Developing & Maintaining

Effective Relations with Journalists

 

• 1: Understand the media
• 2: Demonstrate respect for journalists’ objectivity and professionalism.
• 3: Learn the art of the care and feeding of journalists.
• 4: Honesty is the only policy
• 5: Learn from those who have gone before

 

Everyday across the country, public policy issues affecting the future of environmental education (EE) are detailed and debated in the press.  Therefore, developing and maintaining effective working relationships with members of the “Fourth Estate” – the media – should be high on the priority lists of every individual and organization supporting environmental education. 

 

One the one hand, journalists and the owners of the media function as public gatekeepers of information, while on the other hand, it is the function of EE supporters to get positive stories, information and calls to action concerning EE to the public and decision-makers. Consequently, the EE supporters must strive to create effective symbiotic relationships with journalists.

 

The challenge to bringing such a relationship into being is that journalists, (e.g., reporters, talk show producers and hosts, editors, assignment editors, columnists, commentators, news anchors) are bombarded with an intimidating volume of information and “pitches” from scores of sources for the sole purpose of gaining media coverage. (See Press Release Tips Article) Each day, the average reporter at a major regional daily newspaper receives a stack of mailed press releases, press packets and other pitch material.  The information assault continues throughout the day with dozens of in-coming telephone calls, faxes and hand-delivered packets.  Press conferences; speeches; legislative, regulatory and legal hearings; briefings and meetings with sources, editors and other reporters further constrict the time of journalists.  Now, the advent of Internet communications means that journalists must cope with an ever-growing avalanche of e-mail as well.

 

Competition for the attention and active interest of journalists is fierce, but just part of the challenge.  Reporters, in turn, must convince the news editors that their story is the most timely, newsworthy and appropriate for the audience served by the media outlet.  For their part, editors must juggle the needs of multiple reporters with scarce airtime, limited column inches and the interests and decisions of managing editors and news directors.

 

In light of the intense competition for media coverage, it is imperative that EE supporters establish effective, long-term working relationships with journalists.  The process of creating such relationships is simple, but requires time, resources and a heavy dose of persistence on behalf of EE supporters.  Becoming a known, credible and useful source for journalists should be among the primary communications goals of EE supporters.

 

While not intended to be the definitive set of recommendations, the following “check list” offers some basic suggestions and guidance for those seeking to develop successful and productive relationships with journalists:

 

(1)     Understand the media.  Learn the “beats” or subjects covered by specific reporters and editors.  Develop a computerized "journalist" database that includes: the names, addresses, telephone and fax numbers, e-mails and other pertinent information, such as the beats and associated media outlet, of each journalist.  Develop a database field for highlight notes of meetings with each journalist as well as information about what stories they are interested in or working on.  Learn and record the journalists' working deadlines so your group will know the best times to call.  Find out whom among your friends and professional associates know the journalists you want to cultivate as media contacts.  If possible join local press associations or clubs.  Ask journalists to moderate or serve on EE issue panels in public forums.  Ask a journalistic acquaintance to introduce you to other reporters, producers, talk show hosts, editors, columnists, cartoonists and/or editorial writers.

(2)     Demonstrate respect for journalists’ objectivity and professionalism.  Do not try to make journalists become allies in your cause, for though you may establish friendly relations with reporters, they are neither your friends nor enemies.  Your relationship is more of a symbiotic exchange.  That is, the reporter has the media or “megaphone” through which you can tell your story and yet the reporter benefits from the accurate, timely and useful information that is provided by the source.  Maintain and build credibility as a source by promptly following-up on promises to provide information or referrals.

(3)     Learn the art of the care and feeding of journalists.  Learn how the journalists you need to reach prefer to receive information and act on that knowledge.  Think of the process of working with journalists as a meal.  Start with an appetizer first, do not attempt to cram every bit of information into the reporter in one big “bite.”  Give them a brief outline of your issue or news items and follow-up with more of the “meat” or core information.  Highlight, synthesize and reduce your information into easily consumed pieces. Try to “pre-digest” your material with one-page, bulleted summary sheets that precedes reports, volumes of testimony and other voluminous documents.  Refine and role-play “pitching” reporters in a concise and quick manner.  Refer to the “Message Development” section.   

(4)     Honesty is the only policy.  Your credibility hinges on one important factor: maintaining an honest relationship.  Inform the reporter of your information release - precisely when will you be able to inform them.  Don’t exaggerate or mislead the reporter about the truth in a story.  Assume that you are always “on the record” when talking to a reporter and act accordingly.

(5)     Learn from those who have gone before.  Talk with other issue advocates and public relations professionals to learn their tried and true tips for developing and maintaining good relations with journalists.  Host a media-training seminar for your media committee or group and invite former or current journalists to speak about how to work with journalists.  Find out how other groups are exploiting the new and emerging electronic technologies to communicate more effectively with journalists.

COPYRIGHT � 2000 SECC