media response guide
DESCRIPTION
A handbook for Portland activists for using the local media outlets to get your message out.TRANSCRIPT
Media Response Guide
January 2012
www.a4ej.org
Portland, Oregon
Part I : Our Mission Before we begin our discussion of the media, let us take a look at the Mission Statement of Action for Economic Justice.
“Action for Economic Justice is an independent, non-violent direct-action group committed to economic justice for the 99%. We support the ideals of the worldwide Occupy Movement and embrace its diversity as we take positive measures to end the corporate dominance which has affected so many of our lives.”
Why is our group called Action for Economic Justice? What do we mean by Economic Justice? How are we going to create change? The name of the group begins with the most important word with regard to why we exist – ACTION. This group was formed to enable us to work together to take effective action to further the cause for economic equality, freedom and justice. This means planning and executing specific political and social activities in order to raise public awareness of economic issues, including but not limited to unemployment, banking reform, campaign financing, consumer advocacy, fair taxation, affordable health care, workers rights and education funding. The actions we plan will involve protesting, disseminating information, initiating boycotts, petitioning local legislators, and more. One of the most important tools we have to help us accomplish our goals is the media. By learning how to get our message out through the various media sources and how to use the media’s shortcomings to further our cause, we will become more effective in achieving our goals. In this guide, we will discuss a variety of different ways to present ourselves to the media. We will cover topics like writing press and news releases, submitting photography and video to news sources, giving on-camera and taped interviews, and presenting our message in the most clear and precise way as possible.
Part II : Our Media Philosophy The modern media is corrupt. De-regulation has caused the consolidation of the country’s news outlets down to just a handful of companies. The corporate media panders to advertisers, broadcasting only the most scandalous items as they compete for ratings and increased ad sales. FOX has reveled in the misinformation campaign against the American public and has taken to broadcasting only a tiny bit of news, buried in a mountain of unfounded opinion and downright lies. NPR and PBS are quite a bit better but have still been known on occasion to bow to the will of corporate influence. Many activists actively avoid having contact with the media. A reporter can edit the piece to make you look bad and many activists prefer not to take the chance of having their words skewed. There is nothing wrong with taking this position and it is our philosophy that unless you are fully prepared, you should not take on the media, even if they are on your side. If you are helping orphans, you probably have nothing to worry about. If, however, you are a political activist trying to reform the system that allows the type of journalism these people are best at, they will probably seek in some way to discredit you. One of the keys to understanding the modern media is the acceptance of what the media is. We do not approve of it. We would like to see it changed. We also accept that there is little we can do at this particular time to change how the media operates. We accept that, for better or worse, most Americans still get their news from the networks. Because they get their news from that source, they are accustomed to having it communicated in the format that the major news outlets have chosen to use. If we are to reach out to these people and gain their support, we need to craft our message into one they will be receptive to. We have much to gain by successfully working with the media. Besides calling attention to and informing the public about our issues, the press can be very valuable in helping the group gain credibility. They can help us get the word out for our events and actions, which in turn gives us greater turnout and better success. Having a presence in the news media makes us more visible to potential new members and reinforces the support we receive from current members. The Press Squad It is imperative that before allowing yourself to be interviewed by the media, you familiarize yourself thoroughly with the issue at hand. You must know what your message is and be able to intelligently express it in only a few words. You must know who you are speaking to and how best to convince them that they should support your cause. You should try to look like someone the listener or viewer can relate to and trust. You must know how to manipulate the media game so that it works in your favor and this requires knowing who the local media personnel are. It is also helpful to be familiar with the reporting styles of the news outlet you are dealing with.
Each new action or event that we do will have its own Mission Statement. This statement will be brief and concise. It will be carefully worded and will be used as a soundbite at the event itself. We will repeat our message over and over. If we are brief and to the point, they will edit the interview down to just the message we want to disseminate. Every Press Squad appointed to work a particular event should have 2 or 3 people who are trained to speak to the press and at least 1 photographer, though more are certainly welcome. If someone is on hand with a video camera, that’s even better! Video footage is invaluable for helping us get our message out! It is imperative that all members of our press squad who are on point for speaking with the press be dressed well. It is preferred that they do not have extreme appearances or can disguise those they do have. A4EJ does not care how its members look or choose to dress. However, if the press interviews you and you have purple hair and facial piercings, that is what they will concentrate on. You will find that they’ll be delighted to show you on the news but they won’t play your soundbite. They will just show you as an out-of-context distraction. Once we have gotten the press to cover our event, it is important to get copies. Save video files, blogs, newspaper clippings, magazine articles, photos, etc. Make sure the Media Chair on the board gets a copy of all these. Our strategy will include getting these articles and videos in front of the right people, making sure legislators and city officials see them. This will help us build our influence. On occasion we will submit our work to the media for publication. Photographers should upload their best photos to local papers, UPI and Reuter’s. We will write news releases – similar to press releases except that they are sent after the fact. If they are written well, the reporter will often quote them verbatim, again allowing us to write our own news stories. A4EJ is committed to the idea of using the media as much as possible. The following chapters are designed to assist activists to become more effective with the media. The information contained in these chapters comes from many different sources, some of it directly from the right wing activists we struggle against. The key is to be prepared. Memorize your soundbite. It is important to be confident. The media people can generally smell weakness and will exploit yours if you are not prepared!
Part III : Meet the Press Remember, always get business cards from the media representatives you encounter! It is vitally important for us to have the press identify themselves and we must make a priority of knowing who is interviewing us and taking our pictures! Portland Area Television Stations (alphabetically by call letters) Station: KATU TV-2 Affiliate: ABC
2153 NE Sandy Owned by: Fisher Comm. Portland, OR 97232 Political Bias: Conservative Phone: 503-231-4222 Website: katu.com News Contact: 503-231-4264 [email protected] Station: KGW TV-8 Affiliate: NBC
1501 SW Jefferson Owned by: Belo Corp. Portland, OR 97201 Political Bias: Leans Right Phone: 503-226-5000 Website: kgw.com News Contact: none given Station: KOIN TV-6 Affiliate: CBS
222 SW Columbia St Owned by: New Vision Tele. Portland, OR 97201 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-464-0600 Website: koinlocal6.com News Contact: [email protected] Application for uploading pictures and video available at: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/koin-local-6-news/id411685184?mt=8 Station: KOPB TV-10 Affiliate: PBS
7140 SW Macadam Owned by: listener supported Portland, OR 97219 Political Bias: Leans Right Phone: 503-244-9900 Website: opb.org News Contact: [email protected] See OPB’s website for submissions to the Community Calendar Station: KPTV TV-12 Affiliate: FOX
14975 NW Greenbrier Pkwy Owned by: Meredith Corp. Beaverton, OR 97006 Political Bias: Leans Right Phone: 503-906-1249 Website: kptv.com News Contact: 503-548-6550 Fax: 503-548-6920 [email protected] Station: KRCW TV-32 Affiliate: CW Network
10255 Arctic Dr. Owned by: Tribune Broadcasting Beaverton, OR 97005 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-644-3232 Website: nw32.com News Contact: none given
Portland Area Radio Stations (alphabetically by call letters) Station: KBNP AM 1410 Format: Business/Financial 278 SW Arthur Owned by: Portland, OR 97201 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-223-6769 Website: kbnp.com News Contact: none given Station: KBOO FM 90.7 Format: Community 20 SE 8th Ave Owned by: listener supported Portland, OR 97214 Political Bias: Liberal Phone: 503-231-8032 Website: kboo.fm News Contact: Fax: 503-231-7145 See KBOO’s website for submissions to the Community Calendar Station: KEX AM 1190 Format: News 4949 SW Macadam Owned by: Clear Channel Comm. Portland, OR 97239 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-323-6400 Website: 1190kex.com News Contact: 503-222-1929 Fax: 503-224-3216 Salem: 503-378-7080 Felicia Heaton, Reporter [email protected] Call-in Talk Shows Time Call-in Line FormatRush Limbaugh 9am-noon 800-282-2882 Far Right Talk Michael Berry noon-3pm 713-212-5950 Conservative Station: KOPB FM 91.5 Format: NPR & PRI 7140 SW Macadam Owned by: listener supported Portland, OR 97219 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-244-9900 Website: opb.org News Contact: [email protected] Fax: 503-293-1919 April Baer, Reporter [email protected] Cell: 503-290-0509 Call-in Talk Shows Time Call-in Line FormatThink Out Loud 9am-10am 888-665-5865 Cultural Talk of the Nation 11am-1pm 800-989-8255 Current Affairs Station: KPAM AM 860 Format: Conservative Talk 6605 SE Lake Rd Owned by: Pamplin Media Group Portland, OR 97222 Political Bias: Conservative Phone: 503-223-4321 Website: kpam.com News Contact: Fax: 503-294-0074 Call-in Talk Shows Time Call-in Line FormatThe Bob Miller Show 7am-11am 503-225-0860 Local Conserv. Talk The Victoria Taft Show 11am-3pm 503-225-0860 Local Conserv. Talk Terry Boyd’s World 3pm-6pm 503-225-0860 Local Conserv. Talk
Station: KPOJ AM 620 Format: Progressive Talk 4949 SW Macadam Owned by: Clear Channel Comm. Portland, OR 97239 Political Bias: Liberal Phone: 503-323-6400 Website: 620kpoj.com News Contact: none given Call-in Talk Shows Time Call-in Line FormatThom Hartmann 9am-noon 866-452-0620 Local Liberal Talk Ed Schultz noon-3pm 877-934-6833 Liberal Talk Randi Rhodes 3pm-6pm n/a Liberal Talk Norman Goldman 6pm-9pm n/a Liberal Talk Station: KUFO AM 970 Format: Conservative Talk 1211 SW 5th Ave, Ste 600 Owned by: Alpha Broadcasting Portland, OR 97204 Political Bias: Conservative Phone: 503-517-6000 Website: freedom970.com News Contact: none given Call-in Talk Shows Time Call-in Line FormatLaura Ingraham 9am-noon n/a Conservative Talk Sean Hannity noon-3pm n/a Conservative Talk Mark Levin 3pm-6pm n/a Conservative Talk Lars Larson 6pm-9pm n/a Conservative Talk Station: KUIK AM 1360 Format: Conservative Talk 3355 NE Cornell Rd. Owned by: Dolphin Comm. Hillsboro. OR 97124 Political Bias: Leans Right Phone: 503-640-1360 Website: kuik.com News Contact: Fax: 503-681-9088 Community Calendar/PSA email: [email protected] Call-in Talk Shows Time Call-in Line FormatGlenn Beck 9am-noon n/a Far Right Talk The Schnitt Show noon-3pm 800-801-8999 Conservative Talk The Jayne Carroll Show 3pm-6pm 503-648-0101 Local Conserv. Talk Station: KXL FM 101 Format: Conservative Talk 1211 SW 5th Ave, Ste 600 Owned by: Alpha Broadcasting Portland, OR 97204 Political Bias: Leans Right Phone: 503-517-6000 Website: kxl.com News Contact: 503-517-6280 Fax: 503-517-6100 Call-in Talk Shows Time Call-in Line FormatGlenn Beck 9am-noon n/a Far Right Talk Lars Larson noon-4pm 503-417-9595 Conservative Talk
Portland Area Newspapers (listed in order of circulation) Name: The Oregonian Circulation: 242,784 1320 SW Broadway Owned by: Newhouse Newspaper Portland, OR 97201 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-221-8100 Website: oregonlive.com News Desk: [email protected] Reporters: Steve Beaven (SE) 503-294-7663 [email protected]
Larry Bingham (NE) 503-221-8262 [email protected] Molly Hottie (NW) 503-294-5137 [email protected] Jim Mayer (GSHM) 503-294-5988 [email protected] Karen Pate (WA CO) 503-294-5953 [email protected] George Rede (WEB) 503-221-8391 [email protected] Anne Saker (DTN) 503-294-7656 [email protected]
Photos: Thomas Boyd 503-221-8581 [email protected] Ben Brink 503-294-5175 [email protected] Faith Cathcart 503-294-5121 [email protected] Ross Hamilton 503-221-8581 [email protected] Beth Nakamura 503-221-8218 bnakamura@oregonian... Randy Rasmussen 503-221-8370 rrasmussen@oregonian... Brent Wojahn 503-294-5171 [email protected] Name: Portland Tribune Circulation: 120,000 6605 SE Lake Rd. Owned by: Pamplin Media Group Portland, OR 97222 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-226-6397 Website: portlandtribune.com News Desk: Fax: 503-546-0727 Reporters: Steve Law 503-546-5139 stevelaw@portlandtrib...
Jim Redden 503-546-5131 jimredden@portlandtrbi... Jennifer Anderson 503-546-5138 jenniferanderson@port... Peter Korn 503-546-5136 peterkorn@portlandtrib...
Photos: Anni Tracy 503-546-5148 annitracy@portlandtrib... Jaime Valdez 503-546-0732 [email protected] Christopher Onstott 503-546-5143 christopheronstott@port... Name: Willamette Week Circulation: 80,000 2220 NW Quimby St. Owned by: City of Roses Newsp. Portland, OR 97210 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-243-2122 Website: wweek.com News Desk: Fax: 503-243-1115 News Editor: Brent Walth [email protected] Reporter: Nigel Jaquiss [email protected]
Name: Vancouver Columbian Circulation: 47,601 701 W 8th St. Owned by: Columbian Publishing Vancouver, WA 98660 Political Bias: None Phone: 800-743-3391 Website: columbian.com News Desk: 360-735-4569 Fax: 360-735-4598 [email protected] Photos: Submit photos to: [email protected] Name: Portland Mercury Circulation: 35,899 115 SW Ash St., Ste 1600 Owned by: Index Newspapers Portland, OR 97204 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-294-0840 Website: portlandmercury.com News Desk: Fax: 503-294-0844 [email protected] Name: Clackamas Review Circulation: 33,300 6605 SE Lake Rd. Owned by: Pamplin Media Group Portland, OR 97222 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-684-0360 Website: clackamasreview.com News Desk: 503-546-0745 Fax: 503-546-0724 News Editor: Raymond Rendleman 503-546-0742 rrendleman@clackamasr... Reporters: Ellen Spitaleri 503-546-0747 espitaleri@clackamasrev... Name: Portland Observer Circulation: 27,000 4747 NE MLK Blvd Owned by: ? Portland, OR 97211 Political Bias: Liberal Phone: 503-288-0033 Website: portlandobserver.com Reporters: Mindy Cooper Note: The Observer appears to accept guest articles and photos. Name: Southwest Community Connection Circulation: 11,000 400 Second St Owned by: Pamplin Media Group Lake Oswego, OR 97034 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-546-0741 Website:swcommconnection.com Reporter: Claire Oliver 503-635-8811 coliver@swcommconnection... Name: The Skanner Circulation: 10,500 415 N Killingsworth Owned by: Skanner News Group Portland, OR 97217 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-285-5555 Website: theskanner.com News Desk: Fax: 503-285-2900 [email protected] Name: Beaverton Valley Times Circulation: 6,799 6605 SE Lake Rd Owned by: Pamplin Media Group Portland, OR 97222 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-684-0360 Website: beavertonvalleytimes.com News Desk: Fax: 503-546-0724 Reporters: Alana Kansaku-Sarmiento 503-546-0748
[email protected] Shannon Wells 503-492-5118 [email protected] Photos: Jaime Valdez 503-546-0732 [email protected]
Name: Gresham Outlook Circulation: 6,616 6605 SE Lake Rd Owned by: Pamplin Media Group Portland, OR 97222 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-665-2181 Website: theoutlookonline.com News Desk: 503-665-2181 Fax: 503-665-2187 Reporters: Rob Cullivan 503-492-5116 [email protected]
Mara Stine 503-492-5117 [email protected] Photos: Jim Clark 503-492-5121 [email protected] Newsletters, Journals, Magazines (listed in order of circulation) Name: PSU Vanguard Circulation: 5,000 1825 SW Broadway, Rm. S-26 Owned by: Portland State Univ. Portland, OR 97201 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-725-5691 Website: psuvanguard.com News Editor: Andrea Vedder 503-725-5690 [email protected] Name: Just Out Circulation: 1,500 6234 N Greeley Owned by: Portland, OR 97217 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-236-1252 Website: justout.com Notes: Fax: 503-236-1257 Email: [email protected] [email protected] Name: Lewis & Clark Pioneer Log Circulation: 1,500 0615 SW Palatine Rd Owned by: Lewis & Clark College Portland, OR 97219 Political Bias: None Phone: 503-768-7146 Website: piolog.com News Services (These services transmit news stories nationwide. They are generally not interested in local news unless it has national import. They are great places to upload relevant photos.) Name: Associated Press (AP) – Oregon Bureau 121 SW Salmon, Ste. 1450 Owned by: Non-profit Co-op Portland, OR 97204 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 503-228-2169 Website: ap.org Fax: 503-228-5514 Email: [email protected] Name: Investigative News Networks (INN) 17514 Ventura Blvd #103 Owned by: Non-profit Co-op Encino. CA 91316 Political Bias: None Phone: 818-582-3533 Web: investigativenewsnetwork.org Fax: 818-582-3931 Email: [email protected]
Name: Reuters 3 Times Square Owned by: Thomson Reuters New York, NY 10036 Political Bias: Leans Left Phone: 646-223-4000 Website: reuters.com Notes: Mostly oriented towards business news, stronger presence in UK Name: United Press International (UPI) 1133 19th St. NW Owned by: News World Comm. Washington, DC 20036 Political Bias: None Phone: 202-898-8000 Website: upi.com Fax: 202-898-8048 Email: [email protected] Notes: By far the easiest of the News Services to deal with from a local level, UPI will accept regional stories and submissions. Guidelines are as follows:
Keep release short Include organization name and all contact info Date release and specify whether it is for immediate or later publication
In the following chapter, we will go over some of the best practices for composing and submitting press releases. What sorts of things do we want to announce to the press? When do we want them present and how do we get them there? What measures can we take to insure that our message gets out in the way we want it to?
Part IV : Writing Press Releases The first step to writing press releases is determining what is newsworthy. The short answer is – just about everything! Discretion dictates that some meetings be held privately and not be announced and even some events should not be discussed until after the fact. Still, most of what we do can, in some way, be spun into a story for the press. Here are a few examples of newsworthy events:
⇒ All official public meetings and recruitment events, ⇒ Protest actions and boycotts, ⇒ Meetings with public officials and again afterward with a recap of the
discussion, ⇒ Announcements that volunteers are needed (especially in support of
a community event), again when the volunteers are about to begin their project, and a third time after the project is complete.
As you can see, there are times when we can send out multiple press releases for a single event. We should strive to do this whenever possible. For example, say we are holding a fundraising/recruitment event that will feature live music from a locally based musician. There are several opportunities here for press releases and all should be used. It is important to start early! Do not send out all of the information at once, instead dribble it out little by little, over time. The more you repeat your message and the more your remind people of your event, the more likely they are to remember it. For this one event, we should get the following press releases:
1. Announce the event, the name of the group and the date. 2. Announce the name of the musician. 3. Announce the specific plans for the event and the names of other
people involved, if relevant. 4. Provide a picture of the musician and artwork for the event. 5. Write a reminder story about the now imminent event. 6. Write an “event today” announcement. 7. Write a follow-up story discussing the success of the event, how
many attended, key points that were discussed, quotes, pictures, etc.
With this many press releases we would want to make sure it’s a large event. If we are planning a smaller event, 7 press releases may be a bit much. We will determine on a case by case basis how many press releases, if any, should be sent and to whom. Another key to writing successful press releases is in knowing how to write them. What qualities will get our releases published or quoted? What guidelines should we observe?
Even though we will do much of our communication with the press in the form of email, we will also be sending them faxes, when possible. Faxes have the advantage of being a physical copy, something handed directly to a reporter instead of just sitting in his or her Inbox on the computer. Writing a good press release is a lot like writing a good letter. The style is different, but the principles of good writing apply in both situations. The story should be written simply, clearly and accurately. Editors do not have the time to correct your spelling, syntax or grammar, nor do they have the time to wade through a forest of adjectives to uncover the facts, which is the only thing in which they are interested. News stories are written as inverted pyramids and so should your press release. The most important facts should be placed in the beginning sentences, followed by explanation and development. The least important material should be at the end of the story. This is the way reporters write, therefore your press release will be easy for them to use. By writing the release this way, you increase the chances that your story will appear in print. Some smaller newspapers that have limited staff will often print your release word for word if you follow these rules. If writing a press release for the broadcast media, read your release aloud before submitting it. Do the words have a good flow or do they cause tongue-tied moments or stutters? A good script will be easy to read out loud. Often times a release that is eloquently written when read silently is a train wreck when read aloud. An easily read script – especially one that has sharp sounding, brief statements – will be quoted. Headline You can suggest a headline for the editor by placing your own headline at the top of your press release. If you will spend a few minutes working on a headline, you will begin to appreciate the job of the editor in coming up with a headline for every story. If you are fair about the subject of your story, you can often start the editor’s mind to thinking in the direction you would like the final headline to read. The Lead Paragraph The first paragraph is called the lead. It is the heart of your story. It is your second chance to create a headline. Your goal is to tell the entire story in one or two sentences and usually in less than 50 words. Write in a way that will make the editor and reader want to keep reading. If the editor does not want to read any more, the reader will never see your story. By answering the questions Who? What? Where? When? and occasionally Why? your lead will be factual, clear and in food news style. Always include the date of your press release in your lead.
The length of the release should be based on its importance. In general, it is best to remember that editors tend to like short, concise stories best. Generally, if they want more, they will ask you for it. Here are a few things to keep in mind when writing press releases. Often times your press releases will be sent as emails so some of the items listed here might not apply to you. Still, if you have a fax number, use it as well! All press releases should be typewritten. They should be double spaced, on one side only of white, letter-size paper (8-1/2”x11”). Margins all the way around the page should be set to at least 1”. Indent each paragraph at least 5 spaces. At the upper right corner of the page, include the name, address, phone number and email of the contact person who can reached quickly should the editor have any questions. Just above the text of the release, include in all capital letters, “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE” or, for a future date and time, “FOR RELEASE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2012 AT 4:00 PM” Start the story about 1/3 the way down the page to allow the editor space for editorial instructions and headlines. If the story is longer than one page, type “MORE” centered at the bottom of the page. Number all pages after the first. Start each page with a new paragraph, if possible. After the final paragraph, type “# # #” or “ – 30 – “ to signify the end. Have one news source for the organization. Appoint one main spokesperson so the press knows who to contact. Never use pressure or influence to get a story printed or broadcast. Always treat members of competing papers or stations equally. Do not offer “scoops.” Never thank a reporter for covering an event or writing a story. It is their responsibility to cover your event because it is news, not because you asked them to. On the other hand, it is perfectly acceptable to congratulate a reporter on a well covered piece. Always be accurate! Make sure names are spelled correctly!
Part V : Giving Interviews Once you have gotten the media to cover your event, the next step is to get face time with them. The TV media can be the worst. They are generally looking around for the wildest looking person they can find. They concentrate mainly on the visual effect of the story and not the substance. Activists have often resorted to some fairly crazy things to get the attention of the media cameras once they show up to an event. Colorful costumes, props, extravagant hairdos, whatever it takes to draw attention. The trouble is, this often draws the wrong kind of attention. The person sitting at home is thinking, “Look at that guy!” and, in being distracted, will not hear your story. Quite often the home viewer is frightened and/or repulsed by what the reporters show them, and thus public opinion is influenced for or against a cause, just based on the people they chose to put on TV. The key to successfully representing the cause and the organization is to present an appearance that the home viewer feels comfortable with. That may be done by presenting a specific physical image, or it may require establishing common ground with the viewer and thus building credibility. A working middle class homeowner is going to feel more receptive to your statements if they feel you are someone who knows what they’re going through, if you seem like you’re “one of them.” When all else fails, dress nice! You will always get much further with people if you look nice. When it comes to getting the attention of the media, the best practice still remains to be talking to them. Walk up and introduce yourself. Mention the name of the organization and how you are related to the event. Even if you are only a participant, you can still give the name of the group and mention that you are a representative (provided you are an approved member of the Press Squad). If you have a business card, all the better. Let them know you will be available for comment. Then, leave them alone. Let them do their jobs. The worst thing you can do is be a nuisance and get into everyone’s way. If the event has a slow moment, make yourself available by being nearby. Once you are on camera, remember that good posture is important. If you are sitting, your tailbone should touch the back of your chair. Avoid taking deep breaths, breathe nice and steady. The more relaxed you are, the more confident you will seem. Leaning backward shows a defensive position. Lean forward to show that you are in control. If you are standing, plant your feet at shoulder width with your weight evenly distributed. You do not want to be shifting your weight from foot the foot during the interview, it will make you seem uncomfortable and nervous. Remember who your real audience is: the home viewer. While you want to participate in the conversation you are having with the reporter standing in front of you, do not focus too much on them. Always keep in the forefront of your mind
that what you are saying is for the benefit of the person sitting at home. You are not trying to convince the reporter, but the home audience. Look into the camera on occasion and when making a serious statement (like a group soundbite), say it directly into the camera and to the viewer on a personal level. Believability is directly tied to energy. Energy can be expressed in many ways, but body gestures are important both to increase your believability and to control the pace of the interview. They can be used to dismiss ridiculous situations or questions. It is virtually impossible to overact before a television camera. Remember to be animated when speaking as well. When giving interviews to radio reporters, it is important to keep in mind that the recorded voice ‘flattens’ slightly when played back. Use exaggerated inflection when speaking. It helps if you gesture, even though no one can see you. Bridging This is the most important tool you will ever use in giving an interview. There will be times during an interview when you will not want to answer the question as asked. In fact, there may be questions you would prefer not to answer at all. The technique used to deal with these situations is called bridging. This is not a trick to avoid answering questions but a way to turn the discussion to your objectives and away from the reporter’s. You should always answer the question! The exception is when the question falls into one of the categories of questions you will not answer. (These could include proprietary information, too personal, legal restrictions, privileged information, or that you don’t know the answer.) The worst thing you can do is to avoid an answer. The reporter may press you for an answer and thereby focus attention on the very subject you wish to avoid. If you are on television, you will look defensive and evasive. The trick is to answer the question in the first 6 seconds of your answer and then bridge to your objective. There are 2 things you can do to help yourself to prepare for the effective use of the bridging technique. If you do these 2 things before every meeting with the press, you will always be more confident.
1. Write on a piece of paper the one question you want least to answer. Once you have this question firmly in mind, prepare a suitable bridge from it to something you do want to talk about.
2. Write on a piece of paper the question you have the hardest time answering. Once you have this question written, after careful thought, write on the same piece of paper the correct answer. Continue working on the answer until you have an answer that you are comfortable giving to the question. Then read your best answer out loud 10 times.
Here are some examples of bridging to help you better understand the use of this technique.
Q: “Isn’t it true that the Occupiers are mostly unemployed?“ A: “No. What we are seeking is to hold major corporations accountable for causing the rampant unemployment problem our country now faces. By shipping US jobs overseas, these companies have had a hand in causing the situation that has put so many Americans out of work.” As you can see the question is answered quickly and, without wasting any valuable interview time, the interviewee has bridged to the chosen objective. Q: “The Occupy Movement is all about Socialism. They hate Capitalism and the wealthy. They stand against everything that has made this country great. Don’t you feel that’s un-American?” A: “No, that’s absurd! We occupy because we have a grievance with the government and we have gathered as it is our right to do. Every American citizen knows that our system and our legislators are corrupt. We are simply taking a stand to let those who have corrupted the system know that we’ve had enough!” Often times, a reporter will go on a short rant before asking a question that essentially tries to corner you into accepting their point. Here, the interviewee has deflected the preposterous claims made and bridged back to the message of the movement. It is important to keep in mind that you will fare better if you concentrate on talking about your vision, not those of the opposition. Talk about values rather than issues. Talk about people, not abstracts. Stress the positive, not the negative. Focus on agreement and avoid disagreement. Never talk to reporters “off the record.” If you do not want something reported, keep it to yourself. Never think that because the camera isn’t turned on, that the reporter isn’t gathering information. Always get a business card from all media personnel you can. Reporters, camera people, assistants, everyone. Write on the card where you met. Keep a record of this info. Often, their business cards include cell numbers and Twitter handles. It is vital to control the interview situation. You have the right to be comfortable. You don’t have to do what anyone tells you to do and you should never do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable! If you are uncomfortable, it will appear unpleasant in the interview. Don’t stand with the sun in your eyes during an open air interview. If you are in the studio, make sure stage lights are not in your eyes. If they are, say something. You don’t want to appear on camera frowning or angry looking. If you are in the studio, ask which camera will be on you. Television stations always have at least 3 cameras focused on the set and one of them will be on you at all times. If you are giving a studio interview, try to meet with the interviewer beforehand. Ask the interviewer about the questions or areas to be covered in the interview. You have the right to be prepared. Let the interviewer know what areas (listed above) that you are not willing to discuss.
Prepare yourself ahead of time and know what your objectives are. Write them down. Make sure they are written like headlines – short and to the point. Remember, you are also competing with the other news of the day. The edited clip of your interview will likely be no longer than 20 seconds, usually much shorter. If it’s a really slow news day, you might get a bit more. You should be able to get through your objective statement in less than a minute. You can always go into more detail if time allows. Stick to the basic facts. The first sentence you say should be the most important. Sometimes we have a tendency to want to over-explain ourselves. Avoid doing this. It may be okay at parties. It will ruin an interview. Your goal is to give the reporter an on-camera quote within the first 20 seconds or so. This makes the clip easier to edit. Stay positive. Rather than saying “We are against…” say “We are for…” Libel and Slander Slander is a false and defamatory oral statement about someone; libel is a false and defamatory written statement about someone. The rule of thumb is: Don’t say anything you can’t back up with facts! If something is not a proven fact, but you are sure it is true, preface the statement by saying such things as “in my opinion” or “it seems like” or “it appears that…”. Don’t say anything you are not prepared to discuss. If you do not want to talk about something, say such things as “We’re not prepare to discuss that matter at this time.” or “Our group has not taken a position on that matter.”
Guidelines for Better Interviews
1. Set the interview on your home ground.
2. Ask to be briefed about the reporter and his or her publication or station.
3. Anticipate touchy questions. Review your answers before the interview.
4. Know your topic and have supporting material on hand.
5. Greet the reporter warmly, and look him or her in the eye. Keep the meeting as cordial as possible, even in a difficult situation.
6. Answer questions directly. Offer your conclusion first and then back it up. Don’t evade.
7. If you can’t answer questions because of a policy in the organization, say so.
8. If you don’t know the answer, say so and offer to get the answer. Then follow up.
9. Remember, the real audience is the public.
10. Practice speaking clearly and enunciating. Remember, the viewer/listener at home does not have the luxury of asking you to repeat yourself. Get it right the first time!
11. Smile when you speak. This will actually change the sound of your voice. You look friendlier on television and sound friendlier on the radio.
12. Never make off the record remarks. If you don’t want to read it or hear it, don’t say it.
13. If asked several questions at once, acknowledge that several issues were raised and respond to them one at a time.
14. Be available to confirm facts later.
15. Don’t ask to see the story before it runs. Rather, say you are available any time to further clarify or confirm information.
16. Don’t automatically accept assumptions or figures presented by the reporter. Say, “I’m not familiar with that report, but I’d like to respond to the basic thrust of your question…”
17. Never try to answer a hypothetical question!
18. When asked the stand or opinions of an absent third party, such as another member of the movement, say “I can’t speak for …. but our belief is…”
19. Don’t assume that because the reporter stops taking notes or the camera stops running, the interview is over. Reporters also rely on their memories for information.
20. Don’t feel obligated to respond if caught off guard. You can assume you are being taped in a phone conversation. If a reporter calls you cold, you should find out the topic of interest, the scope of the questions, and say you will get back to the reporter. Then take time to consult with someone to discuss your response.
21. Always ask about the reporter’s deadline. If the information is needed before you think you can supply it, explain the situation, and then do your best to help meet the deadline. Journalism is often deadline-influenced writing, and reporters work under high pressure and tight schedules. Even if you are not able to answer questions on time, a phone call explaining why is always appreciated.
22. Maintain eye contact with the reporter. When you want to make a particular point, you may want to look directly into the camera. Otherwise, forget the equipment.
23. Black suits absorb too much light for television cameras and some flash cameras. Dark blue or gray suits look better on television, and light blue shirts reflect less of the intense television lighting than do white ones.
Part VI : Occupy the Media In this section, we will review the techniques of getting your story into the media, whether it be your written articles, photography, or video. Much of this requires the techniques we have discussed in the previous sections. A news release is a form of press release and all the same rules apply. A news release deals specifically with an event after the fact. It is a recap of the event. Once again, it is important to use the outline given in Part IV. Your most relevant points are given first, followed by explanation and development. Finally, include the least important material at the end. Editors never know how much space they’ll have and they can, and will, trim the material. This makes it easier for them. Make sure any artwork or graphics sent to the press is camera-ready or electronically-ready to print in various formats. Posters and announcements should be submitted in full page, half page and quarter page sizes. If a physical copy is requested, it should be laser printed on heavy print stock. Creating the Perfect Quote One key to having your press release quoted by the media is to give them something quotable. Put some time and effort into writing your release. Collaborate with others and hold a brainstorming session, if need be. You will soon see how any event you plan can be used to write good copy. Even events that are not ours, per se, can be strategically used to gain publicity and credibility. It is important when crafting soundbites and other brief statements to keep your audience in mind the whole time. Speak to them in terms of values. Tell them the direct benefit to their lives that will result from supporting your cause. Use words like “working,” “taxpayer,” “liberty,” “progressive,” “family,” and other positive ideas. Avoid words like “social,” “liberal,” “program,” and others. Remember, the person who is at home watching or listening on the radio during drive-time traffic probably has a job. They are too busy with career and family to get involved first hand with political events. Why should they support your cause? Why should they care? How does it affect their job? How does your issue impact their home and family? Talk to people you know and meet and ask them what is important to them and why. Listen, not to their political ideology, but their reasons for thinking the way they do. Keep a notebook and write down your observations. Refer back to it when you are writing your press releases. Not only will we be sending out press and news releases discussing every event we do, we will also on occasion send out releases regarding events others do. Consider this example: The city’s unions decide to hold a march in order to call attention to the plight of the worker. We are not part of the planning of this event
but choose to support it by attending and helping to spread the word. Following the event, we might send a news release to the local media. It would discuss how A4EJ supported the march and the ideas expressed by the marchers. It would include a statement to the effect of; “Bob Jones, spokesperson for the organization Action for Economic Justice, had this to say about today’s march….” We would then include several choice soundbites, followed by information on A4EJ. By doing this, we are providing the reporter with a source he or she can quote, thereby adding depth to the story. By writing this as a news release, we are using a news writing style that makes it much easier for the reporter to directly quote our release, in part or in full. Photography Good photography is always a plus. A picture is worth 1000 words and some have been known to spark revolutions. The press outlets don’t always have a photographer on hand to send to our events. We, however, do! It is very important to get as many photographs of each event as possible. When taking photos of an event, it is important to get as much information into the photograph as possible. This requires setting up the photo a little before taking the picture. For example, if the event is a protest outside of a bank, don’t just take a picture of a person holding a sign. Try to get the bank logo or sign in the background. Remember that action is also beneficial to a good photo. A protester standing in front of a Bank of America branch, waving at someone in a passing car as they wave back, is much more effective than just a photo of someone standing on the street holding a sign. As a general rule, it is best to have less than 4 people in the picture. Keeping it as simple as you can works better than overcomplicating it. While you do want to maintain control of the composition, you do not want a posed picture. These are generally obvious to a trained eye and discarded immediately. Be sure to identify everyone in the photo, where the photo was taken and when. Often events are planned around photo ops. Consider that most of the population will not see your protest, only those who happen to be present at that location will see. If, however, you can get a photo published in a major newspaper, tens of thousands more will see your protest and your message! An essential step, therefore, in planning your action is to work backwards from the photograph you’d like to see in the next day’s paper. Ask yourself: If the only coverage of the action is this one photo, what single image will best convey our message? Consider everything; lighting, camera angle, visibility of the target, size of the sign or banner, even the clothes the activists are wearing. In the Portland area, there are many opportunities to get your photo published. Review Part III of this guide for a listing of media outlets. Examine the listing of newspapers and periodicals and notice how many do not have staff
photographers. Every one of these is an opportunity to submit your own high-quality photograph taken at a newsworthy event. Video Obtaining quality video footage from our events is highly important. All actions should be videotaped for several reasons.
1. It gives us a visual experience that can immediately be uploaded to YouTube and shared worldwide.
2. It provides us with footage that we can later use to put together a larger video piece, designed to give an overview of A4EJ and its mission.
3. It gives us a “behind the scenes” look at what the corporate media are doing and saying off-camera and what has been edited from interviews.
4. It allows us to verify facts. If debating an opponent in a public place, getting the encounter on video allows us to quote the dialog verbatim.
5. It protects us against false accusations of illegal activity The same rules for photography listed above apply to video photographers. Be aware of the composition of each shot. If recording someone who is speaking, make sure you are close enough to record them clearly. Listen for potential background noise. Using a camera with a unidirectional microphone helps. The news outlets love homemade video, as long as it’s relevant to a newsworthy item. Make sure the video is something they will not have to edit. There must be action of some sort; someone moving, either the subject being filmed or the cameraperson. If filming a person speaking, look around for items or symbols that give context to their speech. Pan a shot of the people listening. It is preferable that the video be tagged with the group name or website address in the bottom right corner. This allows us to identify our footage if it is used by someone else. It also gives people a chance to contact us, should they choose. All local television stations should be sent copies of relevant video. Consider online news outlets as well. Look for local websites and even national outlets like Huffington Post, Drudge Report and others. If the video is good, don’t be afraid to send it to people! Letter Campaigns Another way of getting our message out is through letter writing campaigns. These might be directed towards a company, a government official or department, or to the editorial page of the local newspaper. It is the latter that we will concern ourselves with. An effective editorial letter campaign should be organized. It is one thing to call on everyone to write a letter about your issue (most, by the way, will not). It is
another thing altogether to organize, assigning specific duties to specific people. This requires following through with volunteers and making sure everyone has written their letter. The most effective strategy for campaigns like this is to focus each letter on one detail of the issue. Every issue has several different aspects to it. Hold a meeting with all the volunteers and go over these points. Dissect the issue and assign at least one letter to cover each aspect. Work together to come up with fact-based arguments, point by point. This will make writing the letters much easier. By arguing the issue in this manner, it is more difficult for opposing opinions to counter effectively without mounting their own organized letter writing campaign. Guest Editorials A local newspaper will often allow guest editorials from area activists, business people and politicians. If the piece is timely and well written, you may be able to get it published. Guest editorials are much more effective than letters to the editor, as they are given more space and often include a picture of the author. They are read far more widely and are often given greater credibility because the spotlight gives the idea of expertise. If you are writing something of this nature, it is important to make sure your facts are clearly sourced and your argument methodical. Include a picture of yourself when submitting your editorial. Having a title of some sort helps as well. “Owner of Such and Such, Inc.”, “PhD”, “Professor of This and That at State University”, etc. Some have even included a resume. Articles in Local Periodicals This is a bit easier for the average person than writing guest editorials. Keep a constant watch in your area for periodicals, either ‘zines and locally produced print material, or websites and blogs. Many of these will allow for guest writers and often they will let you pick your topic, provided it is in line with their own mission. Research them and find out their submission policies.
Part VII : A Final Word As mentioned before, all this press coverage has a purpose. The idea is to establish and build a reputation for A4EJ in the Portland area, so that we can better influence our public officials to affect change. It is therefore highly important to collect and maintain a record of press received by the group at its various events. Great press coverage means nothing if the right people aren’t seeing it. Articles must be clipped and copied, photos and videos saved. We will begin sending this information to the offices of our political officials on a regular basis, along with information on who we are and what we are seeking to do. We will save video footage so that we might use it to create a longer video piece that describes the issues we’re working on in more detail. People worship television, and when they see something presented in that format, they are much more open to it. Having a video put together also gives us something to run on community television. This guide will continue to be updated as we grow and learn. The “rules” given in this and other books but always be weighed against prevailing norms in the media industry. As the game changes, so must we.
For more information, contact:
Action for Economic Justice Portland, Oregon
www.a4ej.org