Bush hope Excellence By Association catches on

New rules of media relations

Useful media and journalism web sites

Getting your CEO's photo into the paper

When I picked up my copy of The Globe and Mail, the Reuters syndicated photo of George Bush against a duotone red-and-black backdrop (festive enough to start us thinking of the Christmas season, no less!) with Roosevelt and Churchill, I chuckled. And Bush’s handlers even colour-coordinated his suit and tie to blend in nicely with the backdrop.

This is a prime example of what I call "excellence by association."         ... More 

In other words, get your picture taken with great leaders and the implication is that you, too, are a great leader.

While I’m not opposed to using theatrics and backdrops such as this one to drive home a Key Message for any organization or government, this technique usually works best if it’s a stretch—and not complete science fiction.

Roosevelt and Churchill have earned world leader stature both by their actions and their words. And their leadership has withstood the test of time and the chroniclers of history. The most we can say about George Bush so far is: "the Jury’s still out on how history will judge him."

Nevertheless, the technique of using backdrops for photo ops (at Annual General Meetings, the release of quarterly results, and other major organization announcements) is an effective one. It gives PR professionals a great visual—something that newspapers are always looking for. So, it’s O.K. to stage stuff and send it in to your newspaper.

Saturday, October 2, 2004

Remember the mantra of all media training for executives in the 1980s? "Just get your three Key Messages out. You’ve got a live microphone, a TV camera and an audience. Never mind what the reporter’s question is!" The result of these "conversations" is predictable: disjointed and confusing.

Frustrated anchors and reporters at all the major Canadian and US networks are pushing back on over media-trained corporate executives. Increasingly, I’m hearing: "That’s fine Mr. X or Ms. Y, but you didn’t answer my question. My question once again is …."

Here are the new rules of media relations, as I see them:

1. Just answer the question.
   Answer the question that was asked by the reporter. Don’t deflect. Don’t fudge. Don’t obfuscate. Otherwise, you risk alienating the reporter and in some ways insulting the viewer. Have a conversation that makes sense.
   
   This means more work for media relations professionals. They need to figure out what the likely questions will be, then figure out what the organization and the executive are prepared to say on those subjects. In particularly sticky situations, media relations people need to confer with the legal team to figure out what can be said without compromising the organization’s position. It gets complicated.
   
   Of course, if you find that you won’t be able to answer most of a reporter’s questions, it is better to pass on the interview. However,…
    

2. You can run, but you can’t hide.
   To a large degree, media relations is like a savings account: you make regular deposits in the Bank of Goodwill. This allows you to make withdrawals occasionally, if the organization goes through difficult times. The media might cut you some slack, but only for a short while. Ultimately, who can defend your organization if not your executives?
    

3. Your three Key Messages are still important.
   Work your Key Messages into the conversation; don’t have your executives blurt them out at the earliest opportunity. Again, this means more skill for media relations practitioners; more rehearsals for executives.
    

4. Return phone calls faster than ever before.
   E-mail and cell phones make it easier than ever for a reporter to get a source—and sometimes any source will do. There is always someone who is only too happy to take your place in the limelight. But the question is: will that help or hurt your organization’s position? If you want to be quoted, be available; if your organization has a news story "in play," be on stand-by, all day and all night. It’s a 24 hour news cycle.
   
    

5. Relationships, relationships, relationships.
   The paradox of the Internet, Google, e-mail, cell phones, and Blackberries is that personal relationships among media relations professionals, executives and reporters are more important than ever.

Your organization and its executives need to build reputations with reporters as credible and accessible sources. Here are some ways to cultivate relationships with reporters:

• Establish your organization’s executives as subject matter experts by sending useful pieces of information to reporters: short pieces, with passages highlighted.

• Send reporters stuff even if there is not an article that will feature your executives.

• Introduce reporters to other potentially useful sources.

• Reporters love feedback on their articles; provide insight when you comment on a reporter’s specific article.

The PEW Research Center for the People and the Press
The Center is an independent opinion research group that studies attitudes toward the press, politics and public policy issues. We are best known for regular national surveys that measure public attentiveness to major news stories, and for our polling that charts trends in values and fundamental political and social attitudes. 
http://people-press.org/

The Media Center (at the American Institute)
The Media Center helps individuals and organizations worldwide acquire intelligence and apply insight into the future role and use of media and enabling technology.
http://www.mediacenter.org/

The Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA)
The Center for Media and Public Affairs is a nonpartisan research and educational organization which conducts scientific studies of the news and entertainment media. MPA election studies have played a major role in the ongoing debate over improving the election process. Our continuing analysis and tabulation of late night political jokes provides a lighter look at major news makers. CMPA is one of the few groups to study the important role the media plays in communicating information about health risks and scientific issues.
http://www.cmpa.com/

MediaChannel
MediaChannel is a media issues supersite, featuring criticism, breaking news, and investigative reporting from hundreds of organizations worldwide. As the media watch the world, we watch the media.
http://www.mediachannel.org/

Columbia Journalism Review (CJR)
CJR was founded in 1961 to "assess the performance of journalism in all its forms; to call attention to its shortcomings and strengths; to help define and refine the standards of honest, responsible service; to help stimulate continuing improvement in the profession; and to speak out for what is right, fair and decent."
http://www.cjr.org/

Tons more resources at:
http://www.newswatch.org/

It’s May 2004, but PR stunts still work. Check out today’s issue of The Globe and Mail. As a PR practitioner, you can groan and complain, Or, you can get with the program.

Either supply a newspaper with an interesting photo or make sure there's interesting props and backgrounds if the newspaper sends a photographer to you.  Provide, or help to set up, a great picture, and it stands a good chance of dominating the page.