media relations functions

Media Relations Functions:Media Relations Functions:An OverviewAn Overview

Eric MansfieldEric Mansfield

The Media Relations Landscape

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dguiAWrUGMM

What PR pros are up against

http://youtube.com/watch?v=dguiAWrUGMM


Where’s the News?


Anything goes?

FOX8 Bear Sightings

MR FunctionsMR Functions

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

* The traditional role of Media Relations* The traditional role of Media Relations

* Work with local, regional, national, and * Work with local, regional, national, and trade mediatrade media

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


• 2. Build relationships with media 2. Build relationships with media membersmembers

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

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

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


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

•Company spokesperson/contact roleCompany spokesperson/contact role

•YOUYOU are the subject matter expert on all parts are the subject matter expert on all parts of your organizationof your organization

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

* Educate management on media’s* Educate management on media’s role in role in overall corporate strategyoverall corporate strategy

* Alert management to potential media * Alert management to potential media opportunities, pitfalls and challengesopportunities, pitfalls and challenges


How would you advise your leadership to respond?


• 5. Media monitoring5. Media monitoring

* Monitor key media outlets (including * Monitor key media outlets (including blogs) for stories/posts/blogs on:blogs) for 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, Issues and trends affecting A, B, and Cand C


• 6. Crisis Communications6. Crisis Communications

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

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


• 7. Publicity7. Publicity

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

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

MR in Practice

No Good PR Deed Goes Unpunished

Getting It DoneGetting It Done

• 1. Reading and monitoring1. Reading and monitoring

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

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

Getting It DoneGetting It Done• 2. Research media 2. Research media

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

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

* Then, after proper research, tailor * Then, after proper research, tailor appropriate stories to specific outlets appropriate 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, Lexus-Nexus, Dow Jones, Google Alert, FB, Topsy, Addict-O-Matic, and other FB, Topsy, Addict-O-Matic, and other online tracking services. online tracking services.


• 4. Ongoing and consistent 4. Ongoing and consistent relationship-buildingrelationship-building

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

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


• 4. Ongoing and consistent 4. Ongoing and consistent relationship-building relationship-building (continued)(continued)

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

* Rarely use mass email pitches* Rarely use mass email pitches

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


• 5. Communicate with management5. Communicate with management

* Compile and distribute daily/weekly “* Compile and distribute daily/weekly “e-e-clipping reportsclipping reports””

* Develop MR plans that help support * Develop MR plans that help support organizational objectivesorganizational objectives

* Talk to management about publicity * Talk to management about publicity opportunitiesopportunities

Internal Clipping Digest

Media Relations

Can you measure media relations success?

Eric’s Tricks of the Trade

Credit to Reporters …

Eric’s Tricks of the Trade

… Pays off!

Your assignment

Journalists and Public Relations pros: adversaries or allies?

Blog of at least 250 words

Take a side and support your conclusions

Due Thursday, 1/16 by 2:15 p.m.

Media Relations

media relations functions

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