Massaging the Media

By Hélèna Katz

The man on the other end of the telephone wanted to know why the newspaper for which I worked covered holocaust commemorations more extensively than it did the anniversary of the Armenian genocide. As a reporter who had been sent out to cover the holocaust commemoration by the assignment editor, I wasn’t privy to exactly how this particular news decision was made - but I had some ideas.

There are many things that factor into a decision about what the media cover and how they do it. But my first question was: Were we told about the event ahead of time, and given enough information to properly evaluate its newsworthiness? As I explained to my caller, doing a good job of letting the media know about your event or position on a "hot" issue is key to getting good media coverage. "We can’t consider whether to cover something if we don’t know that it’s happening," I said.

When you work for a non-profit organization, the way to use the media to get your message out is by understanding how they operate. That means a well-crafted and well-timed message. Don’t expect media coverage - earn it with a well-told story. It’s important to understand that not
everything you do is newsworthy.

Effective media publicity is planned in advance and properly timed. It’s also integrated into the overall planning of an event or part of a general communications strategy. Since 70 to 80 per cent of news stories originate through public relations contact, it’s particularly important to maintain a positive attitude towards journalists and understand how the media operate.

The essential ingredients of a good media relations program are: advance planning - not last-minute scrambles; being organized; executing your plan; and evaluating your implementation of it and the ensuing coverage you received. A well-planned program will help your organization get better media coverage, because you’re taking into account your organization’s needs and those of the media right from the beginning.

Here are a few ways to improve your media relations program:

- Keep your eyes out for national stories that have a local impact on or tie-in to the issues your organization works on. When a private member’s bill was to be introduced in the House of Commons to legalize marijuana, I got a client, the head of a drug rehabilitation centre, on the supper-hour newscast, commenting on the proposal.

- Don’t overlook community and alternative newspapers in your efforts to get coverage. Bigger media outlets sometimes use them as a source of story ideas.

- When talking about an issue, focus on the impact it has on people’s lives. People don’t get excited by facts, figures or pie charts.

- Don’t beg or complain to get media coverage. It looks unprofessional. Concentrate on how to package your idea so that it has the best chance of attracting the media’s attention.

- Don’t flood the media with news releases and telephone calls. It will irritate journalists and make you look like you don’t know what is newsworthy. As a rule of thumb, stop and ask yourself why your piece of news would be of interest to people outside your organization

- Update your media lists every 6 to 12 months.

- If something is "off the record," be sure you’ve told the reporter that before giving him or her the information. Be aware that the reporter may still use the information but without attributing it to you.

- Don’t assume all journalists are out to make you look bad or to sensationalize your story. Except for the odd few, they’re just trying to do their job. Being antagonistic towards reporters is not a good idea. Journalists are people too, and our attitude towards them won’t go unnoticed.

- Don’t assume that a journalist knows everything. They generally cover different stories each day and don’t know as much about the topic as you do. That’s why they’re interviewing you.

- When you send out a news release, be sure someone is available to answer reporters’ questions.

- Keep a binder of clippings to see where you get coverage.

- Don’t ask a reporter to show you the final story before he or she files it. The reporter works for an editor - not for you.

- If a mistake appears in print, don’t assume it’s the journalist’s fault. It may have been inadvertently inserted by the editor who edited the story.
Journalists rarely see the edited version of their story before it goes to print.

- Be mindful of reporters’ deadlines. It’s really annoying to get a call back from someone a week after calling them for information and an interview for a story.


By being proactive, you’re seizing the opportunity to tell your story before someone else does. If someone else tells your story first, he or she might not convey your message - or, worse yet, might get it wrong. A planned program also gives you a chance to present your issues and
organization in a positive light. You will never be able to control the media, but good media skills will help you to even the odds.

(This article is an excerpt from "Get a Piece of the Media Pie: How to Get the Media to Carry your Message", a handbook by Hélèna Katz, available for $17.50 (including postage) from: Katz Communications, (514) 271-5642; e-mail: hkatz@web.net.)