COALFIELD COMMUNICATIONS Working with the News Media Part 2 Laying the Groundwork - Getting Your Story Out

Overview Basics of Press Policy Press Spokespeople Building good press relationships Tools Developing your message Talking to the Press First steps you can take

Press Policy Discussion

Press Policy Discussion

OSM’s Press Policy in a Nutshell Please Call Home! Report all press inquiries to the Office of Communications, either before or after responding. Use Your Head. If you are sure you are the best person to respond to a reporter’s questions, and the situation makes it necessary, it’s okay to respond to reporters and then call the Office of Communications. Ask For Help. If you’re not sure you’re the best person, if you don’t know the answer, if you’re not sure you know everything you need to, or if you’re just not sure what to do, call your supervisor or the Office of Communications to get help.

Spokespeople

Who is the best person to talk to the press?

Full-time, trained press spokespeople Part-time spokespeople: Managers Experts Those who are “stuck with it.”Spokespeople

Who is the best person to talk to the press? Agency Director Regional Director Field Office Director Program Director Team Leader Technical Expert Administrative Staff Public Affairs Officer Policy Facts Statistics Insight Background Politics Analysis Opinion Public Information Copies of documents

Building Good Press Relationships

Contact -- Get to know who’s who in the media Keep Track – Know what they need and want Relationship -- Establish a comfortable relationship Make yourself useful - Be a resource Keep it alive – Provide information regularly Who is scarier? The reporter you know or the reporter you don’t know?

Feed the animals – be a resource

Press relationship survival tips Be accessible Do reporters know how to contact you? Always return phone calls If we don’t tell our own story, who will? Know the media’s format and ground rules. Make promises and keep them It’s okay to say “I don’t know.” Never lie (even indirectly)

Tools

Press Kit One-page agency overview “Fast facts” Officials, press contacts Goals Values History Message Photos, graphics

Other tools and tips Web pages Concise fact sheets on issues List of staff who are good at interviews Up-to-date facts by your phone Updated list of successes Be prepared with visuals Steal good ideas that work What else?

Message

A concise point you want the audience to know and remember A concise point you want the audience to know and remember Tells why the issue/program/etc is important in the audience’s world. Tells why the issue/program/etc is important in the audience’s world. Is the key point(s) you are going to get across no matter what! Is the key point(s) you are going to get across no matter what! What is a “message?”

What you do – “We bring good things to life” What you do – “We bring good things to life” What you stand for – “Truth, Justice, the American Way” What you stand for – “Truth, Justice, the American Way” What you offer – “Low prices every day” What you offer – “Low prices every day” What your customers expect – “Protect and Serve” What your customers expect – “Protect and Serve” What is your message? Discussion

What you do ? What you do ? What you stand for? What you stand for? What you offer? What you offer? What can your customers expect? What can your customers expect? What is your message? Discussion

1. News release 2. Talking Points 3. Qs and As Three Keys to “Speaking with one voice”

If you can talk to a teenager, you can talk to a reporter. Talking to the Press

Determine what Message you want to get across. Stick to it. Make a list of Talking Points before the interview. Think about the Questions you will be asked and what your Answers should be. Before the interview:

Listen to the question before you try to answer. Bridge from a negative question to a positive answer. Use plain language – no acronyms or jargon. Be brief. When you run out of things to say – shut up! Avoid “off the record” comments. Never say “no comment.”

First Steps

Study your agency – what do you do? Develop key messages to tell your story Study the press – who covers you? Create a press kit to introduce yourself Other ideas Schedule a “press day” Invite reporters to “ride along” Arrange an editorial board meeting

Your Message

Talking Points Exercise Each team works with the “worst case scenario” from the prior public meetings discussion. The situation is you’ve just left the worst case scenario public meeting and are ambushed by the press outside. Prepare 1-3 talking points to use with press covering your worst case scenario. If possible, develop 1-3 Qs and As

Quick keys to Survival Do the right thing. Get your story straight. Tell the right people.