1. “Communications on a Shoestring” Community News Manager, Media Trust
Sean Curtis-Ward
Community News Manager, Media Trust
May 22nd 2012
Liverpool

2. Media Trust
What is the Media Trust ?

3. Why am I listening to this man? Could this be ‘Death by Powerpoint’?

4. What is PR ?
“The discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behavior. It is the planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics”.
CIPR

5. Man bites dog
‘New’ news
Topical stories
Controversy, ‘scandal’
Human interest
Information relevant to their audience
Experts
Facts and figures
Exclusive story

6. Building Relationships with journalists
WHY?
Increase (favourable) coverage
HOW?
Twitter and Linked-in
Become source of credible stories
Keep regular contact (but avoid sending non-news)
Offer an exclusive story ?
Be contactable after hours
Don’t complain if they don’t write about you

7. News Stories vs. Features
Why now?
Topical
Event driven
Factual
Shorter
Spokesperson quotes
= Press release driven
Features:
Why this topic?
Less time sensitive
Longer, discursive
May not be based on a news story
Can be opinionated, emotive
Has to include case studies
May include multiple spokespeople
= Phone/ approach

8. Planning a Good Press Release
Why is this a story – and who cares?
Work out what your story is
Headline – tell the journalist, but don’t be too clever
Work backwards from your headline
Do you need a sub-heading?
First paragraph explains the story

9. Most important information Least important information
Date
Headline
Opening Paragraph
Context/Facts
Quote
Background
Contacts
References
Least important information

10. Key messages? Always three – people lose interest after that
What do you want to people to remember?
No point in coverage without getting your point across or your message out
Weave key messages into a quote or a call to action

11. Style which communicates
Keep the tone positive
Use an active voice where possible
Use headings to make a point
Cut out unnecessary words
Check grammar and spelling
Avoid clichés like the plague!

12. The Five W’s
Who?
What?
Why?
When?
Where?

13. The Community Newswire
What is it?
Where you can find?
How you can use it?
And Yes, it really is free!

14. or Twitter #seancurtisward – look for Scout,my eccentric Jack Russell.
Go to the “Get Support” section and then the “Community Newswire”. Follow the upload instructions.
or Twitter #seancurtisward – look for Scout,my eccentric Jack Russell.

15. No animals were hurt in the making of this PowerPoint presentation