How to work with
Media Relations
[!11 Getting the Word Out about American
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American University and the Next Decade
Leadership for a Changing World
Ten Transformational Goals
1.
Epitomize the Scholar-Teacher Ideal
2.
Unsurpassed Undergraduate Education
3.
Distinction in Graduate Studies
4.
Engage in the Great Issues
5.
Reflect and Value Diversity
6.
Bring World to AU, AU to World
7.
Act on Values of Social Responsibility, Service
8.
Engage Alumni in Life of University
9.
Encourage Innovation, High Performance
10. Win Recognition and Distinction
http://www.american.edu/strategicplan/
American University Strategic Plan
Goal #10 Win Recognition
& Distinction
“Our profile will rise as we tell the story of American University
to the world.”
“Increase the number of positive mentions of AU in national and
international media, including on the Web.”
“Increase the acknowledgement and recognition of the university
and its units for exceptional performance or contributions in
key areas of our mission and plan.”
University Communications Goals
Media Placements
•  Focus on Faculty Research, Scholarship, Expertise
•  Positive stories in Priority, Targeted Media Outlets
•  Student Activities & Achievements, Major Campus Events,
University Initiatives,
News stories on the AU home page
•  Draw the reader in: compelling photos, headlines, abstracts
•  Showcase the brand: Learning from Leaders, Active Citizenship,
DC as a Powerful Lab for Learning
Social Media
•  Engage students, alumni, prospects, donors, faculty, staff in
what’s happening on campus, how we’re doing
•  Extend our reach beyond campus
Why media relations, news stories?
§  Strategic Plan: Enhance Our Institutional Reputation
§  New Knowledge to Disseminate
§  Influence the Debate, the Conversation
§  Visibility among peers, influencers, AU audiences & stakeholders
§  Visibility can help with Grants
§  Career Development
OURNAL.
Ap Associated Press
AMER I CAN
UN I VE R S I TY RADIO
msnbc
Targeted News Media Forbes
Bloomberg
Businessweek
FILM
THE MAGAZINE
POLITIC
O
FP
THE HILL
Research/Planned News for Media, Web
Kogod School of Business Auto Index
Frank Dubois, international business professor,
created an index that more accurately identifies
the percentage of American-made parts in
vehicles to determine the degree to which cars
really are “American made.”
Wrote a press release and timed the
distribution to coincide with the major auto
shows, a time of peak media interest in cars
and car manufacturers. Doubled as a
news story for the American University website.
Feature stories resulted in the Los Angeles
Times, CBS, NBC and ABC affiliate stations,
Marketwatch, MotorTrend and Yahoo News.
How We approach Breaking News
•  When the Ukraine-Russia conflict broke, we
contacted professors from the School of International
Service and College of Arts and Sciences to check
their availability for speaking with the media.
•  With input from professors, we drafted a media
advisory with their comments and short bios.
•  Pitched targeted news media covering the conflict.
•  Connected professors to interview requests from
CNN, Agence France Presse, McClatchy
newspapers, International New York Times, VOA,
Sinclair TV, Los Angeles Times and Associated Press.
What Works
News hooks dramatically increase the chances of news media coverage
•  First question should be “why would / why should” someone care about this
research or find it interesting?
•  For national news coverage in mainstream press, it needs to appeal to a large,
general audience and have impact.
Identifying and being part of a trend can increase a story’s news value
•  If three or more groups are doing something similar around the same time and
this is a relatively new practice, then you have a trend story. Reporters love
being the first to cover a trend.
Targeted pitching makes a difference
•  Faculty areas of expertise vary widely, so it is important to find reporters who
cover specific topics/issues. This takes time and research, and is well worth
the effort.
How We Approach Faculty
•  Tell us about your research in advance of its publication
•  As much advance time as possible. The more time, the better.
•  If you have an opinion about something in the news and feel a certain view
isn’t being presented, or want to contribute to the debate, let us know.
•  If a reporter contacts you directly, let us know
•  We can help you get prepared with practice questions, tips, etc.
•  We can arrange interviews for you with other news outlets.
•  If you’re not interested, we might be able to find someone else at AU who
can participate instead.
We look forward to working with you!
Faculty Op-eds
Great way to present faculty research, expertise or analysis
•
•
Platform for their words and their words only
High degree of control in communicating your research, expertise, analysis
Allows faculty to identify a problem, offer a solution, shape the debate, or
present new findings
•
Op-eds are news-cycle/time sensitive
Helps to establish faculty member as a thought-leader
•
•
Read by decision-makers, opinion-makers, other thought-leaders
Established media outlets lend prestige by having chosen the op-ed in the very
competitive space on their opinion pages
Provides wide exposure to research, ideas
•
•
Readers often share op-eds via social media—Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Generates other opportunities
Faculty Op-eds
SPA professor Chris Edelson’s Los Angeles Times op-ed, Obama's swap
for Bergdahl: A presidential power play? argued that the Obama
administration abused power. The op-ed capitalized on his expertise on
presidential powers and his recent book as mentioned in his tagline. (6/6/14)
School of International Service professor Keith Darden's New York Times
op-ed, The War on Truth in Ukraine, explained why Ukraine must
restore legitimacy to its leadership and its facts. (4/27/14)
CAS professor Anastasia Snelling's op-ed in the Washington Post,
added to a national discussion about school lunch funding and highlighted
her research from public schools in D.C. and Arlington, VA showing
children eat more vegetables when they have a say in food preparation.
(6/13/14)
In an op-ed for The Guardian, history professor Anton Fedyashin argued
that while the Sochi Olympics boosted the self-confidence of Russians,
the Cold War-style treatment from the majority of western media and
governments they received did little to strengthen cultural ties. (2/24/14)