REACHING THE MEDIA

DAVID WYLIE

EVERY DAYThousands of people,

organizations and businesses

are struggling to use the media to

get their message out

So, how do we do it

effectively?

The four C’s of MEDIA RELATIONS

CONTACTCLARITYCONFIDENCECREATIVITY

1

2

3

4

CONTACT 1

Magazine columnist and news reporter Chuck Klosterman

Everybody is concerned that journalists are constantly trying to slip their own political and philosophical beliefs into what they cover. This virtually never happens. And I am not being naive when I say this; it really doesn't happen. There are thousands of things that affect the accuracy of news stories, but the feelings of the actual reporter is almost never one of them. The single most important impact of any story is far less sinister: Mostly, it all comes down to (a) who the journalist has called, and (b) which of those people happens to call back first.

~ Chuck Klosterman, from Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs

Journalists want toStick it to people they dislike

Journalists want to

Push their own agendaStick it to people they dislikePush their own agenda

Journalists want to

Go to the bar at 5 p.m.

Stick it to people they dislikePush their own agenda

Help reporters help you

Help reporters help youHave an updated contact list

Help reporters help youHave an updated contact listReach out when news breaks

Help reporters help youHave an updated contact listReach out when news breaksCheck voicemail and email

Help reporters help youHave an updated contact listReach out when news breaksCheck voicemail and emailReturn phone calls and emails

CLARITY 2

It’s easy for the messageFortisBC has a plan to bring natural gas to Sicamous; the next step is to see if there’s enough demand. In May 2012, the News reported that the energy provider was exploring ways to deliver natural gas to the community. The conclusion of their analysis was delivered to district council Wednesday, in a presentation by FortisBC spokesperson Ruth Sulentich. The plan, explained Sulentich, would involve trucking compressed natural gas from Salmon Arm to Sicamous (with approximately six, 53-foot trailers, potentially powered by natural gas), and developing a distribution to get lost in all the words system in the community through which to service businesses and residents on the east side of the Bruhn Bridge. “The customer would be responsible to bear the cost of the meter as well as conversion of their appliances,  depending on what they’re using… the good news is with customers on propane, there’s very minimal changes required to convert to get lost in all the words to natural gas so the cost would be fairly low,” said Sulentich, noting the cost of conversion would include meters (between $200 and $800 depending on property size), as well as changing over relevant appliances including furnaces, hot water tanks, fireplaces, etc. The payback, says Sulentech, will come in reduced energy costs. She said customers currently on propane could see savings of 30 to 40 per cent, and that electricity is also notably more expensive than gas.

It’s easy for the messageFortisBC has a plan to bring natural gas to Sicamous; the next step is to see if there’s enough demand. In May 2012, the News reported that the energy provider was exploring ways to deliver natural gas to the community. The conclusion of their analysis was delivered to district council Wednesday, in a presentation by FortisBC spokesperson Ruth Sulentich. The plan, explained Sulentich, would involve trucking compressed natural gas from Salmon Arm to Sicamous (with approximately six, 53-foot trailers, potentially powered by natural gas), and developing a distribution to get lost in all the words system in the community through which to service businesses and residents on the east side of the Bruhn Bridge. “The customer would be responsible to bear the cost of the meter as well as conversion of their appliances,  depending on what they’re using… the good news is with customers on propane, there’s very minimal changes required to convert to get lost in all the words to natural gas so the cost would be fairly low,” said Sulentich, noting the cost of conversion would include meters (between $200 and $800 depending on property size), as well as changing over relevant appliances including furnaces, hot water tanks, fireplaces, etc. The payback, says Sulentech, will come in reduced energy costs. She said customers currently on propane could see savings of 30 to 40 per cent, and that electricity is also notably more expensive than gas.

Get your message out

Get your message outBe concise with your language

Get your message outBe concise with your languageBe brief with your statement

Get your message outBe concise with your languageBe brief with your statementBe repetitive with your key points

CONFIDENCE 3

Where does confidencecome from?

Knowledge of the situation

Where does confidencecome from?

Knowledge of the situationAnticipation of the questions

Where does confidencecome from?

Knowledge of the situationAnticipation of the questionsBeing brave enough to say: “I don’t know; let me find that out”

Where does confidencecome from?

CREATIVITY 4

This is what newsrooms used to look like

This is what they look like now

Fewer journalists meansOPPORTUNITY

There are still pages and time slots to fill,

but fewer peopleto produce content

We still have a problem…

Cut through the noise

Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle

Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle Use the zeitgeist

Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle Use the zeitgeist Package stories with extras

Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle Use the zeitgeistPackage stories with extrasUse news style

The more interesting we make the pitch

and the easier we make it to use in the media,

the more likely it is to run

DAVIDWYLIE.CA