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BROWN BAG WORKSHOP:MEDIA TRAINING
Office of Communications & Marketing
Today’s media landscape• Print/Online
• New Media (Huffington Post)
• Television
• Radio
• Social Media– Blogs
– Pintrest
Where people get “news”
Source: Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism
Why work with the media?
• Promotion of your scholarship or expertise
• Contribute to Georgia Regents University and Health System’s reputation
• Tell our story
Why work with Media Relations?
• We are the spokespersons for the enterprise
• We have relationships with the media
• We have experience with traditional and non-traditional media
• We are knowledgeable about applicable state laws (Open Records Act, Sunshine Law)
• We vet media requests
• We advise on appropriate venues and reporters
• We are trained to handle crisis communications
• We are former members of the media
Timeliness: Why it’s important
• Deadlines are constant
• Reply to media inquiries as quickly as possible
• Expert’s obligation
• Helps to develop reporter/expert relationships
• Media outlets usually work together in which increases your chances of national & international exposure
Media Exposure: How do we get it?
• Responding to media inquiries
• Media releases
• External pitches
• Op-Eds
• Established relationships with institutional experts
• Public Relations Listservs
• Crises
Roles
• Interviewer
– Reporters don’t work for us
– A good reporter is:
• Balanced/Honest
• Quick
• A generalist
• Curious
• Interviewee
What to do when a reporter calls you
• Alert the Media Relations Department before scheduling a time to speak with the media. We will advise on how to proceed and assist in scheduling an interview.
• We’ll ask the questions– Identify the media outlet– What is the story about? – Who else are they talking to?– Who is the right expert?– What is the deadline?
• Relax – you’re the expert, remember?
What to do when a reporter calls you
• USE LAYMAN’S TERMS!
• Don’t “dumb down.”
• Lose the jargon
• Tell it to your mother
• Know your audience
• Don’t assume any prior knowledge on the reporter’s part
Soundbites
• Realize up front that reporters will use about 10 seconds of what you say
• Analogies and visual examples work well
• Arm yourself with some keepers about your area of expertise
– Dull: Premature babies don’t have enough surfactant and may benefit from an endotracheal tube
– Keeper: When babies are born premature, the sacs in their lungs stick together when they breathe in and out. By providing a natural lubricant, through a tube in their airway, we can fix that problem.
Bridging
• Know in advance what you are going to talk about and LISTEN CAREFULLY to questions
• Find a way back to the point you want to make
• Expand or narrow the scope of the question
• Do not speculate. If you don’t know the answer, say so.
• Do not repeat false statements or “toxic” wording
Don’t expect…
• To receive a list of questions prior to the interview
• To approve the reporter’s story ahead of time, but you can offer to be available to fact-check
• To tell the reporter what he or she should write about
• The headline to reflect the content of the story
On Camera Appearance
• Clothing & Makeup
– No sunglasses
– No striped, checkered, plaid, or big prints
– Consider storing an extra jacket/tie in the office
– Women, wear more makeup than you typically do
• Physical
– Speak to the reporter (taped)
– Speak to the camera (live)
– Avoid crazy eyes
– Avoid swivel chairs
– Sit up straight “puppet on a string”
Dressing for TV
• Women
– Bright, flattering colors
– Minimal jewelry
– Flattering makeup
– Professional look
– Avoid busy patterns
• Men
– Conservative colors
– Blue dress shirt
– Professional look
– No busy patterns
– Shave
Quick Tips
• Stand if you’re talking on the phone – it prevents multi-tasking, improves your breathing and you think better on your feet
• NOTHING IS OFF THE RECORD!
• Try to avoid “No Comment”
• You can limit the time of the interview
Media Relations Contacts
• Christen Carter, Director– [email protected]– 706-721-5733
• Toni Baker, Medical College of Georgia
– [email protected]– 706-721-4421
• Danielle Harris, Hull College of Business, College of Education, & College of Math and Sciences – [email protected]– 706-446-4805
• Denise Parrish, Clinical Affairs: Georgia Regents Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Georgia– [email protected]– 706-721-9566
• LaTina Emerson, College of Dental Medicine, College of Nursing, and College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences– [email protected]– 706-721-4706
• Jennifer Scott, Medical College of Georgia (student news), Research, and University Partnerships– [email protected]– 706-721-8604
• Steven Uhles, Cancer Center– [email protected]– 706-721-2335
• Sharron Walls, College of All ied Health Sciences– [email protected]– 706-721-7955
• GRU Paging Operator
– 706-721-3893– The operator will direct you to the on-call media relations representative (24/7)