6. • Also referred to as a media or press conference, or
media briefing
• Allows an organisation to give the same message to
all relevant media, all at the same time
• Often used for “big” announcements, or for strategic
impact, or for launches (and can be in conjunction
with familiarisation tours e.g. ChCh EQ zone)
• The challenge is often getting the media’s attention
and guaranteeing attendance (don’t time your
conference to clash with something else significant or
a busy news time).
The News Conference
7. • Reach many media at once
• Minimise time & effort spent by your spokesperson
giving interviews
• Minimise your costs in catering to journalists’ needs
by using economies of scale
• When control/timing of message is key (e.g. interest
rate changes, disasters)
• To clear the air, set the record straight, diffuse a
situation, or when there’s a crisis
Why a News Conference?
8. • Invite all relevant media with an email “alert” or
“advisory” (covering who, what, where, when, why) – sound
interesting but don’t over promise
• Ensure you have the right (senior) staff to act as spokespeople
(ideally also available for one-on-one interviews afterwards)
• Consider the right environment for the conference content,
and take care with logistics including parking
• If it’s breaking news, any realistic time is acceptable; if it’s
routine, choose a convenient time that fits with the news
cycle (to optimise attendance) – early in the week and before
midday best
• A supporting media release should also be produced; perhaps
a full media kit
The Process
9. The MOST important thing to consider when planning a
media conference is:
• WHY would the media want to come?
• WHAT will they get out of it that they wouldn’t get from
one-to-one, exclusive contact?
• SEE something that will only happen ONCE
• HEAR something that will only be said ONCE
9
10. • A media release could do same job
• You don’t have outstanding news
• You only have good or simple news (see point one)
• You don’t want some things that haven’t yet been
uncovered to come to light, either on this topic or another
topic about your client
• Your spokesperson cannot confidently and convincingly
answer all questions or good talent is unavailable
• You could offer exclusives to get better targeted coverage
Don’t have a conference if:
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11. • Senior management or key personnel are required to
“front” a media conference (best if they are
personable, good voice, well presented/mannered,
quick-witted)
• Your role as a PR or media advisor is to prepare these
people for the situation; to make a formal statement
or announcement and to take journalists’ questions
• Key messages should be concise, conversational and
catchy (Johnston, 2007)
Media Training
12. • Media conferences can (and probably should) be
streamed live online (and subsequently posted) – part
of the shift towards “visual PR”
• Webcasting is cost effective and opens your
conference up to a wider audience
• Webcasting gives you more “control” over all aspects
of your message presentation (no editing); and is a
useful contribution to an online media room
(Breakenridge & DeLoughry, 2003)
Webcasting
13. • In your role as a PR/media liaison, you will be
regularly interacting with and hosting journalists (and
preparing/training other organisational staff to
develop key messages and “front up”)
• Events like media conferences will run more
smoothly if you have a positive professional
relationship (though not a friendship!) with key
media, and if spokespeople are well prepared
• See your Doorley & Garcia (2007) reading for more
on reputational aspects
Journo – PR Relationship
14. • Next week is our last lecture…I will also talk about
the exam then
Don’t Forget
