Why do reporters want to know why?
Reporters often ask the "why" question even after you've given what you consider to be a thorough explanation or response. but, the problem usually is not that the reporter isn't listening or doesn't get it. The reason for the continued follow ups is to hear you explain it. In other words, by asking "why" have you launched a major expansion or started a new project, the reporter wants to hear a little more detail for his or her story. Reporters are after color to fill in the blanks.
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Did you know that your response to a crisis really should begin before the crisis occurs? In this article, author John Hall argues that companies and organizations can help themselves tremendously by the content they produce.
"To go into a shell and stop communication during hard times. . .just creates a void for someone else to fill with his or her own ideas and information," Hall writes. He offers three ways to use content to control your messaging and conversation during hard times: The media abhor a vacuum. If you make them guess, they just may go looking for answers anywhere they can find them.
And yet, time after time, firms and organizations try to keep the lid on information during a crisis, believing it's better to say little if anything. It's probably human nature, lawyers or a combination of both that prompts the tight-lipped response. If you choose to follow that path, good luck. Be prudent. Be careful. But beware the impact of saying nothing. Why? Having the opportunity to appear in a print story or, better yet, on camera for a TV report, is one thing. Making the most of the opportunity is quite another.
It takes time to craft the perfect sound bite. Let's suppose you get a call from a reporter or you've successfully pitched a reporter on interviewing you. What happens next? Before you can begin to think about your response, you need to glean from the reporter what she wants to discuss and the general nature of the questions. It's unlikely a reporter is willing to actually show the questions in advance. Armed with the knowledge of where the interview is headed, you can now craft your message. Here's your goal: You want to actually serve the reporter the quote or sound bite you'd like to see him use in the story. How? Bulldog Reporter has summarized the worst and best-handled crisis communications episodes of the past year, based on a list compiled by CrisisResponsePro. Topping the list of blunders was the National Football League for its handling of "Deflategate," the scandal involving the New England Patriots' under-inflated footballs. "They basically communicated nothing to the fans other than that they were launching an investigation, which they said would be “pursued expeditiously,” then took months," according to the analysis.
It's the time of year when people are in a holiday mood. Hard to get their attention, let alone much publicity in the media. But, the one exception to that has to do with news stories that coincide with the end of the year.
Your perspective So, for instance, consider a press release that offers your perspective on 2015 as it relates to your business or profession. What were some of the important changes that you observed? What were the employment trends? What stood out as a new business model? Top Ten list Another option is a straight Top Ten or Top Five list of events that took place during the year and why they were important. These significant developments could draw a reporter's interest. Social media platforms provide a variety of means to share content, whether or not the media ever cover your story. If you're not already creating videos to showcase your company's or organization's expertise, you definitely should. If you already are creating videos but posting them only on YouTube, you're missing some fantastic opportunities for others to see your message.
YouTube is considered the second-most popular search engine, behind Google. You definitely want to post your videos there. But Facebook is fast becoming another good option, creating more engagement with Facebook posts. The auto-play function hooks viewers right away. Facebook even allows users to upload extremely short video clips as their profile image. Another up and coming option is Instagram. Unlike Vine, which allows one to post :06 second videos, Instagram videos can be up to :15 in length. You can actually say and show quite a bit in :15 seconds, making Instagram an option for a growing number of brands and thought leaders.
At Mack Communications, we often send out video news advisories on behalf of clients. These advisories help to position the story and the subject matter expert as someone who would make a great interview.
TV and radio producers can see and hear the individual talk about the issue and get a sense of how they would perform in a live or recorded broadcast setting. We also give media outlets permission to use any portion of the interview for their own stories. In this video clip, we show a brief excerpt of the video advisory followed by a brief clip of the client's appearance on live Chicago television. A real coup! Some press conferences lend themselves to being held outdoors. It's hard to have a groundbreaking inside, for instance. But, the reality is that any outdoor event carries with it a variety of potential problems that you'll have to contend with if you hope to have a successful outcome.
WEATHER Weather is the main concern. Even if there's no rain or snow, the climate may present challenges. Take, for instance, the wind. We just held an outdoor event, and one of the speakers had a tough time keeping his notes from flying away because of the windy conditions. Not ideal. Twitter has become a new kind of wire service. Reporters today use Twitter to pick up tips and story ideas throughout the day.
This presents a great opportunity for anyone wanting to interact with the media. If you're successful in getting certain reporters or editors to follow you on Twitter, you now have another way of reaching them with your news. VIRTUAL MEGAPHONE In addition, Twitter also works to amplify your message to others within your industry, the community and to potential clients. Twitter can serve as a virtual megaphone to announce when you've written a new blog post or when you've posted a new thought leadership video on your website. It also gives you a platform to comment on what others are saying, helping to establish yourself as a respected expert. |
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March 2019
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