Working with the media

1. Working with the media a presentation by Bruce Hugman Consultant to the Uppsala Monitoring Centre Pretoria September 2004

2. What are the principal purposes of almost all media? • To make profits and survive • To provide entertainment and/or information Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

3. The ideal, visionary purposes of the media? • To discover and report the truth • To expose injustice and corruption • To inform and educate • To empower Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

4. What is truth? • A comprehensive account of an event, including every fact, detail and perspective, from every possible angle and viewpoint • The illusion of ‘objectivity’ Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

5. What is our everyday conception of the truth? • An account of events which matches our view of the world; our preferences, biases, prejudices, or • Events or evidence which can be accommodated within our view of the world • The illusion of ‘objectivity’ Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

6. Everything is seen from a point of view • Personal • Emotional • Intellectual • Philosophical • Social • Educational • Political • Economic Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

7. Those who don’t share our point of view are ‘the enemy’ BUT • Those with whom we don’t actively share our point of view, cannot see the world as we see it and may become the enemy Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

8. The media owe us nothing • We must earn our right to their attention What you do is of intense importance to society, but unless you promote its importance, it is invisible and mysterious Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

9. Hierarchy of journalists • Knowledgeable, dedicated, specialists • Competent generalists • Inexperienced, generalists (often juniors) • Personal and professional agendas Our world is absolutely mysterious, obscure to outsiders Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

10. The media are a fact of life • Ignore • Court disaster • Engage • Court opportunity • Moderate negativity/lack of knowledge • Encourage fairer and more comprehensive coverage • Spread the word The media as allies, collaborators Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

11. The power of the media • Print • Radio • TV What percentage of the population never sees a newspaper, listens to the radio or watches TV? Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

12. Develop an active media relations policy and strategy for all audiences • Popular • ‘Serious’ generalist • Specialist • Professional (nurses, doctors, pharmacists, etc) • International • Adult/youth/children Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

13. Be clear about your messages • What are the primary, key points you wish to communicate? • What are the issues that matter to journalists and their audiences? • What is the key background information needed to understand your messages? Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

14. Get to know key editors and journalists • Meet and brief regularly • Spread the word • Identify common agendas • Educate and inform • Provide background and context • Have allies in crisis • Take risks: off the record • Provide formal education and training Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

15. Methods • Cultivating relationships • News releases • News conferences • Sharing events and practice • Features • Availability for enquiry • Education and training Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

16. News releases • Clear, brief and effective message • Lead with the message • Write for the journalist • Provide technical detail and background in Notes to Editors • Include quotations or examples • Include pictures or graphics • Provide for follow-up enquiries • Seek feedback Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

17. Interviews • Be clear about the purpose of the interview • Be clear about your key points • Use simple language • Remain calm, relaxed and friendly • NEVER say ‘No comment’: explain problems with sensitive information • Take questions as prompts for your key points • Convey concern and commitment Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

18. Events • Conferences and briefings • Launches • Field trips: clinics, hospitals, labs, courses • Meeting VIPs, patients, clinicians • Training courses for journalists • Regular informal contact Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

19. Critical failures • Not having an active media relations strategy • Not engaging with journalists • Not taking initiatives • Being defensive or evasive • Not being available • Being invisible • Fear of debate or controversy Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

20. ‘Bad press’ results from: • Bad decisions • Dubious or corrupt behaviour • Unpopular decisions • Apparently arbitrary decisions • Unexplained decisions • Decisions implying conspiracy • Complex messages • Lack of context, background • Secrecy, evasiveness, defensiveness Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

21. Key messages • Develop a media relations strategy • Select, educate and train your internal media contact people • Get to know editors and journalists • Establish open, collaborative relationships • Keep in touch • Spread the word; clear messages • NEVER say ‘No comment’ Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004

22. The End Bruce Hugman/UMC – Pretoria 2004