NGOs and a great way for really getting your message out. |
==References== | ==References== | ||
The foundation for this article is a presentation on October 20, 2002 by James Weidman at the 2002 WANGO Conference in Washington, D.C. James Weidman was serving as the Director of Public Relations for the Heritage Foundation. | The foundation for this article is a presentation on October 20, 2002 by James Weidman at the 2002 WANGO Conference in Washington, D.C. James Weidman was serving as the Director of Public Relations for the Heritage Foundation. | ||
Latest revision as of 09:18, 1 October 2008
Ideas and stories cannot be brow beat, whined, or nagged into the newspapers or onto the airways. The only way is by working with the media and marketing stories and ideas to them. The key word here is “with.” There is not much point wasting time bemoaning how bad the media are and the fact that they will not reshape their world to accommodate yours. Your job is to figure out how you can fit your ideas into their world, into their stories, and into their minds.
How do you go about marketing your ideas? To do it effectively, the most important thing is to get to know the reporters that you are dealing with, and the editors that will be writing the opinion pages or that edit the op-ed pages. Get to know the bookers and the producers at the radio and television shows that you want to have your people on. Though it is simple enough, it takes time. This article provides an overview of how to market your ideas to the media.
To read the rest of the article, please log in using your WANGO membership username and password (using the log in at the top, right-hand corner of the page). Not a WANGO member, but would like full access to the articles in the NGO Handbook? Join WANGO (http://www.wango.org/join.aspx) as an organization or individual member or purchase a year subscription for $30.
