Making the most of the media

The media is not your friend – and it’s not your enemy.
It can however be a valuable tool for:
– raising awareness
– influencing perceptions
– disseminating information
– attracting attention

Some key principles in attracting the right sort of media attention include:

1. Choose the media channel carefully
   According to your strategic aims.  When approaching them,
   make sure you mirror as much as possible their interests,
   tone and story length in any material you supply.

   2. Don’t confuse editorial with an ad
   It is NOT guaranteed that even strong material will make it onto
   the page and it’s nearly always a bad idea to harass the
   journalist
   – to see the copy in advance
   – for guarantees of content or inclusion
   – for a subsequent explanation if it doesn’t run

   3.  Be aware of media priorities
   Writers are looking to generate as much interest as possible
   so they often need an angle.  If you can supply additional
   ‘colour’, your story will have a better chance.  Consider adding:
   – any relevant statistics
   – background info or case studies of applications/uses
   – creative, good quality photography
   4. Expect to move quickly
   If you put out a story to a daily or even weekly publication,
   deadlines are tight.  Have as much information at your
   fingertips as you can and make sure that you have free time
   and are available to deal with subsequent media inquiries
   5. What you say DOES count
   Be sure of the points you want to get across and don’t be
   afraid to stress them.  The journalist is unlikely to be an
   expert and may take many of his cues from the info you supply
   It is a good idea to explore any weaknesses in your story in
   advance so that you are ready with answers if the journalist
   picks up on them.
   6.  Don’t expect perfection
   The media agenda is not identical to your own and the story
   may not be written exactly as you would wish to see it.
   But if you have supplied suitable info consistent with your
   aims and the journalist’s needs – your chances of a positive
   outcome are well worth the effort.