Working
with Press Releases
Draft press
release using "Tips
for Writing a Press Release".
Decide the format: short - 5Ws or longer-paragraph form, one page.
Get approvals from the appropriate supervisor (Principal or Department
Head).
Use the Public Affairs Media
Directory, to select the media in the appropriate geographical areas.
Create your own email distribution list. Not all releases should necessarily
go to all media. (Contact Public
Affairs for assistance with media email distribution lists if needed.)
If possible, prior to sending the releases, make telephone contact with
someone at the media location indicating that you are sending a press
release and either they may call to follow up or you will follow up
when they receive it to answer any questions they may have. Keep notes
of the contact names.
Email (or fax) the press release to the media locations in a time window
of one week to two days prior to the event -- longer lead time for major
events. Keep track of who it was sent to.
Call the media contact at each location to ascertain whether they will
use the story and whether they need any additional information.
Continue to develop relationships with the media contact you work with
to keep them aware of the newsworthy (important and interesting) activities
at your school.
Once you send a press release, always be available to work with the
media on covering the story.
BACK
TO TOP |
Being
Tape-Recorded for Print Interviews
When you
are being interviewed by reporters for the print media, primarily The
Palm Beach Post and the Sun-Sentinel, please be aware that the reporter
may ask for permission to tape record the interview. There are two possible
reasons for this request, and you should ask why and be comfortable
with the reason before consenting.
News partners
The first possible reason is that both Post and Sun-Sentinel have "media
partners" in the market. The Post shares news with Channel 12 News
and WJNO Radio 1290. The Sun-Sentinel shares its news with Channel 5
and WFTL Radio 850. (These newspapers also receive news from their radio
and TV partners.) When they record you, they use you quote in their
newspaper story and give your audio taped comments to their radio news
partners. It is rare that the TV stations would use your voice only,
but if the story is important enough, and the TV stations cannot physically
get to you for an interview, they will use voice only with a picture
of you or the news scene with your name at the bottom.
Note taking
The second possible reason for taping you may be that the reporter will
use the recording for note taking purposes. New reporters may use this
more extensively because it is difficult for them to understand or follow
unfamiliar or new information. Florida law requires that individuals
being recorded over the telephone give consent.
What to do
Ask why they are requesting to record you. Remember that any conversation
with the media is on the record. It is also an "opportunity"
for us to tell our story and get our positive messages to the public,
even in the context of a "negative" story. It is far better
to participate in the story than not if we want our stakeholders to
get a balanced story.
If the reporter is vague or will not share the reasons (unlikely, given
our excellent local media relations), you have the right to refuse,
saying, "I'm sorry, I'm not comfortable with that at this time.
Help me understand the reason, and I will consider it." Usually,
they will then tell you rather than lose the interview.
Be prepared, or slow it down
At all times, you should have at the ready, 2- 4 positive message points
regarding the situation at hand for any interview. If you don't have
them, slow the process down, briefly-even 5-10 minutes, consult who
you need to consult, compose the messages and call back as soon as possible
or by the deadline. Work your message points into your answers to their
questions using bridging techniques, such as, "...at the same time..."
or "...on that subject..." or "...to prevent this from
happening again, we have taken these steps...."
Seize the moment
If you don't say it, they can't use it. That works both ways-for good
news and bad. For good news, after the interview is over is usually
too late to say what you intended to say but didn't seize the moment
or you forgot. For other news, as Dr. Johnson reminds us, if you say
something... wrong, you own it. So, have a plan.
As always, Public Affairs is always available at 434-8228, or my cell
phone is 723-3555, to help you through any media situation.
Nat Harrington
Chief Public Information Officer
BACK
TO TOP |
