Chapter 9: Media
What is meant by the "devil's advocate" role of the media?
"Are they "informing" the public or are they being so negative about the institutions they cover, that they're not covering all the news, but only the "bad news"?
What are several methods of online publicity?
- Paid wires such as PR newswire, Business wire, and Internet wire, disseminate full-text news releases to media, investors and online databases - All these paid wires offer services to enhance Web use, including search engine optimisation and social media "tags" to encourage online sharing - Staging events - Web ebents
What are the several dos and don'ts of interviews?
1. Prepare 2. Know your lines 3. Relax 4. Speak in personal terms 5. Welcome the naive question 6. Answer questions briefly and directly 7. Don't bluff 8. State facts and back up generalities 9. There is no such thing as "off the record" 10. Don'y say "no comment" 11. Tell the truth
What is the difference between advertising and publicity?
Advertising is paid form of ideas, goods and services while publicity is not paid by the sponsor. Publicity is earned and has far more credibility than advertising.
What are some of the key principles in dealing with the press?
First an organisation must establish a formal media relations policy and a philosophy for dealing with the media while keeping in mind: - A reporter is a reporter - You are the organisation - There is no standard-issue reporter - Treat journalists professionally - Don't sweat the scepticism - Don't try to 'buy' a journalist - Become a trusted source - Talk when not 'selling' - Don
What is the value of publicity?
Publicity is eminently more powerful than advertising. It carries the implicit third party endorsement of the news source that reports it. It is perceived as unbiased, neutral and objective. It is instantly more believed and therefore is considered as valuable news. For any organisation, publicity makes great sense in the following areas: - Announcing a new product or service - Reenergising an old product - Explaining a complicated product -Little or no budget - Enhancing the organisations reputation - Crisis Response
What's the most important thing to remember in any interview?
The cardinal rule to remember is that such interviews are not "intellectual conversations." Neither the interviewee nor the interviewer seek a lasting friendship.
What are some of the keys in pitching publicity?
The following hints may help achieve placement of a written release: - Be time sensitive - Generally write first, then call - Direct the release to a specific person or editor - Determine how the reported wants to be contacted - Don't badget - Use exclusives, but be careful - When you call, do your own calling - Don't send clips of other stories about your client - Develop a relationship - Never lie
What is the current state of the newspaper industry?
The newspaper industry was hit the hardest by the advent of the digital age. As readers began to move online, papers were still producing strong profit margins with the vast majority of revenues tied to their legacy product. Newspapers have been hit by rising costs and declining readership.
What is the importance of objectivity to a reporter?
Total objectivity is impossible, nevertheless, journalism should strive for maximum objectivity. This attracts merit and fairness with the intentions of remaining neutral in reporting a story.
