Positive Media Relations For Communications Practitioners
Objectives
This two-day workshop is intended to meet the needs of communications practitioners who deal regularly with reporters and have responsibilities in preparing communications products such as communications plans, media advisories and news releases and occasionally have to give interviews to the media. The workshop is designed to provide participants with a basic knowledge of the media and to increase their comfort level during interviews, through a combination of formal presentation and practical exercises. The workshops are available in English and French.
Components
Practice constitutes the key element of the workshop. Each participant is interviewed four times on camera over issues within his/her areas of responsibility. The interviews are then reviewed with comments by the instructor identifying strengths, weaknesses and ways to improve performance.
The workshop covers familiarizing participants to the needs of the media, developing and articulating powerful messages, identifying and using "trap" questions and nurturing a professional relationship with journalists. This portion of the workshop is presented using computer-animated slides and relevant audio-visual material.
A manual summarizing the workshop content and featuring checklists and templates is provided to each participant.
The workshop covers the following areas:
- Understanding the media and their needs
- Negotiating with reporters
- Preparing for interviews
- Structuring information and developing key messages
- Delivering "sound bites"
- Taking advantage of "trap" questions
- The art of "bridging"
- Basic components of Communications plans
- Preparing powerful news releases and media advisories
- Organizing and conducting news conferences
- Maximizing media opportunities
- Working proactively with the media
Class size
In order to provide optimal personalized coaching, each workshop is limited to six participants. For larger groups, two instructors lead the workshops.
Technical
requirements
The workshop is usually conducted on the client’s premises. The basic equipment requirements are a table, chairs and a projection screen. Immedia Communications can conduct the course at an outside location at additional cost.
Workshop agenda
Day One
08:30 Introduction, course outline, participants’ expectations
09:00 Overview of the media and their characteristics
10:00 Coffee break
10:15 Exercise: First interview (Face-to-face)
11:00 Debriefing and critique
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Structuring information, target audiences, key messages
13:45 Exercise: Developing three key messages
14:00 Coffee break
14:15 Exercise: Second interview (Stand-up)
14:45 Debriefing and critique
15:30 Communications Plans
16:00 News releases and media advisories
16:20 Assignment: writing a news release
Day 2
09:00 Trap questions & bridging techniques
09:30 Media scrums
10:00 Coffee break
10:15 Exercise: Conducting a media scrum
11:00 Review
12:00 Lunch
13:00 Organizing and conducting a news conference
13:30 Preparation for news conference
14:00 Exercise: Conducting a news conference
14:30 Coffee break
14:45 Review
15:30 Maximizing media opportunities; working with the media
16:00 Conclusion and evaluation
