media relations functions: an overview

Media Relations Functions:Media Relations Functions:An OverviewAn OverviewRoberts, Sledzik Roberts, Sledzik

MR FunctionsMR Functions

1. Pitch and place stories with media1. Pitch and place stories with media

* The traditional role of MR* The traditional role of MR

* Work with local, regional, national, and trade * Work with local, regional, national, and trade mediamedia

* Now expanded to online/social/digital media * Now expanded to online/social/digital media (influential bloggers) (influential bloggers)


2. Build relationships with media members2. Build relationships with media members

* Most critical role in MR with traditional and new * Most critical role in MR with traditional and new media members. media members.

* Focus on mutually beneficial relationships. * Focus on mutually beneficial relationships.

* Develop relationship by providing relevant, * Develop relationship by providing relevant, impactful, and meaningful infoimpactful, and meaningful info


3. Fulfill reporters’ 3. Fulfill reporters’ info requestsinfo requests

* Company spokesperson/contact role* Company spokesperson/contact role

* Become a valued/trusted resource for * Become a valued/trusted resource for reporters/bloggersreporters/bloggers


4. Counsel management on media 4. Counsel management on media

* Educate management on realistic expectations.* Educate management on realistic expectations. A. Fairness and accuracy A. Fairness and accuracy

* Educate management on media’s* Educate management on media’s role in overall role in overallcorporate strategycorporate strategy

* Alert management to potential media opportunities * Alert management to potential media opportunities and challengesand challenges


5. Media monitoring5. Media monitoring

* Monitor key media outlets (including blogs) for * Monitor key media outlets (including blogs) for stories/posts/blogs on:stories/posts/blogs on:

A. Your companyA. Your company B. Your competitionB. Your competition C. Your industry or field C. Your industry or field Issues and trends affecting A, B, and CIssues and trends affecting A, B, and C


7. Publicity7. Publicity

* Recommend, plan, and implement publicity * Recommend, plan, and implement publicity initiatives (special events, launches etc.)initiatives (special events, launches etc.)

* A strategic and often a tactical role* A strategic and often a tactical role


6. Crisis Communications6. Crisis Communications

* How you handle * How you handle bad news can define a company in bad news can define a company in publics’ eyespublics’ eyes

* Plan for a crisis BEFORE it happens!* Plan for a crisis BEFORE it happens!

How MR folks complete How MR folks complete functionsfunctions

1. Reading and monitoring1. Reading and monitoring

* * Read and digest all traditional and new media Read and digest all traditional and new media covering your organization as well as all local mediacovering your organization as well as all local media

* Don’t * Don’t forget bloggers and online outlets. (An RSS forget bloggers and online outlets. (An RSS feed is essential) feed is essential)


2. Research media 2. Research media

* Research outlets that cover, may cover, and that * Research outlets that cover, may cover, and that you want to cover your organizationyou want to cover your organization

* Find out what kind of stories they like to run* Find out what kind of stories they like to run

* Then, after proper research, tailor appropriate * Then, after proper research, tailor appropriate stories to specific outlets stories to specific outlets


3. Use online resources:3. Use online resources:

A. To track: A. To track: 1. Stories1. Stories 2. Issues2. Issues 3. Writers3. Writers

Lexus-Nexus, Dow Jones, Google Alert, FB, Topsy, Lexus-Nexus, Dow Jones, Google Alert, FB, Topsy, Addict-O-Matic, and other online tracking services. Addict-O-Matic, and other online tracking services.


4. Ongoing and consistent relationship-building4. Ongoing and consistent relationship-building

* * Understand journalists’ Understand journalists’ needs/concernsneeds/concerns

Know and respect deadlinesKnow and respect deadlines Know what a reporter/blogger writes aboutKnow what a reporter/blogger writes about NEVER WASTE THEIR TIME! NEVER WASTE THEIR TIME!


4. Ongoing and consistent relationship-building4. Ongoing and consistent relationship-building

* * Individualize and tailor pitches to specific Individualize and tailor pitches to specific reporters/bloggersreporters/bloggers

* No mass email pitches* No mass email pitches

* NEVER WASTE THEIR TIME!* NEVER WASTE THEIR TIME!


5. Communicate with management5. Communicate with management

* Compile and distribute weekly “* Compile and distribute weekly “e-clipping e-clipping reports” reports”

* Develop MR plans that help support organizational * Develop MR plans that help support organizational objectivesobjectives

* Talk to management about publicity opportunities* Talk to management about publicity opportunities

media relations functions: an overview

Career