Dealing with the media2

DEALING WITH THE MEDIA:

A Guide for Aspiring A Guide for Aspiring Public Relations OfficialsPublic Relations Officials

Eric JohnstonEric Johnston

Deputy EditorDeputy Editor

The Japan Times, Osaka bureauThe Japan Times, Osaka bureau

Kansai Gaidai UniversityKansai Gaidai University

April 15th, 2009April 15th, 2009

The Role of the The Role of the MediaMedia

To provide factually correct To provide factually correct information to the public that the information to the public that the media, NOT the public relations media, NOT the public relations official, considers important.official, considers important.

To provide information and To provide information and opinions that add to the public’s opinions that add to the public’s knowledge and perception of the knowledge and perception of the issue.issue.

To present a story in an interesting To present a story in an interesting way that keeps people’s attention.way that keeps people’s attention.

Impressions & Stereotypes, Impressions & Stereotypes,

or What the Media Really Thinks of or What the Media Really Thinks of People People

in Public Relationsin Public Relations People in Public Relations are those who weren’t intelligent enough to get a job in journalism.

The job of a Public Relations official is to tell lies and hide the truth. The job of a journalist is to seek out the truth.

Public Relations people are simply glorified secretaries who rarely, if ever, know what’s really going on their organization.

Impressions & Stereotypes, Impressions & Stereotypes, or What Public Relations People Really Think or What Public Relations People Really Think

of people in the Mediaof people in the Media

Journalists have a limited capacity for facts.

Journalists prefer scandal and negativity to positive news.

Journalists will lie to you or trick you just to get a sensational story.

Top Mistakes Top Mistakes Public Relations Officials Make Public Relations Officials Make

in Dealing with the Mediain Dealing with the Media Fail to provide

correct information.

Fail to provide information in a timely manner (before deadline).

Fail to anticipate media needs.

Fail to do their homework on the media before they meet them.

Fail to prepare Fail to prepare properly for press properly for press conference or press conference or press briefing.briefing.

Fail to follow up after Fail to follow up after the conference or the conference or briefing.briefing.

Fail to understand Fail to understand which media are most which media are most important.important.

Fail to remember that Fail to remember that media is neither their media is neither their friend nor their friend nor their enemy.enemy.

FAILURE TO PROVIDE CORRECT FAILURE TO PROVIDE CORRECT INFORMATIONINFORMATION..

Trust with the media is everything. Trust with the media is everything. The quickest way to break that trust The quickest way to break that trust is to give a reporter false information. is to give a reporter false information.

Two kinds of failures, intentional and Two kinds of failures, intentional and unintentional. Unintentional failures unintentional. Unintentional failures signal a lack of competency. signal a lack of competency. Intentional failures show a PR official Intentional failures show a PR official cannot be trusted.cannot be trusted.

FAILURE TO PROVIDE TIMELY FAILURE TO PROVIDE TIMELY INFORMATIONINFORMATION

Deadlines are everything to a reporter. Deadlines are everything to a reporter. Don’t expect a ``fair’’ story if you fail Don’t expect a ``fair’’ story if you fail to meet reporter’s deadline.to meet reporter’s deadline.

Understand that the closer to deadline Understand that the closer to deadline you provide the information, the more you provide the information, the more likely it will be the information may likely it will be the information may not be included or edited the way not be included or edited the way you’d want.you’d want.

Public relations’ officials who miss Public relations’ officials who miss reporter’s deadlines lose the reporter’s reporter’s deadlines lose the reporter’s trust.trust.

FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE MEDIA NEEDSMEDIA NEEDS

Providing useless information is the Providing useless information is the quickest way to reconfirming stereotypes quickest way to reconfirming stereotypes that a Public Relations official is a that a Public Relations official is a professional liar.professional liar.

Providing useful information but in a Providing useful information but in a confusing and unclear way makes it less confusing and unclear way makes it less likely the media will get the point of what likely the media will get the point of what youyou’’re saying. Knowing media needs in re saying. Knowing media needs in advance builds trust, and gets your advance builds trust, and gets your message across.message across.

FAILURE TO DO THEIR FAILURE TO DO THEIR HOMEWORK ON THE MEDIA HOMEWORK ON THE MEDIA BEFORE THEY MEET THEMBEFORE THEY MEET THEM

Who are the most important media for my Who are the most important media for my organization?organization?

What have they said in the past about my What have they said in the past about my organization?organization?

Who are the most influential media?Who are the most influential media? What are the names of the reporters, What are the names of the reporters,

editors, and producers I need to know, and editors, and producers I need to know, and what are their information preferences?what are their information preferences?

FAILURE TO PREPARE FOR FAILURE TO PREPARE FOR PRESS CONFERENCEPRESS CONFERENCE

Does the speaker know what questions reporters are likely to ask?

(THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE JOB OF A PR (THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE JOB OF A PR OFFICIAL, FROM AN ORGANIZATIONOFFICIAL, FROM AN ORGANIZATION’’S S POINT OF VIEW)POINT OF VIEW)

Are the press conference facilities Are the press conference facilities adequate (good location, reasonably quiet, adequate (good location, reasonably quiet, proper lighting, comfortable seats, big proper lighting, comfortable seats, big enough)?enough)?

FAILURE TO FOLLOW UP WITH FAILURE TO FOLLOW UP WITH PRESS PRESS AFTERAFTER THE BRIEFING THE BRIEFING

Once the press briefing is over, your Once the press briefing is over, your job is not over. You need to check job is not over. You need to check the media afterwards and see who the media afterwards and see who said what about the press said what about the press conference.conference.

ItIt’’s OK to ask the press after the s OK to ask the press after the briefing if they plan to write briefing if they plan to write something, but do NOT ask them something, but do NOT ask them why they didnwhy they didn’’t report your event. t report your event.

FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND WHICH MEDIA ARE MOST WHICH MEDIA ARE MOST

IMPORTANT IMPORTANT

Who are you trying to reach?Who are you trying to reach? Which media are the most important Which media are the most important

for reaching your target audience?for reaching your target audience? ``Important``Important’’’’ versus ``Influential versus ``Influential’’’’. .

Important to your customers, Important to your customers, influential among the general public.influential among the general public.

REPORTERS ARE INDIVIDUALS AND REPORTERS ARE INDIVIDUALS AND MUST BE TREATED AS SUCH.MUST BE TREATED AS SUCH.

FAILURE TO REMEMBER MEDIA FAILURE TO REMEMBER MEDIA IS NEITHER YOUR FRIEND NOR IS NEITHER YOUR FRIEND NOR

YOUR ENEMYYOUR ENEMY A reporter is NOT your customer. A reporter is NOT your customer. A reporter IS a competitor for information A reporter IS a competitor for information

about your company.about your company. A reporter is NOT out to send your A reporter is NOT out to send your

company into bankruptcy or get you fired.company into bankruptcy or get you fired. You DO have a responsibility as a You DO have a responsibility as a

citizen in a democratic society to citizen in a democratic society to provide information to the media, provide information to the media, even if that information is something even if that information is something your bosses may not want to give to your bosses may not want to give to the media.the media.

Technology: Friend or Foe?Technology: Friend or Foe?

INTERNET/E-MAIL BULLETINS: Good, INTERNET/E-MAIL BULLETINS: Good, but be aware that many journalists but be aware that many journalists put your bulletins in the spam file.put your bulletins in the spam file.

FACEBOOK/TWITTER: So-so. Check FACEBOOK/TWITTER: So-so. Check with journalists first before sending with journalists first before sending out Twitter messages or asking them out Twitter messages or asking them to join you on Facebook.to join you on Facebook.

PR Videos and DVDs: Helpful if youPR Videos and DVDs: Helpful if you’’re re dealing with TV or Internet reporters.dealing with TV or Internet reporters.

Do’s and Don’t with TechnologyDo’s and Don’t with Technology DO make sure that your companyDO make sure that your company’’s s

Website is easy to use, uncluttered, and Website is easy to use, uncluttered, and does not take too long to download (stay does not take too long to download (stay away from Flash and heavy graphics). away from Flash and heavy graphics).

YOUR COMPANYYOUR COMPANY’’S INTERNET SITE SHOULD BE UNDER THE S INTERNET SITE SHOULD BE UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONSCONTROL OF THE PUBLIC RELATIONS’’ DEPARTMENT, NOT A DEPARTMENT, NOT A SEPARATE IT DEPARTMENTSEPARATE IT DEPARTMENT

DO make sure that the most up-to-date DO make sure that the most up-to-date information is easily available.information is easily available.

DONDON’’T forget to include basic, practical T forget to include basic, practical information like telephone numbers is on information like telephone numbers is on the main page.the main page.

DONDON’’T ever assume that journalists can T ever assume that journalists can navigate your Website as easily as you navigate your Website as easily as you can.can.

Special Issues Regarding Public Special Issues Regarding Public Relations in JapanRelations in Japan

The Three Types of Japanese Public The Three Types of Japanese Public Relations OfficialRelations Official

1)1) The Bureaucrat The Bureaucrat – Humorless, unfriendly, – Humorless, unfriendly, but extremely good with small facts and but extremely good with small facts and figures.figures.

2)2) The Potted PlantThe Potted Plant– The stylish, beautiful – The stylish, beautiful young woman or handsome young man who young woman or handsome young man who looks good, speaks a foreign language, is looks good, speaks a foreign language, is polite, and always around, but who knows polite, and always around, but who knows absolutely nothing and has no access to the absolutely nothing and has no access to the people journalists need to meet.people journalists need to meet.

3)3) The Professional The Professional – Businesslike but friendly, – Businesslike but friendly, fast, efficient. Knows the media well and, fast, efficient. Knows the media well and, basically, likes them even when he basically, likes them even when he disagrees with them.disagrees with them.

Special Issues Regarding Public Special Issues Regarding Public Relations in JapanRelations in Japan

In Japan, PR officials are rarely professionally In Japan, PR officials are rarely professionally trained as PR officials. Compared to U.S., trained as PR officials. Compared to U.S., Singapore, Hong Kong, parts of Europe, Japanese Singapore, Hong Kong, parts of Europe, Japanese PR officials are too often amateurish.PR officials are too often amateurish.

Because Japanese PR types can be poor Because Japanese PR types can be poor communicators, personally, they can appear communicators, personally, they can appear professionally secretive, arrogant and deceitful to professionally secretive, arrogant and deceitful to outsiders outsiders ––especially to foreign journalists.especially to foreign journalists.

PR officials in Japan are often unable or unwilling PR officials in Japan are often unable or unwilling to take a more objective view of their to take a more objective view of their organization than PR officials elsewhere. They organization than PR officials elsewhere. They cancan’’t joke about their organization t joke about their organization ``The worst ``The worst thing about a fanatic is his sincerity.thing about a fanatic is his sincerity. ’’’’

Special Issues Regarding Public Special Issues Regarding Public Relations in JapanRelations in Japan

Branch offices of Tokyo firms do have PR Branch offices of Tokyo firms do have PR officials, but they are often useless officials, but they are often useless `madogiwazoku`madogiwazoku’’. Usually all important PR . Usually all important PR information comes from Tokyo. information comes from Tokyo.

PR officials in Japan are used to dealing PR officials in Japan are used to dealing with a Japanese media that is far more with a Japanese media that is far more friendly to them than media elsewhere. As friendly to them than media elsewhere. As a result, they often become lazy, and are a result, they often become lazy, and are unprepared for dealing with the outside unprepared for dealing with the outside worldworld’’s media.s media.

Eric’s Wish List For Aspiring PR Eric’s Wish List For Aspiring PR OfficialsOfficials

Don’t be bureaucratic. Be human, and have a sense of humor.Don’t be bureaucratic. Be human, and have a sense of humor.

Pay attention to the small details that make a reporter’s life easier. Pay attention to the small details that make a reporter’s life easier. For example, make sure all names are spelled correctly. In case of For example, make sure all names are spelled correctly. In case of Japanese press releases, make sure that either (1) the names of the Japanese press releases, make sure that either (1) the names of the people speaking are written in English; or (2) there is furigana people speaking are written in English; or (2) there is furigana beside the kanji names.beside the kanji names.

Do research on the media you deal with. Know which reporters and Do research on the media you deal with. Know which reporters and editors are covering your company. Know what their preferences, editors are covering your company. Know what their preferences, schedules, and limitations are.schedules, and limitations are.

Be succinct in your speech and in your writing. Don’t waste our Be succinct in your speech and in your writing. Don’t waste our time with useless information. Again, we’re NOT your customer.time with useless information. Again, we’re NOT your customer.

Know the basic rules of journalism, what ``off the record’’ and ``on Know the basic rules of journalism, what ``off the record’’ and ``on background’’ really mean. Also KNOW HOW THE MEANINGS ARE background’’ really mean. Also KNOW HOW THE MEANINGS ARE DIFFERENT IN JAPANESE AND ENGLISH.DIFFERENT IN JAPANESE AND ENGLISH.

At the end of the day, public relations is about the art of providing At the end of the day, public relations is about the art of providing information in a truthful manner, information that tells your side information in a truthful manner, information that tells your side of the story. Nothing more, nothing less.of the story. Nothing more, nothing less.

THANK YOU!!!!THANK YOU!!!!

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

COMMENTS?COMMENTS?

CRITICISMS?CRITICISMS?