In today’s changing media landscape, how can you cultivate and develop good working relationships with the media? Public relations pro and CWC-FPRA member Joe Curley, APR, CPRC, gives some expert advice.
Be prepared to respond to media.
When getting a call from media determine the following, as each element will help formulate your preparation strategy:
- Who is the reporter assigned to the story?
- What do I know about this news organization?
- Why did we get called rather than the competition?
- Where will the story run? National; regional; local.
- When will the interview take place and When will it be published/aired?
- How will this story help our company’s business plan?
Know the inside operation of the media you’re targeting:
- Does your story fit the news or feature format of the media?
- When does it broadcast or publish?
- What lead time is required?
- Who’s the best contact to pitch (reporter; editor, producer)?
Build on-going relationships:
- Conduct annual facility tours for news media outlets.
- Arrange monthly “non-agenda” luncheon meetings with different reporters.
- Don’t hide from bad news and when possible conduct editorial “backgrounder” meetings before the bad news is announced.
- Give reporters story ideas you feel have community impact but have nothing to do with your company (or clients).
Build a mutual working respect with reporters:
- Have a newsworthy angle to your pitch and focus to your storyline.
- Provide/suggest visuals or sounds would make the story come alive.
- Offer interview spokespersons that can truly tell the story (that’s not necessarily the boss).
- Anticipate questions –good and bad– before an interview and be prepared with answers.
- Know the different PR techniques and resources needed to support a print, television or radio format.
- Be cheerful and responsive to short deadlines.
In short … if we manage ourselves, good media relationships will be the result.
About the Author:
Joe Curley, APR, CPRC, has practiced public relations in Florida for more than 40 years and is now semi-retired. He was the co-founder and president of one of Florida’s largest PR firms, Curley & Pynn Public Relations Management in Orlando, which he sold in 2004 and is still in full operation.
Joe’s PR experience spans nearly all business market segments including aerospace, travel & tourism, real estate, professional services (law/accounting/medical), as well as urban development, construction and housing. Joe has extensive PR planning, crisis and international PR experience, is a requested speaker and has won countless PR awards.
Currently a public relations and marketing consultant at his own firm Stingray Solutions, Inc., Joe was retained by Universal Studios Parks & Resorts as Senior Corporate Communications Counsel, international marketing & PR, for the last 30 years and retired in March 2018 to an on-call status to support special projects. He was directly involved in theme park projects in Orlando, Los Angeles, Japan, Singapore, Dubai, South Korea, Moscow and Beijing.
Joe now lives in Bradenton, Florida, where he is an avid recreational boater, and collects, restores and shows classic “muscle” cars, many of which were featured in national automotive magazines.