Media Relations

Media relations is a critical area in any corporate communication function and every company has a media relations department .it helps the companies in getting their message out clearly and makes sure their voice is heard. increased media and public interest had an effect on business and its relationship with the media.

Business coverage in media has grown exponentially today from what it was before the seventies where there was virtually no coverage at all in the tv broadcasts. To conduct research for targeting the media ,many considerations have to be taken into account and then the company would look for a right place to place the story.


The critical component in media relations is developing and maintaining contacts with the media. using in house media relations staff is much better in the long run than using consultants. the blogs also must be taken seriously and also one should respond quickly to a blog.

11 tips for using photos and graphics for public relations.

1. Make sure you have good-quality, above-the-shoulders photos of all your experts who are likely to be interviewed by the media.

2. Consider asking your photographer to shoot "environmental portraits" of your experts. An architect, for example, might be shown holding several rolled up architect's renderings under her arm. A construction executive can be shown holding a hard hat or other tools of his trade. Weekly newspapers that don't have big photo staffs would probably welcome these photos.

3. Have interior and exterior shots of your company available for the media. The interior shots can show people at work. Please, no cliche "on the telephone" or "working at the computer" shots.

4. Submit photos with news releases about routine announcements such as new hires, promotions, retirements, awards, etc.

5. Pie charts, bar charts and other graphics can often help readers understand complicated issues such as budgets. Offer to supply information to media outlets so they can create their own graphics to accompany the article they're writing about.

6. If you're sponsoring an event that doesn't necessarily warrant a story, call the photo desk at your local newspaper and let photographers know what's happening.

7. If a photographer from a newspaper or magazine takes photos at your company, never demand to see the negatives, or dictate what photo they should use with the article, or ask for free copies of prints. The negatives are the property of the media outlet, and the media maintain full control over their use. If you want prints, expect to pay for them.

8. Make sure all photos are scanned at print-quality 300 dots per inch and available for instant download at your website, preferably under a button called "Media Room" that can be accessed from the homepage.

9. Avoid using big clunky photos at your website because they slow down the time it takes a page to load.

10. Never, ever ask a newspaper or magazine to take photos of a check-passing, ground-breaking or ribbon-cutting ceremony. The media hate these staged events. And don't wimp out by uploading these cheesy-looking photos to your expensive website.

11. Offer an architect's rendering instead of a ground-breaking shot. In place of a check-passing photo, take a photo that illustrates what the money will be used for. Instead of a ribbon-cutting photo, how about a photo of a business person with a customer on the first day of business?


Media Interview Tips

Keep answers short
Avoid “No Comment!” response
Listen to each question
Use “bridging” to move closer to your objective
Use anecdotes
Keep body language in mind
Perrier Role Play
Executive
Financial News Network Reporter
Hard Copy Reporter
30 minutes to prepare
Select one person from group to play role
3 minutes to present


http://www.mediarelationsblog.com/
http://www.aboutpublicrelations.net/ucstewart1.htm