11/8/2010
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Lezlie Goodwin
Manager of Communications
Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters
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Who am I and what is the O.F.A.H.?
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Who are you and who do you represent?
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Why did you choose Media 101?
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?
Create communications strategy/plan
Write media releases, and manage inquiries
Oversee web activities
Produce corporate
p
communications
materials (PSAs, brochures, etc)
Write HOTLINE, a 16-page insert to Ontario
OUT OF DOORS magazine
Other duties as assigned
Now tell me about yourself…
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Introductions
Media Relations vs Communications
Why communicate?
The media
d a release
a process
p o
The message and the messenger
New opportunities - social media
Open Session
The province’s largest fish and wildlife
conservation group with 100,000 members,
supporters and subscribers, and 670
affiliated clubs
Founded by anglers concerned about the
future of Ontario’s fisheries
Mandate to conserve fish and wildlife
through sustainable management and use
Working with media for the
purpose off informing
i f
i
the
h
public of an organization's
mission, policies and
practices. Wikipedia
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11/8/2010
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Exchanging information,
and p
promoting
omoting
understanding and support
through a variety of means
to internal and external
audiences.
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Media coverage influences opinion.
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Media coverage attracts volunteers,
supporters, donors and new members.
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Media
M
di coverage h
helps
l b
build,
ild solidify
lidif or
repair reputations (brands).
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Media attention attracts $$$!
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Media releases are potentially the most
efficient, effective way to get the word out.
Reporters/editors use your media release
as is,
is or contact you to expand on it.
it
Public service announcements, letters to
the editor and advertising are also good
ways to reach the public.
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Media efforts are part of a communications
plan - corporate and/or issue specific.
A communications plan identifies the
organization’s
g
communications strengths,
g
,
weaknesses, barriers and opportunities, and
maps out the actions to be taken to achieve
success.
Communications plans should always align
with the strategic plan.
“We don’t have the money to hire media
experts.”
Use volunteers, and be creative.
“We don’t know how to do a media release or
contact the media.”
U
Use
online
li
resources and
d examples.
l
“We’re not newsworthy.”
Reporters need to fill space. Use a hook.
“We are a not-for-profit so we don’t need to
engage the media.”
Funders, donors look for media exposure.
Traditionally the only way to attract
attention, now one way
A short (typically 350 word or less) essay
about an event, donation, acquisition, etc.
Answers the who,
who what,
what when,
when where and
why, with a quotation by a spokesperson
Has a “hook” that engages reporters
Relatively simple to do and can cost little or
nothing
Ideally, part of a communications plan
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11/8/2010
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The rules are changing!
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Shorter is often better
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It can be parts instead of essay style
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I l d who,
Include
h what,
h t when,
h
where,
h
and
d why
h
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Include a quote or two from people tied to
the story
Include web links, photos
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Keep the most important info near the
beginning
Work your organization’s name into the first
or second paragraph
Add a quote from a spokesperson(s) (if
traditional format, by the third paragraph)
Develop and use a boilerplate
Include contacts for media
Consider “Why should I care?”
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Share it!
Free: Use Google or phone book to find
media email or phone numbers
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Fee: Buy a media list or service
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Post it to your website
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Fax not generally used anymore – cut and
paste option is so much faster
Send it out to all your contacts too
Whether or not a reporter calls, you may be
getting some pick up
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Other corporate websites, bloggers, and
small papers may simply print your release
with or without credit
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Who is talking about you? Where?
What they are saying - positive, true, fair?
Sign up for free google alerts, go to
www.google.ca/alerts
Monitor your uptake–google search is free
and you can set up as many specific
searches as you wish (land acquisition, org
name, land trust)
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The media will normally contact you by
phone.
Reporters tend to be on a short deadline.
Be prepared to handle the interview
immediately or provide a spokesperson’s
contact.
Be sure your spokesperson is prepped.
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You likely have developed a few key
messages to share about your organization.
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Work a key message into the interview.
You can use more than one key message if
opportunity allows.
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Use the interview to promote your agenda,
even if it means you don’t directly answer
the question asked.
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Select a spokesperson who is confident,
willing and able to be your spokesperson.
Be they are informed and ready for possible
media calls.
Review key messages and provide any facts
and figures that might be needed (acreage,
plants, habitat, net value).
Never make up an answer – if you don’t
know, say so.
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Time sensitive - daily or weekly deadlines
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Help keep everyone on the same page
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Can be point form
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Succinct, quickly reviewed
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F t and
Facts
d figures
fi
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A quote by your spokesperson
Share with those who represent the
organization
Try
y to anticipate
p
and p
prepare
p
for the
questions that might be asked.
Be as natural as possible.
Be truthful, but don’t feel you need to tell
everything you know.
Reporters
p
are skilled at drawing
g people
p p out,,
try to stay on message.
Talking points may be helpful.
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If talking to media is new, practice talking
about your organization and the release
content.
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Space limitations – must fit into four page
signature, advertising needed to support
additional pages
Fixed – the retraction and correction are
after the fact and may not even be seen
Not universally accessible – newspaper,
radio and TV are geographically limited
Most papers are not free
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An email to a group (database)
A newsletter, print or electronic
 A website update
 A blog post
 A Facebook post
 A Twitter tweat
 A flicker photo
 A media release
 A newswire release
Are you doing any of these now?
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New media is free, instant, and easy to
access.
You can create “news” at any time, and
update on the fly.
No more missing the daily paper’s deadline
or waiting for the weekly paper to print.
Social media is interactive, so you can learn
how people are responding to your news.
http://www.facebook.com/streamsteward
http://twitter.com/streamsteward
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Social media has thrown communication
wide open!
Today, you can create and monitor your
own media through
g social media.
Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogging and
other social media offer communication to
the masses.
Is social media a fad? Socialnomics09
http://www.youtube.com
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Unlike traditional media where only official
spokespeople speak, in social media,
anyone can support your organization
Other forum users and moderators will
“call” inaccurate or biased comments
You can choose to filter forum comments
before, and you can weigh in as well
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Much more interaction – positive and
negative response to your news via
comments, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, forums
Opportunity to respond immediately breaks
d
down
the
h barriers
b
off the
h traditional
d
l “l
“letter
to the editor” so more “weigh in”
Few filters, so responses can be inaccurate,
irrational and even harassing (use
monitors)
Think strategically when it comes to
communicating with internal and external
stakeholders.
Reaching
g out to media is worth the effort.
Embrace new media – it is the way of the
future, and it’s here now.
Offensive posts can be removed
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Got more questions?
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Experiences to share?
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Lessons learned?
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S
Successes
to
t celebrate?
l b t ?
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