8.10
MEDIA RELATIONS FOR LEADERS
Contributed by Eilis Hiebert and inspired by John Wade and numerous other sources.Today’s speed-of-light media can have a more powerful effect on an organization than at any
time in history. Positive or negative, media look for newsworthy stories about environmental
responsibility, chemical spills, human interest, downsizing, and especially crises. The media
can make or break your organization’s image. The way your organization is portrayed in the
media can greatly influence public opinion, whether from a “good community citizen” point
of view or from unfair reporting.
The media sometimes becomes the source of critical information for employees.
Unfortunately, they may hear it first in mass media, rather than directly from their employer.
Negative media coverage can have an impact on your employees. It can influence their morale
and how they feel about the organization as an employer.
Ideally, your organization should have a media strategy and effective leadership for corpo-
rate and media communications. However, in reality, organizations have varying commit-
ments to communication, from a separate communications department; to specific individu-
als responsible for public relations, communications, media, newsletter, and news items; to
each department communicating its own message. Some organizations simply do not place a
high value on developing positive media relationships.
Your organization needs to take charge of its portrayal in the media. This tool will provide
basic tips on how to work effectively with the media, at both a planning level and a tactical
one.
LONG-TERM MEDIA PLANNING
Media strategy should connect to business goals. Otherwise, why have a strategy? The con-
nection could be to customer and community relations, to support investor relations, or to
support fund-raising in the example of a nonprofit. Media relations means knowing the
attributes of news, to help the media get a storyand help your organization get a story out.
Whatever your situation, as a leader, you need to be media-savvy. You need to be aware of your
organization’s media strategy and be able to get the right resources in place for an effective
media relations program. This table presents a two-way symmetrical model for media plan-
ning.
260 SECTION 8 TOOLS FORCOMMUNICATION
✔ Put in place a media strategy and media training, and
identify spokespeople well in advance of when you
need them. (Part of this is so you have a crisis plan in
place, and your organization is ready to respond to any
eventuality.)
✔ Most organizations prefer to have one consistent
spokesperson deal with the media all the time, or it’s
the CEO’s job. This should not stop you from hookingWhat to do inside your organization How to become media-savy❑ Help reporters cover your organization. Don’t try to do
it for them. Reporters strongly resist being told what to
report.
❑ Establish direct contact with journalists, at both their
initiative and yours. Call journalists when you think
you have a story that may interest them.
❑ Set up interviews for journalists with management or
specialists in your organization.