Media Relations: Sharing of Best Practices

1. Media Relations: Sharing of Best Practices The St. Lucia Experience

2. Outline of Presentation • Characteristics of the media in St. Lucia • Disseminating information to the media • Interfacing with the media • Practical tips Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

3. Ownership • Predominantly privately owned • Few with large capital base • Rely primarily on advertising for revenues Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

4. Technology • Most have made the transition to digital technology, but mainly in acquisition, production and storage • Cameras, recorders, layout and graphics • Dissemination/transmission make use of a mix of traditional and new methods • Analogue transmissions for broadcast; newspapers • Internet Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

5. Practice • Less public service; more profit oriented • More media outlets • More competition • More immediacy • Less quality Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

6. Landscape: Print Media • Thrice weekly – VOICE, STAR • Weekly – MIRROR, CRUSADER, One Caribbean, • Monthly - Chronicle • Magazines – SHE, Home Companion, Business Focus • Trade and Services Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

7. Landscape: Broadcast • 6 Radio Stations – RSL, RCI, HOT FM, Helen 100 FM, The WAVE, Joy FM, Prayz FM (new) • 2 Television stations – HTS, DBS • 4 Subscriber Television Services– CableVision, Cox Cable, CWIN (new), Direct TV Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

8. Landscape: New Media • Websites • Information on Demand Media – Video/DVD rentals, internet cafes • Personal Digital Recorders (fixed and mobile) • File and information sharing Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

9. Media Development • Growth of media outlets has outpaced other aspects of media development • Legislative and regulatory framework • Training and professional development • Salary scales • Local production is seen as expensive... limited in-house production expertise, especially in TV • Generally understaffed, especially newsrooms Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

10. Media Characteristics 1 • Generally untrained and inexperienced news room staff • Generally multipurpose reporters; few specialists • Very little research • Seldom properly prepared for interviews or press conferences Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

11. Media Characteristics 2 • Very little supervision, especially in the broadcast media (few editors) • They seldom work at nights or on weekends, except for shows, political meetings, concerts • They seldom cover ‘PR-type stuff’ before 9 a.m. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

12. Media Characteristics 3 • Reporting for radio is generally done by phone • The sensational is always more appealing • Talk-show or call-in culture for programming Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

13. Disseminating Information • Use a mix of modern and traditional methods of delivery • Always follow up with a call • Provide ready to use material • Be available for interviews • Be available for Talk-shows or call in programmes Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

14. Fundamentals of Media Relations • Know Your Media – what do they want? • Know the Personalities and their preferences • Know what makes news • Preparation • Build relationships • Choose the right Messenger Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

15. Practical Media TipsInterviews • General Guidelines (any interview) • Prepare notes on primary points you want to make. • Know who will be interviewing you, if possible • Determine how much time is available. • Anticipate questions; prepare responses. • Practice answering questions. • Be prepared for interruptions with questions...it is legitimate for reporters to do that. • Cover controversial areas ahead of time. • Audiences often remember impressions, not facts. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

16. Practical Media TipsInterviews – Do’s • Keep the ultimate audience’s interest in mind • Listen to the questions carefully • Use clear ideas, simple words, short sentences • Answer directly, confidently, correctly • Articulate clearly • Use contrasts, comparisons, analogies, specifics to get your message across • Be enthusiastic/animated, your casual likable self; cool • Remember, if you don't have the answer or can't answer, admit it and offer to check the information and get it to the reporter later Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

17. Practical Media TipsInterviews – Don’ts • Guess or speculate; either you know or you don’t. • Answer “No comment”. • Use scientific or technical jargon. • Fall for that "A or B" dilemma. • Accept "what if" questions. • Accept "laundry list" questions. • Speak for someone else; beware of the absent-party trap. • Go ‘off the record’; There is no such thing! • Be a wimp. • Argue with the reporter. • Be afraid of silence. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

18. Practical Media TipsInterviews • Special Notes on TV Talk Show/Interview • Talk "over” lavaliere mike. • Audio check-- use regular voice. • If makeup is offered, use it. • Sit far back in the chair, back erect...but lean forward to appear enthusiastic and force yourself to use hands. • Remember... TV will frame your face--be calm, use high hand gestures, if possible. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

19. Practical Media TipsInterviews • Special Notes on TV Talk Show/Interview • Keep eyes on interviewer-- not on camera. • Smile, be friendly. • Avoid wearing pronounced stripes, checks or small patterns. • Avoid sunglasses. • Do not chew. • Grey, brown, blue or mixed coloured suits/dressed are best. • Grey, light-blue, or pastel shirts or blouses are best. • Avoid having hair cut right before interview. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

20. Practical Media TipsInterviews • Special Notes on Newspaper Interviews • Obtain advanced knowledge of interview topics. • Make sure you are prepared in detail; print reporters are often more knowledgeable than broadcast reporters and may ask more detailed questions. • Begin the interview by making your major points in statement form. • Try to maintain control of the interview. • Don't let reporter wear you down. • Set a time limit in advance. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

21. Practical Media TipsInterviews • Special Notes on Newspaper Interviews • Don't get so relaxed that you say something you wish you hadn't. • Avoid jargon or professional expressions. • Reporter may repeat self in different ways to gain information you may no want to give. • Don't answer inappropriate questions; simply say it is "not an appropriate topic for me to address at this time”. • Do not speak "off the record." • Remember, the interview lasts as long as a reporter is there. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

22. Practical Media Tips • Talk Shows and ‘Phone-in Programmes: • Preparation is key • Choose which show wisely • Agree on subject or topic with host • Little control over questions or comments • Respect opinions • Correct misinformation promptly, but politely • Never lose your cool Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

23. Practical Tips for Handling the Media • Always assume you’re being recorded (nothing such as off the record) • Make notes to ensure you say what you want to say • Ask for time to prepare • If you don’t know, say, “I don’t have all the information available to hand, let me get it and call you back... or call me back in 30 minutes... etc” If you promise to call back...please do. (Trust) Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

24. Practical Tips for Handling the Media • Never “run” away from an interview or camera • Do not comment on what you have not seen or heard – “I have not seen the article or heard the report that you are referring to and would not like to comment at this time”. • You have a right not to be rushed or have a camera stuck in your face. How you deal with it is important. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

25. Practical Tips for Handling the Media • Keep a mirror handy... check your appearance before consenting to do TV interviews (office). In the field, have someone you know or trust check your appearance. • Say just what you want to or need to say... no matter how many different ways the question is phrased. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

26. Practical Tips for Handling the Media • Cultivate relationships – identify someone you can work with, give him/her scoops from time to time... the day will come when you will need him/her to hold something back, just long enough to do some damage control. (General rule is do not play favourites with the media). • Always return media calls. The more cooperative you appear, the better. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

27. Practical Tips for Handling the Media • Avoid antagonizing the media. A short tone at a press conference, during a phone call, or elsewhere can affect your future relationship with an individual or media house • Consider how information you release to media may affect other agencies, businesses or individuals. If you say things that may result in media calling other agencies, let these agencies know first. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

28. Practical Tips for Handling the Media • You can ask to check technical points, but don’t ask to see an advance copy of the story. • Don’t try to go over reporter's head to stop a story. • Don’t demand a retraction unless you’re doing so through a lawyer. (Libel or slander). Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

29. Practical Tips for Handling the Media • Do not pull advertising because reporters are not cooperative. The purpose of advertising is not to help the media anyway. Media Relations: Sharing Best Practices - The Saint Lucia Experience by Roger Duncan Joseph

30. Thank you