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MEDIA & THE
INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS
Emily Chittenden-Laird & Captain Jim Sizemore
Introductions
Media Interview
Media Relations 101
24/7 news world
Reporters are busy
Respect their deadlines and communication styles
Building Relationships
Don’t wait until you need something
Friend in time of crisis
Keep key reporters in the loop on things
Become the “go-to” on the subject
Building Relationships
Have coffee with them; invite to your office
Find out what they want (print media needs to fill a
lot of space)
Team approach (especially in investigative process)
Engaging the Press
Develop a strategy to engage the media
Use visuals when you can – it helps!
Always send electronically in a format they can cut
and paste
Use real language – not industry terminology
Before pitching a story, do your research. Be sure
the reporter hasn’t already written a similar story.
Engaging the Press
If your contact doesn’t answer…
Be sensitive to their schedules
Reporters want press releases on the same day as
breaking news – not the following day
Have your media contact information easy to find
on your website
Friday news dump
Elements of a Press Release
CONTACT: Emily Chittenden-Laird, Executive Director WV Child Advocacy Network 304.414.4455 [email protected] FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2015
CHILD ADVOCACY CENTERS SEE 14.6% INCREASE IN CHILD VICTIMS SERVED
WVCAN Releases 2015 State Aggregate Data Charleston, WV — Today, West Virginia Child Advocacy Network (WVCAN) releases its State Aggregate Data for the 2015 fiscal year. The data in the report reflects service from West Virginia’s 20 Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) who provided official service to 35 of 55 counties in the state and courtesy services to other counties. The report includes data on victim demographics, alleged offender demographics, reported vs. disclosed abuse breakdown, services performed, criminal justice response, and CAC income budget breakdown. The full statewide data report can be found at http://wvcan.org/media/. This past fiscal year CACs served 3,294 children – a 14.6% increase from the number of children served
Elements of a Press Release
in the previous year. 75% of the children served by CACs were under the age of 13, and 14% of children are reported or suspected to have a disability. A third of alleged offenders were the child’s parent, and 99% of alleged offenders were someone the child knew. Most of children served by WV CACs were there because of allegations of sexual abuse – 70%. There were 480 cases with charges filed, and 240 individuals convicted for crimes against children. Caregivers were surveyed after receiving services and 99% agreed "If I knew anyone else who was dealing with a situation like the one my family faced, I would tell that person about the center." “As you can see, the number of children we serve is increasing every year. This data helps prove we aren’t done elevating the conversation about child abuse in West Virginia,” said Emily Chittenden-Laird, Executive Director of the West Virginia Child Advocacy Network. “These children need a voice, and child advocacy centers in West Virginia are here to give them one.”
### West Virginia Child Advocacy Network (WVCAN) provides statewide leadership in the fight against child
abuse while working side-by-side with the 20 Child Advocacy Centers throughout the state. WVCAN
provides training, technical assistance, leadership, legislative and policy advocacy, and overall
coordination to Child Advocacy Centers around the state. A CAC is a child-friendly facility in which child
protection, criminal justice, and child treatment professionals work together to investigate abuse, hold
offenders accountable, and help children heal. Rather than having a child taken from agency to agency
Digital Media
Keep website and social media content fresh
Reporters use Twitter as news source
Respond to inquires as soon as you can – monitor
pages
A Reporter Calls… Now What?
Find out what they’re looking for
Ask what their deadline is
It’s okay to get back with them – but it has to be
timely
Remember, you are the expert on the subject
“NO COMMENT”
What you shouldn’t say
Identifying information about a child
Information that could negatively impact an active investigation
Confirm whether a child was seen at the Child Advocacy Center prior to public release of that information (i.e. via police report)
If you’re a 501(c)(3), weighing in on a political race
Varies based on your role, organization/agency
What you shouldn’t say
Personal feelings about the outcome or quality of
an investigation
Sensitive employment-related information
Overshare with your friend, Mr. Reporter
“No Comment”
Crisis Communications
Have a plan!
Scenario
You are the Director of a Child Advocacy Center.
Your board president has been charged with child
sexual abuse. Now what?
Investigative Process
Partnering with media can strengthen investigative
process
Remember considerations for confidentiality
Q&A
Emily Chittenden-Laird
304-414-4455
Cpt. Jim Sizemore
304-574-4216
