ABOUT THE MEDIA
By Deo ODIE
Outline
• By the end of this session, the participant
should be able to;
a. Identify relevant media for their
engagement
b. Have gained skills to identify key
audiences they want to reach through the
media.
c. Understand and have strategies to
overcoming the challenges often met
when trying to reach various audiences
through the media.
What do you need communication
for?
• To frame
– People are talking about poor quality education
but not about the role of reading in improving it
• To fortify and amplify
– People are talking about children dropping out by
Grade 4, but not about what goes on in Grades 13.
• To reframe
– People are talking about poor quality education as
a government problem, not one they can affect
Pick your audience(s)
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Students
Parents
Teachers, principals
Community leaders
Unemployed, educated youth
Education officers at decentralized
level of government
“Targeting everyone means you reach no one”
Working with the News
Media
• Traditional media:
– Television, Radio, Newspapers
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Who’s Who in the newsroom
Building relationships
Citizen journalists
Social media outlets
Traditional media reaching out
Federal, State, and local Emergency
Managers working with social media
Building an Effective
Communication Capacity
• How to build an effective
Communication capacity
• Developing a Communication Plan
• Staffing, training, and exercise
requirements
• Monitor, update, and adapt
Communication Audiences
• Four important audiences:
– The general public
– Elected officials and community
officials
– Partners and other stakeholders
– The media (partner in the campaign)
Traits of successful communicators
• Communicator’s speaking ability
• Reputation among audience members
(trustworthiness and credibility)
• Subject matter knowledge
• Image of authority
• Obvious lack of vested interest
• Ability to connect, sympathize, or empathize
with the audience
Potential Communicators
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Managers
Other appointed officials
Elected officials
Community leaders
Women Group Leaders
Business leaders
Voluntary group leaders
Animated characters
Social Media
New media outlet such as YouTube, FaceBook,
Twitter, and others that have joined the
traditional media in recent years in reporting
campaigns and events.
Internet bulletin boards and other communitybased information management tools have
taken on bigger roles recently in helping
communities and neighborhoods to recover.
Citizen journalists
All cell phone owners are potential “citizen
journalists” able to provide text/audio
messages and video/photographs from a
program/event/campaign zone often long
before the media and first responders arrive.
Most “citizen journalists” post their reports on
social media sites, but traditional news outlets,
especially network, cable, and local TV
stations are now using “citizen journalists’
reports in their broadcasts.
Communication Terms
Market Research
Provides communicators with a much deeper
understanding of how the issues with which
they are dealing apply to the target audience in
particular.
Settings
Situations in which communication occurs.
Factors that distinguish settings are time,
location, and situation.
Communication Terms
Channel
A route or mechanism by which a message is
delivered; examples of channels include, interpersonal
channels, group channels, organizational and
community channels, mass media channels, and
interactive digital media channels.
(Communication) Method
An actual item, action, interface, or event that
communicators use to draw the attention of the
recipient, and to inform him or her of the behavior
change that is necessary (or how to access that
information).
Common communication
mistakes:
• The authorities attack the media and the
victims
• They obfuscate the facts
• They deny the problem (diplomats)
• Communication is reactive and defensive
• No crisis management plan
• No trust in the authorities to handle the
problem
• The CEO (President) is silent on the subject
Resultant effects
• Frightened people absorb negative
information more than positive
information.
• In a crisis it takes three pieces of
good news to balance one piece of
bad news.
• Audiences are less tolerant
complexity when they’re upset.
of
Way-forward
• Keep your friends close but your enemies closer
• Chart the waters
• Ask yourself tough questions and have answers
ready
• Be on message all the time
• Nominate a crisis management team
• Make sure your frontline people are well-trained!
• The buck stops with the board of management
• Media training is essential - comfort in front of the
press does not come naturally.
Way-forward continues…
• Be honest and prompt with information
• In a crisis it’s okay to admit what you don’t
know.
• Communication advisors must be trusted
by the board.
• Be sensitive – all communication matters
have a human element.
Any Questions?
Thanks