reaching the media
TRANSCRIPT
REACHING THE MEDIA
DAVID WYLIE
EVERY DAYThousands of people,
organizations and businesses
are struggling to use the media to
get their message out
So, how do we do it
effectively?
The four C’s of MEDIA RELATIONS
CONTACTCLARITYCONFIDENCECREATIVITY
1
2
3
4
CONTACT 1
Magazine columnist and news reporter Chuck Klosterman
Journalists want toStick it to people they dislike
Journalists want to
Push their own agendaStick it to people they dislikePush their own agenda
Journalists want to
Go to the bar at 5 p.m.
Stick it to people they dislikePush their own agenda
Help reporters help you
Help reporters help youHave an updated contact list
Help reporters help youHave an updated contact listReach out when news breaks
Help reporters help youHave an updated contact listReach out when news breaksCheck voicemail and email
Help reporters help youHave an updated contact listReach out when news breaksCheck voicemail and emailReturn phone calls and emails
CLARITY 2
It’s easy for the messageFortisBC has a plan to bring natural gas to Sicamous; the next step is to see if there’s enough demand. In May 2012, the News reported that the energy provider was exploring ways to deliver natural gas to the community. The conclusion of their analysis was delivered to district council Wednesday, in a presentation by FortisBC spokesperson Ruth Sulentich. The plan, explained Sulentich, would involve trucking compressed natural gas from Salmon Arm to Sicamous (with approximately six, 53-foot trailers, potentially powered by natural gas), and developing a distribution to get lost in all the words system in the community through which to service businesses and residents on the east side of the Bruhn Bridge. “The customer would be responsible to bear the cost of the meter as well as conversion of their appliances, depending on what they’re using… the good news is with customers on propane, there’s very minimal changes required to convert to get lost in all the words to natural gas so the cost would be fairly low,” said Sulentich, noting the cost of conversion would include meters (between $200 and $800 depending on property size), as well as changing over relevant appliances including furnaces, hot water tanks, fireplaces, etc. The payback, says Sulentech, will come in reduced energy costs. She said customers currently on propane could see savings of 30 to 40 per cent, and that electricity is also notably more expensive than gas.
It’s easy for the messageFortisBC has a plan to bring natural gas to Sicamous; the next step is to see if there’s enough demand. In May 2012, the News reported that the energy provider was exploring ways to deliver natural gas to the community. The conclusion of their analysis was delivered to district council Wednesday, in a presentation by FortisBC spokesperson Ruth Sulentich. The plan, explained Sulentich, would involve trucking compressed natural gas from Salmon Arm to Sicamous (with approximately six, 53-foot trailers, potentially powered by natural gas), and developing a distribution to get lost in all the words system in the community through which to service businesses and residents on the east side of the Bruhn Bridge. “The customer would be responsible to bear the cost of the meter as well as conversion of their appliances, depending on what they’re using… the good news is with customers on propane, there’s very minimal changes required to convert to get lost in all the words to natural gas so the cost would be fairly low,” said Sulentich, noting the cost of conversion would include meters (between $200 and $800 depending on property size), as well as changing over relevant appliances including furnaces, hot water tanks, fireplaces, etc. The payback, says Sulentech, will come in reduced energy costs. She said customers currently on propane could see savings of 30 to 40 per cent, and that electricity is also notably more expensive than gas.
Get your message out
Get your message outBe concise with your language
Get your message outBe concise with your languageBe brief with your statement
Get your message outBe concise with your languageBe brief with your statementBe repetitive with your key points
CONFIDENCE 3
Where does confidencecome from?
Knowledge of the situation
Where does confidencecome from?
Knowledge of the situationAnticipation of the questions
Where does confidencecome from?
Knowledge of the situationAnticipation of the questionsBeing brave enough to say: “I don’t know; let me find that out”
Where does confidencecome from?
CREATIVITY 4
This is what newsrooms used to look like
This is what they look like now
Fewer journalists meansOPPORTUNITY
There are still pages and time slots to fill,
but fewer peopleto produce content
We still have a problem…
Cut through the noise
Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle
Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle Use the zeitgeist
Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle Use the zeitgeist Package stories with extras
Cut through the noiseSteal attention with a surprising angle Use the zeitgeistPackage stories with extrasUse news style
The more interesting we make the pitch
and the easier we make it to use in the media,
the more likely it is to run
DAVIDWYLIE.CA