Doing MEDIA WORK

1. ESTABLISH YOUR GOALS
   Before embarking on a media campaign, clearly articulate your desired goals. The goals drive press efforts—not the other way around. Everything you do in the media is designed to help you attain your goals. The goals should also be realistic.
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2. TARGET YOUR AUDIENCE
   Any public relations effort must target your audience. This is one of the first tasks you must you must tackle in order to make news. Who are you trying to reach? You may have several target audiences who need to receive your message, or you may have one specific audience. The targeted audience will help determine the scope of your media plan. Give your audience some thought before embarking on a media campaign. This is good strategic planning.
   The target group for your message may include:
   Lawmakers, Voters, Women, Community leader, People of color, People of faith.
   
3. PLAN YOUR MEDIA for your desired audience. Why waste resources on a media plan that will not reach your targeted audience? If home mechanics are a target audience, pitch your story to the "Home" section of the local newspaper to the "handy home tips" local radio show. If local residents are important, aim for the "Metro" section of the paper and community press, including ethnic media that may serve affected neighborhoods. Aiming for local politicians? Then stage a media event on the steps of City Hall or your state capitol.
   
4. IDENTIFY YOUR NEWS
   Do not waste reporters' time with something that is not news. What reports, surveys or briefing papers can you produce and release that will provide a new perspective? What media events that communicate real news can you stage? What information can you provide that will present a different twist to the story?

 

NEWS HOOKS

To really grab a reporter's attention, your story must be newsworthy. This list of news hooks can spice up your story and help you score press. Which of these hooks apply to your story?

CONTROVERSY sells stories. Frame the controversy to put the opposition on the defense.

DRAMATIC HUMAN INTEREST. Include the stories of real people, their triumphs, tragedies, adventures and anecdotes.

TRENDS. Stories that suggest new opinions, behavior patterns and attitudes. Three is a trend; find at least 3 examples to assert that a new trend is emerging.

TIMELINES/CALENDAR. Captures something coming up on the calendar. “Back to school” can be a hook for toxic pollution in your children’s schools. Mother’s Day can be a hook for a new breast cancer community hot line.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENT. ìUnprecedentedî or ìgroundbreakingî or ìfirst-everî. Reporters are only interested in new news, not old news. Make your news fresh.

LOCALIZE NATIONAL STORY (and vice versa). Take a nationally breaking story and emphasize its local impact, ie, how a welfare reform bill is affecting people living in your community.

ANNIVERSARIES/MILESTONES. One year later, one decade later.

FRESH ANGLE ON OLD STORY. Take an old story and put a fresh twist on it.

PROFILES AND PERSONNEL may feature individuals, community leaders, or galvanizing spokespersons who may become news themselves because of their fascinating stories.

SPECIAL EVENT. A huge conference, rally or gathering. Frame event to capture the issue and importance.

RESPOND AND REACT to news others have made.

CELEBRITY. If you have a nationally known celebrity on your side, make sure they are included in the story.

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS. Have unlikely allies come together in solidarity over your issue? Highlight it in your story.

5. FRAME THE ISSUE
For maximum media impact. Do you always find yourself on the defense with your opposition framing the news instead of you framing it? The news is not just about your group or your report. It is about something much bigger, with more drama, that will impact more people at a timely moment.

6. CRAFT YOUR MEDIA MESSAGES
Condense your complicated issue down to two or three main messages. Discipline the messages.

7. CREATE A MEDIA PLAN
Your plan will have several components, including everything from identifying and pitching reporters, to placing op-eds, to staging media events. A coordinated media plan will increase your success in moving your messages and having them "echoed" through the media.

 

ELEMENTS OF A MEDIA PLAN

Identify issue
Establish goals
Target audience
Frame issue
Create key messages
Produce deliverables (press kit, report, etc.)
Prioritize media database (reporters)

Note: These strategy-intensive elements of the media plan are what you do before you even call a reporter or stage a media event. Once you do these, it is time to unleash the other components of your media plan.

Write and distribute media advisories/press releases
Conduct media briefings
Pitch reporters
Stage media events
Write and place op eds
Book radio and TV talk shows
Write and place letters to the Editor
Produce and place radio actualities
Coordinate efforts on web site
Track coverage