One thing you can be pretty sure of: one day's news coverage is not the final say on any single subject. In other words, just because the media seemingly ignored your story one day doesn't mean that's the end of the story.

When it comes to media relations, there may be several reasons your story didn't gain any traction with reporters, many of which had little to do with the story itself. 

Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney has taken to using a giant "debt clock" during his campaign appearances to draw attention to the nation's growing financial woes.

As he talks with crowds, he gestures at the clock (built by Romney aides) and refers to the nation's debt problem with statements such as, “If I’m president of the United States, Mr. President, I’ll do a better job slowing down that clock and hopefully getting it to start reversing and getting Americans back to work.”

The sudden announcement from Apple that Steve Jobs is stepping down as CEO is a stark reminder that companies and organizations need to have a media relations plan for the bad news everyone knows is coming, but are not sure just when.

Jobs has been ill for some time, and had taken a medical leave in January. With Jobs and Apple so interconnected, the news that he's relinquinshing daily control of the firm he co-founded in his parents' garage back in 1976 sent Apple shares plummeting.

When difficult circumstances affect a firm's public image and persona, it's essential to have the tough conversations behind the scenes early on about what will be said from a crisis communications and public relations standpoint. In the case of Apple, it was a brief statement released late in the day.

The debt debate in Washington and the financial meltdown on Wall Street have been giving just about everyone jitters. And yet, what most of us see as "bad news" becomes good news to the 24-hour news channels and talk radio. The news media are thrilled to have another crisis to talk about, politicians offer no shortage of pithy sound bites and columnists and analysts tell us who's to blame.

So, what's the problem? Nothing, unless you had a news conference scheduled the same day the Dow Jones Industrial average takes a nose dive. It's almost impossible to compete with a story of such magnitude, one that affects so many lives and pocketbooks. So, can you plan around such events?

Washington's deficit drama has ended with both sides rushing right up to the deadline before reaching a deal. 

The battle over raising the nation's debt ceiling emphasizes why it's important to frame an issue in your own terms and from your own perspective.