A media relations primer to Speak Now Hamilton - a new speakers' bureau launched by the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction. What is news? Interviewing 101 and other ways to generate media coverage.

1. Media Relations 101
Speak Now Hamilton
March 4, 2014
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2. @jayrobb
Director of Communications for Mohawk College
21 years in public relations
18 years in Hamilton
jay.robb@mohawkcollege.ca
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3. What is news?
How to give a
great interview
Other ways to
get media
coverage
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4. The first word you think of
when you hear “reporter” ?
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5. Curious.
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6. The first word you think of when
you hear “media interview” ?
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7. Opportunity.
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8. Local media
Newspapers
TV
Radio
Web
Magazines
Hamilton Spectator
CHCH TV
CHML 900
CBC Hamilton
Cable 14 – Hamilton Life
Mountain News
Ancaster Star
Dundas Star
Stoney Creek News
Hamilton Magazine
Raise the Hammer
Urbanicity
VIEW Magazine
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9. Types of
media
coverage
Hard news
Features and profiles
Columns
Editorials
Talk shows
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10. This is your speech
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11. This is your speech
with media coverage
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12. So how do you get a
reporter’s attention?
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13. Just because it’s worthy
doesn’t mean it’s newsworthy.
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14. News is what people
are talking about.
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16. Why should I care?
Why should our readers?
Listeners? Viewers?
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17. Is it unique and a first?
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18. Is it unusual and unexpected?
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19. Is it of interest and relevance to
many people in our community?
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20. Is there conflict?
Hero. Victim. Villian.
Winner. Loser.
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21. Great stories are stories
about people.
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22. Is there an ordinary person
who’s done something
extraordinary?
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23. Is there a solution to a
community problem?
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24. Is it about making Hamilton
an even better place to call home?
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25. You have what
reporters want.
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26. A compelling story.
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27. Authenticity.
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28. 1 > 89,000
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29. You take the numb
out of numbers.
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30. Poverty to prosperity solutions.
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31. It’s not just the people in the room.
The media can help you deliver your
speech to a HUGE audience.
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32. Let the media know
you’re giving a speech.
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33. Location, date and time
(the time when you’re speaking)
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34. Summarize your speech
in 1-2 sentences
WSIC
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35. Include your bio in 1-2 sentences.
Ordinary person / extraordinary story.
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36. Your contact information.
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37. Email the details.
One email to each media outlet.
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38. Must answer WSIC in your
email’s subject line.
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39. 2-3 days in advance of your
speaking engagement.
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40. Media may miss your speech
but do a follow-up story.
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41. Talking with the media
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42. Be bold.
Be brief.
Be quiet.
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43. Beware the pregnant pause.
Don’t ramble.
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44. Soundbites and
tweetable moments.
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45. F o CU s
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46. Know what you want to say
before you say it.
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47. What do you want
your audience to:
Know ?
Feel ?
Do ?
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48. What’s the one thing
you want us to remember?
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49. Have a key message.
One sentence. Ten seconds.
2 – 3 supporting points.
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50. It’s an interview.
Not an interrogation.
Not a chat with your BFF.
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51. Everything is always
on the record.
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52. If you don’t know, say so.
Never make stuff up.
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53. Don’t speak for anyone else
but yourself.
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54. Other ways to get
media coverage.
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55. Be a resident expert and
a reporter’s source.
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56. Localize stories.
(What does this mean for Hamilton?)
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57. Offer informed opinion
and analysis.
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58. Join conversations already
happening in our community.
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59. Newsjack.
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60. School closures.
Transit.
Offer your perspective on these
and other hot topics
in our community.
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61. Write letters to the editor
and op-eds.
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62. Letter to the editor
Max. 100 words
Respond to a story in the paper
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63. Op-ed (opposite editorial)
Max. 750 words
Problem – solution – call to action
Share your story to make the case
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64. Recycle your speech as an op-ed.
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65. Follow local media on social media.
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66. Put the relations
in media relations.
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67. 5 ways to
annoy a
reporter
• Ask the reporter if you can review
the story before it runs.
• Ask the reporter to send you a copy
of the story after it runs.
• Talk with the reporter for an hour
and then say “but don’t quote me on
that”.
• Pull a disappearing act and never get
back to a reporter. Ignore phone calls
and emails.
• Make a big deal out of a small
mistake.
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68. 5 ways to
impress a
reporter
•
•
•
•
Be quotable.
Be accessible.
Be helpful. Respect deadlines.
Follow up and let the reporter
know what happened as a result
of the media coverage.
• Be a consumer of local news.
Read, watch and listen.
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69. The Media
Training Bible by
Brad Phillips
10 Steps to Writing a
Vital Speech by
Fletcher Dean

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71. Do not feed the trolls.
Ignore the cynics and critics.
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72. Compassion fatigue.
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73. Be defined your aspirations and
not your current situation.
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74. When it comes to poverty in
Hamilton, what is the
media getting right?
What story hasn’t been told?
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75. So how would you pitch
Speak Now Hamilton
to the media?
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