# Presentation: 304431

## Media Relations

- Jeanne Comerford
- Public Affairs Specialist
- USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

## Develop a communications plan

- Who is your audience?
- What do they know?
- What do they want to know?
- What are their needs and/or concerns?
- What’s the best way to reach them?
- Create an action plan and timeline
- How will you evaluate success?

## The communications toolbox

- Publicity
- Brochures
- Fact sheets
- Website
- Media kits

- Posters
- Exhibits
- Presentations
- Give-away items
- Special events

**Common message, look and feel.**

## Publicity and media relations

- What is publicity?
- Why do you want it?
- How do you get it?
- Do something newsworthy
- Let the media know about it

## Getting the word out

- News releases
- Media advisories

**Media contacts**

**Notes:**
Just like in farming, you have to use the right tools to get publicity.
Two ways you can “get the word out” about your farm’s activities are through news releases and media advisories. Both are tools for getting publicity but each as a slightly different function.

## A news release is...

- Like a news article that *you* writeabout your own organization
- Intended for publication
- A tool for getting publicity
- A way to communicate with your clients

**Notes:**
A news release is like a news article that you write about your own business and send out to the media. Although it is intended for publication, many reporters will simply use it for background in writing their own news story. A release is an important tool for getting publicity since it maintains your visibility with the news media and ultimately allows you to communicate with your customers via the media.

## A news release is not...

- An advertisement
- Guaranteed to be printed or aired
- A letter to reporters or editors

**Notes:**
A news release is not an advertisement, so it shouldn't sound like one. A release should be written like a news article -- clear, concise and factual -- and the topic should be newsworthy. Be subtle with self-promotion in a release.

A news release is not a letter to reporters or editors. Write the release as if it were a news article. Your audience is the reader of the newspaper. Assume that whatever you write in the release will be printed in the paper.

There is no guarantee that your news release will be used. You have sent it unsolicited to a newspaper, radio station or television station and you are not paying for the space or air time. They don’t have to use your release if they feel it’s not newsworthy so it’s best to make it as newsworthy as possible.

## What makes news?

**Relevance**
- Is your news of local interest?
- Why should I care?
**Impact**
- How does your news affect me, my life, my family?
**Timeliness**
- Is your news about an upcoming event or a current issue?

**Notes:**
What makes a news release newsworthy? The three most important factors are relevance, impact and timeliness. You should ask yourself the following questions when writing a news release:
Relevance. Is my news of interest to the community or to the general public. Will the average person be able to relate to what I want to tell them? Will they care? Will the news evoke any emotion? 
Tip O’Neill said that all politics are local. Well, all news is local too...you have to show how the average person can relate to what you’re telling them.
Impact. How does my news affect the public? Does it affect a large number of people? Will my news affect anyone’s pocketbook or quality of life? Can you show a trend? 
One of our more successful news releases this past year dealt with agri-tourism. In it we included a quote from Commissioner Healy calling agri-tourism a trend. That was the element that virtually all the reporters focussed on.
Timeliness. Is my news about a recent or upcoming event or does it relate to a current issue. If the news is old, is there any way to make it more timely by relating it to a current event?
The Northeast Dairy Compact is a topic that always attracts media attention. That’s because it incorporates all three elements. It is relevant because everyone buys milk. It has potential impact if consumer prices are affected. Anything new or different about the compact makes it timely.

## Writing a good news release

- Most important facts in the lead paragraph
- Details in later paragraphs
- Be brief
- Be accurate
- Use correct grammar and spelling
- Avoid jargon and acronyms

**Notes:**
A well-written news release is more likely to be used. 
The lead paragraph should contain the most important facts: who, what, when, where, and why. You can put more details in later paragraphs. Resist the temptation to tell the story chronologically. There’s a practical reason for this: if space is tight, an editor may decide to cut your text at an arbitrary point. You want to make sure that the most important information gets in the paper. 
Here’s an example of what happened when we didn’t follow this rule: our Department sent out a news release a while back offering a free brochure. The information on how people could get the brochure was put in the last paragraph of the release. A small local paper printed the release verbatim but evidently was short on space so they cut the last paragraph. As a result, readers of that paper didn’t know how to get the brochure.
Be brief. A news release should be one or two pages only.
Be accurate. Don’t put any facts or statements in a news release that you are not 100 percent sure of.
Use correct grammar and spelling. Nothing reduces your credibility more than poor grammar and incorrect spelling.
If you feel that your writing skills aren’t what they should be, ask someone who is a good writer to review your release...or better yet, to write it for you.

## News Release Structure

**The Inverted Pyramid**

## Dealing with the media

- Have a plan _before_ speaking with the media.
- Keep track of media calls.
- Be brief.
- Return calls promptly.
- Avoid speculationand opinion.

**Notes:**
What do you do when the media call you? Here’s where the interpersonal skills come in. There’s no doubt that dealing with reporters can be trying at times, but remember...
Reporters deserve your respect and cooperation. Despite any bad experiences you may have had with reporters, the majority are decent, honorable, and intelligent people with a job to do. They are giving you an enormous amount of free publicity and you want to make it as easy as possible for them.
Have a plan before they call. Decide now how media calls -- good and bad -- should be handled at your place of business and make sure your employees know what to do. Designate a spokesperson -- probably you -- that will handle all media calls. If you know in advance that the media may call about something negative, give some thought to how you will respond so you will be ready when the call comes. You’re more likely to say something you will regret if you are caught off-guard.
Be brief. Since printed articles will be cut to fit the publication’s space constraints and broadcast media work with very limited time segments, it’s best not to throw in a lot of detail when speaking with a reporter. They may lose your main point or take one of your details out of context.

## Dealing with the media

- Don’t joke with a reporter.
- Don’t argue with a reporter.
- Never ask to see a story before it goes to print.
- It is OK to ask the reporter to read your quotes back to you.

**Notes:**
Never ask to see a story before it goes to print. Most reporters and editors would never honor such a request. If you think a particular issue is hard to understand or may be misconstrued by the reporter, offer further clarification and follow up in writing.
Keep track of media calls. Some time in the future, you may want to get in touch with a reporter that called you. It will also help in your publicity efforts if you keep track of what reporters are interested in .

## Accentuate the positive. 
Stick to your message.
Keep your cool.
Never say the words “no comment.”
There is no such thing as off the record.

- Stick to your message.
- Keep your cool.
- Never say the words “no comment.”
- There is no such thing as off the record.

**Dealing with the media**

**Notes:**
What do you do if the media call about a potentially negative story? This is especially tricky since the most natural reaction is to become defensive. Instead try these techniques:
If there is a problem, express concern for it. It is far better to acknowledge that a problem exists and explain the steps underway to rectify the situation. That way you’re taking control rather than simply reacting.
Accentuate the positive. This is always a good idea, but in a crisis it’s particularly important to emphasize positive points For example when there is crop loss due to bad weather, provide not only the facts about the lost crops but let them know about crops that were not affected.
Stick to your message. Be aware that some reporters will use techniques to get you to say something you didn’t intend to say. They may ask a question again, phrased differently, if they’re not satisfied with your first answer. They may not immediately respond to something you say, hoping you‘ll feel the need to fill the silence, perhaps saying more than you should. Stick to your message, the way you want to convey it. Repeat it if necessary.
Keep your cool. If a reporter gets testy, don’t take the bait. Remember that the reporter may be under as much pressure as you are, and is perhaps dealing with an unfamiliar subject. Be as cooperative and as understanding as possible.

## Measures of success

- News clips
- Amount of literature distributed
- Requests for information
- Increased program participation
- Increased revenue
- Statistical analysis

## Questions?

**Jeanne Comerford****Public Affairs Specialist****USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service****60 Quaker Lane**
**Warwick, RI 02886**
**401.822.8816****jeanne.comerford@ma.usda.gov**