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Len’s Rules for Successful Government Media Relations
Rules for Successful Government Media Relations
State University Media Relations Course Outline
Gentlereaders: What follows is an outline for a course on media relations I taught at a state university . Best, Leonard Sipes
Please Understand
- This is the world’s biggest guessing game
- Experienced PA people violate most rules sometimes
- Being right 95 percent of the time means being wrong sometimes
- Everyone has biases including the media
Your Reputation
- How the media sees you
- Hopefully, you decide the quality of media coverage you get
- Your reputation (and that of your agency) means everything
- Setting the agenda
- You can’t fool the media
- What politicians do and what corporations do you can’t do
- Everything needs to be seen on the long run
- The best public relations is preparation followed by more preparation
- There are two kinds of truth; 1. What government believes and 2. What any fool can plainly see (From “Call the Briefing”) or bureaucracies lie to themselves all the time.
- Style (open and friendly) is just as important as substance
- Your reputation for honesty will put out many negative fires
- Know as much about your agency as possible
Talking to the Media
- Never lie to the media
- Do not tick off the media unnecessarily
- Treat all media the same
- You can’t spin a story
- Employees and management talk to the media
- Reporters will often tell you as much as you tell them
- Telling the truth pays multiple dividends
- Good government relations people co-produce stories
- Style (open and friendly) can be just as important as substance
- Reporters are looking for is a little respect
- Most reporters play by the rules
- You can defend yourself against unfair reporters
- There are times when the media is simply unfair in their reporting
- Sometimes, e-mail responses and terse statements are necessary
- You need to know how to take a hit (unfair reporting)
- Fewer reporters means more opportunities for relation building
- Talking off the record is a common, every day event
- Your day-to-day media does not want to burn bridges
- You don’t have to do the job of the reporter—it’s their job to ask questions
- The new media (community newspapers, bloggers, social media people) do not play by the same rules
- Reporters are reporters first, friends second
Proactively telling your Story
- Contributing to the agenda
- You need to tell your own story to as many people as possible
- Some in your agency can be your biggest impediment in telling your story
- Your bureaucracy is the same as the media’s bureaucracy
- Social media
- Podcasting (radio)
- Podcasting (television)
- Blogs
- Style (open and friendly) is just as important as substance
- You must tell both sides-you must be honest-you must be fair
- You must be interesting
- Story-based articles and products
Emergencies
- The media is part of any emergency resolution
- Preparation followed by more preparation
- Hold brass for policy
- Equipment is vital
- Emergencies can set a negative reputation for years to come
- Interagency cooperation is necessary
Media Issues
- Issue of press coverage of crime has been with us since colonial times
- Pew research on media—what the public thinks
- Gallup research on the media-what the public thinks
- Know the literature and places you can go to get information
- Simple stories (murders and fires) are interesting stories
2 COMMENTS
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I am aware this if away from topic but I’m researching starting my personal weblog and had been wondering what all is essential to get create? I’m assuming creating a blog like the ones you have would cost a new pretty penny? Now i am not very world-wide-web smart so I am not 100% certain. Any suggestions or advice could be greatly appreciated. Kudos
Hi: Please contact me at leonardsipes@gmail.com and I can provide suggested resources. Doing what I do is less expensive than most people think. Best, Len.