Appendix I

Dealing With the Media

1. Establishing Good Media Relations
Publicity is very important for promoting events and/or projects or a launch of a special initiative.

Ethnic media is a direct economic means for distributing information to CALD communities.
One of the best ways to get media attention is through the use of newspapers, radio and television.

In this context a listing of relevant local and ethnic media is attached. This list may not be exhaustive.
In order to establish good working relationships with the media, consider the following:

• Be a reliable source of information.


• Provide a balanced story – try not to slant the facts or tell only half the story.


• Never provide false information.


• Be as cooperative and accessible as possible.


• Get to know key journalists from the media organisations responsible for covering your local area.


• Develop the relationship by providing exclusive stories when possible.


• Facilitate relationships and interactions between journalists and other people within your organisation.


• Return journalists phone calls as promptly as possible, and if you say you will get back to with an answer to something, make sure you do.


• Remember, there will always be times when your objectives and the journalist’s will be incompatible, so be objective in your approach – expert balanced coverage not favourable coverage every time.


• Always give direct and honest answers to journalists’ questions.


• Avoid “no comment” – it can appear as though you are hiding something.


• Don’t be antagonistic, no matter how annoyed you are – present the facts in a calm, reasonable and thoughtful manner.


• Don’t be patronising, you may know considerably more about the subject than the journalist, but it is not necessary to talk down to people.


• Avoid “off the record” comments. If you genuinely don’t want to tell a journalist something – don’t. An inexperienced journalist may have difficulty identifying what is on and off the record, and you find information released which was not intended for release.
  (Deakin University, 1995)

2. Writing a Media Release
A well-written media release will normally adhere to the following basic guidelines:

• Use short sentences, short paragraphs and vigorous language.


• The key issue and strongest points should appear in the first paragraph – the “lead” or “intro”.


• After the “lead”, each succeeding paragraph should be in order of decreasing importance. This enables the release to be trimmed from the bottom up without losing any important facts.


• The first two paragraphs should answer the following questions:
  • What happened (or will happen)?
  
  
  • When and where it occurred (or will occur)?
  
  
  • Why happened (or will)?
  
  
  • Who it happened to or by?
  
  
  • How?


• Most articles are between 5 and 10 paragraphs – this should be the maximum length of a media release.


• Date the media release and indicate a “use by” date, in case it is held over to another edition. It is important to indicate the date at which time it will no longer be current or relevant.


• Use active rather than passive language (e.g. ‘the car hit the dog’ rather than ‘the dog was hit by the car’).


• Mention the name of your organisation early in the media release, but only if it has some key role in the topic being discussed.


• All statements or quotes need to be attributed to some one with or the issue is either stated or implied.


• Each media release should focus on one issue.


• Finish the media release with “Ends” below the last line, the journalist will then know they have received the whole release – particularly when it is received by fax.


• Media releases are only pointers to the news for journalists.


• If they want more information, they will contact you.


• Provide contact names and phone number for further information. It is important that you provide an out of hour’s number.
  (Deakin University, 1995)

When you have completed your English release

• Have it translated into the target language.


• Don’t rely on the newspaper to translate your release