Media Training Basic
- 1. Fear Not!There are techniques for dealing with the media that make the whole process much less painful. Sometimes you even enjoy the dance.Dancing With Porcupines
- 2. Philosophy to Live ByFive minutes before the party is not the time to learn how to dance.~Snoopy
- 3. PurposeTo give you a clear hands-on understanding of how to handle the media during crisis and non-crisis situations.
- 4. To prepare you to effectively communicate with the media in a way which will your organization.
- 5. To take the fear out of the words, “Channel 4 is on the phone.”Be PreparedIn all cases involving a potential crisis;You should be the one to determine if it is a crisis.
- 6. You should be there, in person, ready for anything.
- 7. It may be a routine situation, but you must . . Be Prepared!Five Stages of Communication ManagementIdentify
- 8. Who is involved? What is going on? Where did it happen? How did it happen? Why did it happen? Who is impacted?
- 9. Containment
- 10. How do we contain this from a communication perspective?
- 11. Communication
- 12. Internal and ExternalFive Stages of Communication ManagementCorrection
- 13. How do we move on?
- 14. Recovery
- 15. The time it will take for people to forget that it happened.Ground RulesWho comes first in the line of communication?
- 16. There is no substitute for the FULL TRUTH.
- 17. Your personal opinions are NULL and Inappropriate.
- 19. There is no such thing as “Off the Record.”
- 20. ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH! Don’t bluff.Communicating with the MediaYour Goal As A Communicator Is To Be:Understood
- 21. Believed
- 22. TrustedWhen Media CallsAlways document calls from the media, even if the call is not regarding a crisis.
- 23. Make sure you get the reporter’s name, affiliation, the reason for the call, and a number where he or she can be reached.
- 24. If the reporter is working on a deadline, make sure to note that.
- 25. The more you know, the better.When Media Calls, cont ..Who else needs to know?
- 26. Be available and put staff on alert to provide any information relating to the story.
- 27. Make sure secretaries and assistants are trained on this process.
- 28. If the media knows something, your staff needs to know it too!Media TrapsNegatives
- 30. Blind Source
- 32. Don’t go “Off the Record.”
- 33. Don’t say “No comment.”
- 34. Filling Silence
- 35. Keep your composure.BridgingQUESTIONS = ANSWER + ONEDetermine three key points that you want to get across.
- 36. After each answer, add one of your key points.
- 37. Example.
- 38. “Yes that is true, and the safety of our students has always been, and will continue to be, one of our highest priorities.”Do’s& Do Not’sDOHave a reason to be there.
- 39. Say, “I don’t know.”
- 40. Say, “That is under investigation.
- 41. Tell the truth.
- 43. Be prepared.
- 44. BridgeDO NOTCry.
- 46. Get Mad.
- 47. Pick fights with the media.
- 48. Feel pressured to bluff.
- 49. Go “Off the Record.”
- 50. Give one word answers.RememberA successful encounter with the Media is one where you understand there is more than one agenda. The key to doing this is to be in control.
- 51. Determine when the interview starts.
- 52. Get your agenda across using bridging techniques.
- 53. Determine when the interview ends.