“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” Find out the importance of this misquotation of American author and humorist, Mark Twain, as it relates to media releases and storytelling in modern media relations. Andrew Frank, an instructor in the Public Relations department at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the principal of Andrew Frank Communications has created a presentation that covers the basics of media releases, as well as more advanced storytelling theory, bringing important concepts to life by sharing a case studies that focus on non-profit communications campaigns.

1. STILL KICKING:
THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA RELEASES
AS STORYTELLING WORKHORSES

3. – Alexander, Giesen and Mast writing in
Social Performance: Symbolic Action, Cultural Pragmatics,
and Ritual
“When society becomes more complex, culture more
critical, and authority less ascriptive, social spaces open
up that organizations must negotiate if they are to
succeed in getting their way.”

4. – Alexander et al.
“Rather than responding to authoritative commands and
prescriptions, social processes become more contingent,
more subject to conflict and argumentation.”

5. Alexander, Giesen and Mast describe, “…the rise
of a public stage, a symbolic forum in which
actors have increasing freedom to create and to
project performances for their reasons, dramas
tailored to audiences whose voices have become
more legitimate references in political and social
conflicts.”

7. – Billy Mernit
Writing instructor,
UCLA
“A set piece is an extended scene or sequence
that exploits the setting or "world" of the movie to
build from one joke or thrill to a series of same,
climaxing in a satisfyingly big pay-off topper.”

8. – Misquote of Mark Twain
“The reports of my
death have been
greatly exaggerated.”

9. • Document of record or official policy
(financial disclosure requirements,
lawsuits, negotiating tactics etc.)
• Clear sources allow attribution, follow-up
and research
• Clarity of message and careful phrasing
(e.g. Gitga’at speakers)
AUTHENTICATION

15. • Creating narratives and organization
where none existed before.
• Through news releases and subsequent
media coverage communities can come to
see themselves in a new light.
• Increased self-efficacy, growing
community and sense of empowerment.
STORYTELLING

17. • News releases do something as well as say
something.
• The distribution of news releases involves media
and public audiences, and public statements can
be news in themselves (the act of sending out a
news release becomes news itself).
• The release writing process organizes, clarifies
and confirms the symbolic action being
undertaken.
ACTING SYMBOLICALLY

19. • Serves as a shorthand script, keeping
spokespeople on message, and ensuring
all actors are on “the same page.”
• Forces leaders to consider strategy, key
messages, phrasing and public portrayal
of company, organization or community.
SCRIPTING SOCIAL
PERFORMANCE

20. • Authentication e.g. “document of record”
• Storytelling (creates narrative where none
existed before)
• Acting symbolically (does something as
well as says something)
• Scripting social performance (e.g.
interviews, press conferences, Snapchats)
TYPES OF WORK

21. vs.
IT’S NOT

24. WHAT MAKES A GOOD
MEDIA RELEASE?
BEST PRACTICES

25. WE NEED
 News and news value (previously unreported information
that is relevant and timely and of interest to a large part of
the community)
 A strong headline, subhead and lead paragraph that
makes the news value of your release immediately clear
and connects your story to ongoing issues (news hook)
 Social actors (the more important and credible the better)
 Powerful quotes and facts that add colour and information,
and that prove your story, making it authentic and credible

26. NEWS VALUES
 Timeliness
 Prominence
 Proximity
 Significance
 Unusualness
 Human Interest
 Conflict
 Newness

27. • 350 – 450 words is the sweet spot for releases, (longer
depending on news and role of release e.g. “document
of record)
• For media, send as text in body of email (you should
include links, but not attachments) for wire services send
as a Word .doc or .docx file
• Skip design and use clean simple formatting that
highlights the news value of your story (which should
speak for itself)
• Follow-up with a phone call to pitch the story
MECHANICS

28. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Understand news values
2. Pair and share your content appropriately with media
outlets, media personnel and influencers
3. Respect and uphold the interests of readers, listeners,
viewers, supporters, fans and community members
4. Keep in mind the objective of your
client/employer/organization
5. Exercise creativity in meeting the needs of gatekeepers

29. TAKE A HARD LOOK

31. MEDIA RELATIONS
BEST PRACTICES

32. BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
• The single greatest predictor of your ability to build positive
working relationships with media is your ability to consistently
discern and deliver real news value, and to “never cry wolf.”
• Adapt story angles to different audiences, and adjust your pitch
to correspond to the intimacy of the media channel.
• Well-researched personal pitches are always best.
• Consider email and social media story pitches (sometimes a
quieter more direct channel and can even be more timely).

33. DISTRIBUTING NEWS
• Build and refine your media lists every time you pitch. There is
a great deal of turnover in the business, especially among
assignment editors (call fresh).
• Build, trade, and buy media lists.
• Purchase distribution from newswires. If budget is restrictive
use email distribution, or ask your wire rep for a more tailored
cost-effective distribution.
• Ask partners, allies, industry bodies and trade groups if they
would be willing to share your release with their lists.

34. MEASURING SUCCESS
(EXTERNAL)
• Develop SMART objectives with your client to ensure a shared definition of
success.
• Use traditional media and social media monitoring metrics to assess reach,
impact and coverage.
• Media interest and media education - did your release spark interest,
discussion, debate? How did it perform across media channels. Did it make
your client more prominent?
• Did your release result in subsequent contact with audiences, information
requests, thought leadership requests? How is it building your online
presence?

35. MEASURING SUCCESS
(INTERNAL)
• Did your release help to organize and empower its social
actors and give them the confidence to perform their symbolic
action well?
• Did the release writing process clarify important questions
about company or organization policy, key messages and
information?
• Did the release help achieve internal communications
objectives and give staff clarity about how the organization
sees itself and its role in its respective communities?

58. – Gitga’at Elder.
“I get so emotional when I think about all of this and what
we are trying to do…actually what we have to do…and I
feel sometimes overwhelmed. And then I look at my
grandson’s big brown eyes and I remember that to do
nothing would be the greatest mistake…thank heaven’s
for people like you who know best how to get the
message out there.”