Why this Media Relations book?
Because Peter Spurway’s been there and done it.
Peter has decades of experience preparing hundreds of people just like you to deliver effective media interviews in pressure-packed situations. From crises, like a deadly mine explosion, a prison murder and a commercial airliner crash, to everyday issues that were neutralized using his time-tested techniques.
Peter’s media background prepared him for his career as a media relations advisor to business and government leaders. He has conducted hundreds of interviews and been interviewed as many times himself.
Peter’s real life examples bring his practical and effective tips to life, tips that can be used across the leadership communications spectrum.
This practical, powerful, handy, simple and effective guide will show you how to use the control you don’t realize you have to manage your relationship with the media to your benefit.
Excerpts
“It’s called media relations for a reason.
It’s a relationship. You need them. They need you. Therein lie the opportunities for you.
Treat media people with respect. They have a hard job.
Effective media relations is critical to building awareness about your company/organization/brand (COB). Supportive media stories can be valuable third party endorsements and can position your COB as a valuable contributor to the life and growth of your community, with so much more credibility than any advertising you may do.
Your goal is to manage your relationship with the media, because you cannot control it.
You are one half of a relationship, and you have complete control of your side of the equation. Use that control to your advantage. You have what they want - and they have access to audiences valuable to you.”
“Objectivity is a myth. Reporters are human beings and they bring a set of biases to every story they cover. They like some things and don’t like others. They particularly don’t like people who lie to them and treat them badly.
The two qualities that you can reasonably expect from your encounters with the media are accuracy and fairness. Did they get the facts right? Were they fair in their presentation of the story? Was there an apparent bias?”
”DO NOT LET THE QUESTION DICTATE THE ANSWER!!
You are not obliged to be confined by the question. The question is your invitation to speak.
Bridge from the question to your key message.
This is one of the ways you exert the control you have over the interview.
You have 100% control over the answer you give and the tone you use in giving it. If you limit yourself to the questions you are asked, you give up that control and allow the interviewer to set the agenda.
When you prepare well, you anticipate questions. You construct answers that help you meet your objective for the interview.”
“NEVER say ‘No Comment’. I mean, NEVER.
They are media code for “I’m guilty and my COB is guilty of all the awful things our opponents and critics are saying. We are bad people and no one should trust us now or ever again.”
“In media situations, you enjoy much more control than you may think.
You control whether the interview even takes place.
You control your answers and the tone in which they’re provided.
You control your attitude.
You do not control the reporter’s questions, their attitude, or the story they create. Although, you can influence these elements through your own behaviour. The more reasonable, patient and co-operative you are, the more reasonable, patient and co-operative they will be. For the most part.
Fear of the media is based on the misconception that you are at their mercy. You are not.
Not that you don’t have any responsibility to them, you do. You are responsible for keeping your commitments to them and to treat them with respect.
And to expect the same consideration in return.”
“There is no such thing as ‘off the record’. Everything you do and say in the presence of the reporter is fair game for them to use.
If a reporter asks you something “off the record”, stick to your planned responses and do not be drawn into such a discussion. You’re on dangerous ground. There is very little upside for you.
And never offer a comment “off the record”. The reporter may respect your confidence in the short term, but will likely be unable to resist the temptation in the long term.
Keep your life simple, and stay ‘on the record’.”
“The media work in a world of stereotypes driven by basic human desires for money, power and sex.
Ask yourself, what stereotypes do you and your organization represent to the media? If unflattering, how can you change it? (The answer to that question usually involves behaving differently. That can be a challenge.)”
“The fundamental rule for all effective communications is:
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Know what they expect from you; know their level of understanding of the issue; know their age; know how many of them there are; know their attitude toward you and your organization.
And, if you can, know their hopes and dreams. What’s important to them and their families and communities? Tap into their hearts. Heads will follow.
In other words, know as much as you can about them and use this knowledge to shape not only what you say to them, but your attitude and tone, and the method you use to communicate with them.”
“The Verbal Cue is one of the simplest and most effective techniques in an interview.
When you are gearing up to deliver one of your key messages, tell the world it’s coming:
‘If I make only one point here today, it is this one…’
‘The most important element in this situation is this…’
‘Here is the essence of this situation…’
Now, once you’ve done this, you’d better be prepared to deliver a gem.
The verbal cue can be a beautiful thing.”