Media Relations
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Why the media?
“Media has such a tremendous potential for
helping us achieve our goals, in part by helping us
counter those who oppose our vision, that we
have to embrace the creative process of getting
our message out and establishing our own
symbols and labels to reframe public policy
debate”
Michael Pertschuk and Phillip Wilbur
The Advocacy Institute
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Purpose and goals of media
relations
• The goal of media relations is not media
coverage or even individual change but policy
change.
• Getting the information out is not enough. We
have to change the system, the environment
and the policies.
• Reporters’ goal: To tell a factual, objective and
interesting story.
• Advocate’s goal: To get the media’s attention
so a specific message can be relayed.
• What else?
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Purpose and goals of media
relations (2)
• Media relations is about targeting the two or
three per hundred who will get involved and
make a difference.
• It is about starting a chain reaction and reaching
a critical mass.
• The primary task of media relations is to focus
the spotlight on an issue and hold it there until
the public acknowledges it and takes action!
• Media relations provides a framework for
moving the public discussion from a primary
focus on the behavior of the individuals to the
behavior of policy makers and corporate
executives.
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Expected media relations
outcomes
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Achieve the change you identified as your goal
Build leadership
Build a team spirit
Expand membership
Build a sense of community
Create a sense of power
What else?
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How to involve the media
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Establishing a personal relationship
Letters, telephone calls, office calls
Invitations to high profile events
Orientation seminars
In-country site visits
Interviews with high-profile people
Regular dissemination of up-to-date information
or data
• How else?
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Approaches to media relations
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Press releases/news briefs
Paid advertisements
Public service announcements
Press conferences
Photos
Fact sheets
Profiles of local people
Appearances on talk shows
Opinion pieces/editorials
Letters to the media editors
Staged events
How else?
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Tips for media relations
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Small stories matter
Prepare your contact person
Respect deadlines
You can’t control the media
Never give incorrect information
Consider the medium - TV is visual!
Don’t be discouraged
E.t.c…..what else?
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A successful advocacy campaign
doesn’t make friends...
It makes enemies.
It points the finger,
names names and starts a fight.
It tells us who is responsible and
how to fight back.
It tells us which side we’re on.
- Public Media Center
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THANK YOU
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