Building Relations with the Media With examples from Statistics Slovenia and Statistics Finland

1. Building Relations with the MediaWith examples from Statistics Slovenia and Statistics Finland Complementary material for theUNECE / UNFPA Seminar on Census Dissemination and Communication Courtesy to Jussi Melkas, Development Manager, Statistics FinlandGeneva 27 – 28 June 2011 Petteri Baer, Marketing Manager, Statistics Finland

2. Examples of well working media relations • Press releases • Statistics Slovenia  See! • Media relations approach, follow-up of media relations and Publication Calendar • Statistics Finland • Naturally there are others • Basic Publication Calendar – almost in all participating NSIs • Press releases • Statistics Canada, ABS, all Scandinavian NSIs Petteri Baer

3. Why Statistics Slovenia deserves to be mentioned? • Well structured press releases • Headline • Ingress/Introduction • Basic text • Graphs and visual presentations • Links to additional information • Possibility to sign up to receive press releases by e-mail by sphere of interest – good categorization of the supply Petteri Baer

4. Why Statistics Slovenia deserves to be mentioned? • They follow the golden KISS rule • Keep • It • Short and • Simple Petteri Baer

5. Why Statistics Finland deserves to be mentioned? • Relaxed general attitude built on mutual trust with the Media • We have developed the Publication Calendar to be the backbone of our main and very modern publication activities in a very systematic way with an extensive use of XML, graphics, GIS and databases  See! • This dates back to a long tradition – Publication Calendars have been in use already since the 1980’ies • The present practices introduce the electronic era in real terms Petteri Baer

6. Finnish stereotype of a statistician • Produces figures on something that is not important • Too many theoretical concepts and indexes, out of touch with reality • Statistics is a special brand of history that has nothing relevant to say about the present • Says nothing or, if does, denies it in the next sentence

7. Finnish stereotype of a journalist • Short memory and always in a hurry • Moving in crowds, only one thing at a time seems to be interesting • Bad news is good news • No methodological knowledge

8. Instead of stereotypes... • We should understand that statistics and journalism are two useful institutions/professions which collect and process information on society and different phenomena • Statistics and journalism have different kind of theoretical foundations and culture, of which neither is false or true • Both are useful and inevitable parts of society • We should strive for co-operation and possibly synthesis Petteri Baer

9. STATISTICAL OFFICE Systematic Condensed info Standardising Mathematics Indexes, Indicators Descriptive Conservative, Time series oriented MEDIA Intuitive Condensed (not as much) Free-form Humanities Typical cases Searching for answers Oriented towards change, News and scoop oriented Two Cultures Petteri Baer

10. The Statistical Agency needs good publicity... • for the same reasons as any organisation: • in order to guarantee fiscal resources • in order to get good employees • in order to get customers • for some reasons of its own: • in order to get good data • in order to be trusted - statistics has to be trusted • in order to serve the public discussion with the data it can provide Petteri Baer

11. Journalism needs good statistics… • Because media constantly gives a picture of short term fluctuations in society • Because media offers the public facts and information for understanding and analysing social problems, trends in economy & structure of society • Because statistics validate or do not validate single observations, which journalists make • Because statistics are based on concepts and classifications which help to analyse society Petteri Baer

12. What is the outcome/experience in Statistics Finland? • More than 50 experts are giving statements on Statistics Finland’s statistics to the media, press and TV • About 750 statistical releases and 70 press releases are published annually, and almost all get a fairly good publicity • 3 000 - 4 000 special news stories published annually in the 35 largest newspapers of the country + some abroad • Less than 1 % of the special news stories included in the last 10 years criticism: politically sensitive questions (unemployment, regional development), obvious errors Petteri Baer

13. What is the outcome/experience in Statistics Finland? (Continued) • Surveys among the Finnish journalists tell that Statistics Finland is evaluated as one of the best sources of information for them • Continuous development of customer contacts to different parts of the media

14. Familiarity of Statistics Finland 1975–2011 Sources: TNS-Gallup Finland Ltd. and Taloustutkimus Ltd. Petteri Baer

15. Reliability of Statistics Finland’s statistics

16. Statistics Finland's usefulness

17. Basic principles of communicating about statistics at Statistics Finland – or anywhere... • Reliability • Timeliness • Impartiality • Clarity • Objectivity • Confidentiality • Relevance

18. Proactive measures in media relations at Statistics Finland • Organise visits and education • Focus on the most important groups • television, major newspapers, business periodicals • economic, science reporters • Present data sources and service possibilities, tell how to read statistics, discuss also methodological difficulties • Be informal • Give special service to every journalist in need of it • Build friendships but do not favour any partner Petteri Baer

19. The effects of media operations are monitored • Systematic follow-up of media reactions • Thematic classification • Attitude classification • Make statistics on the feedback and analyse what should be done better in the future • Pick out stories needing immediate reaction • Compile a collection of interesting stories and distribute them in your office Petteri Baer

20. Rules of reaction to media at Statistics Finland • Be active • Don’t be aggressive • Be honest, admit you faults • Avoid taking a stand on social problems • You can react both in public and in private Petteri Baer

21. A word of warning to statisticians: • Everything you say can be used as a story • The task of a journalist is to make a good story - nothing more

22. Advice for Finnish journalists making a story on statistics • Beware: • Easy conclusions are seldom right conclusions • If nobody hasn’t noticed your finding before, there is probably something wrong in it • Be ready to throw away your hypothesis / prejudice • Don’t be afraid: • Be critical on truths, which are said to base on statistical reasoning • Use your imagination when reading statistics Petteri Baer

23. Advice for Finnish journalists making a story on statistics (continued) • Ask first • The statistician surely knows the frequently made errors (FME) in reading and (mis)interpreting statistics Petteri Baer

24. Helpful materials by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (1) • Communicating with the Media – A Guide for Statistical OrganisationsGeneva 2004http://www.unece.org/stats/documents/media/guide/ • Making Data Meaningful, Part 1 – a Guide to Writing Stories about numbersGeneva 2006http://www.unece.org/stats/documents/writing/

25. Making Data Meaningful, Part 1 – Main content • What is a statistical story? • Why tell a story? • Things to take into consideration when writing a story on statistics • How to write a story • Writing about data: Make numbers “stick” • Evaluating the impact • Applying good writing techniques • Examples of well written statistical stories • Further reading recommendations

26. Making Data Meaningful, Part 2 • Available athttp://www.unece.org/stats/documents/writing/ • A guide on visual presentations of statistical information • How to • Make good and • avoid making bad graphics • How to make use of GIS, present statistics in map forms

27. Making Data Meaningful, Part 3 • Principles, objectives and management issues in data dissemination • Organisational aspects • Media services • Release calendars • Dissemination strategy • Measuring the impact • Emerging technologies • Using the web • Dealing with Social media • Dealing with negative press coverage

28. Making Data Meaningful, Part 3– Main content • Writing for and releasing information to the media • Who is the customer? • What is the product? • Making a good website • Measuring web performance & collecting customer feedback • Organisational issues • Monitoring and measuring media activities • What statisticians should learn • Responding to a media errror • Monitoring media – practical examples • Media training • How to organize media training? • Handling media crises

29. Conclusion • You cannot learn to swim if you don’t go into the water!