Understanding Media Relations

State Legislative Conference

Salt Lake CityNovember 4, 2011

Leslie ChamplinSenior Public Relations Strategist

Today’s Goals

• Understand how reporters work.

• Understand your role in an

interview.

• Understand what makes a

good message and translate it

to different audiences.

• Media relations concepts.

• Practice.

What is Media Relations?• A planned strategy in which you identify

your message.

AAFP Messages

– Medicare physician payment

– Graduate medical education, Title VII

– National Health Service Corps, non-physician health providers

• In general, what is your message?

• What three points do you want to make?– How can you support them?

• With your head• With your heart

– Are they true, believable and interesting?

Getting your message right

What are news pegs?• The actions of nature or man that affect

others

• Who, what, when, where, why, how.

• Identify the events or issues that are news pegs for your message.

• Communicate that message to news media via public relations tools.

• “The were 10 students who applied for the scholarship.”

The News Release

• “Ten students applied for the scholarship.”

• What’s in it for me?

• Location, location, location.

• Timing is everything.

• Include facts, but illustrate with stories

Poll your members

Sometimes the news is you.

Plan an event– White coat rally

Community outreach

Plan a panel discussion or debate

Sometimes the news is NOT you.

• Offer reporters a local perspective

• Monitor the news and look for opportunities to proactively pitch your positions and your experts.

— Lysteria outbreak

— Legislative issues

— Tax issues

Sometimes the news is neither

Demographic, socioeconomic, census reports on health topics

Clinical, public health data

Sometimes the news is neither

Physician workforce, education issues

Sometimes the news is neither

Who are reporters?

• Motivated to help their communities.• They don’t know what they don’t know.• They need stories because they need

bylines.• They are on increasingly short deadlines.

Who are the media?Newspapers

Magazines

Television/Radio

Who are the media?

Online publications

MyDiaBlogBloggers

Twitter

Your neighbor

No.

When reporters callWhat’s your job?

Is it to talk to the reporter?

Not necessarily.

Yes!

Is it to tell your story to the grocery store clerk?

Is it to answer their questions?

Block

Your jobTake your message to the people. Talk about what you want to talk about.

And Bridge

• Who else is being interviewed?

Preparing for any interview:

• Who is the audience?

• What kind of reporter is this? –What’s the medium? The reporter’s beat?

• What is the story angle?

Putting it into action

• Useful phrases– The real issue is…– The important thing is… – We were surprised to learn…– That’s why you need to know…– The point that needs to be

made…– We need to remember that…

• Focus on the message, not just the question.

• Think before you speak.• Headline your answers.• Speak simply

Putting it into action

Putting it into action• Don’t fill the silence.• Don’t repeat a negative.• Never go “off the record.”

Putting it into action

• Tell the truth – even if it’s “I don’t know.”

• Localize, personalize, humanize.

• Repeat your message. Repeat it.

• Repeat it again

Putting it into Practice …