A l A b A m A A & m A n d A u b u r n u n i v e r s i t i e s

www.aces.edu

EX-0131

News Media Relations The Fundamentals

developing these relationships will increase extension’s public exposure through the print and broadcast news and ensure that you remain an effective, engaged educator.

Gatekeepers at Weekly Newspapersin small-town weekly newspaper offices, the gate-keeper is usually the managing editor who, in many cases, is also the publisher. While it is important for extension professionals to develop close working relationships with these editors, you may be successful at many small weeklies by working with a seasoned reporter or even with a secretary or receptionist who enjoys the editor’s implicit trust. Cultivating these relationships is important too. the critical measure of success is how often your submissions run in the paper.

Gatekeepers at Daily Newspapersdaily newspapers are organized differently than weekly newspapers. Walk into a small daily newspaper and you will see a newsroom organized much like

The Extension Professional’s Media Mission

There is a memorable saying: “May you live in interesting times.”

We Extension professionals live and work in interesting times—interesting and challenging times. To an increasing degree, we are using emerging forms of technology—particularly social media—to connect with our diverse audiences.

Even so, we must not lose sight of how traditional media—newspaper and broadcast media—can still be used to complement the work we are doing with emerging social media.

The traditional media will still comprise an integral part of our outreach efforts. Cultivating strong working relationships with media gate-keepers, the people who still exert considerable influence on what is ultimately reported as news, will ensure that we continue to reach critical segments of our diverse audiences.

Despite the power and convenience of social media, we must not lose sight of how older media—newspapers, television, and radio—can be used to complement our work.

Knowing the GatekeeperWe should begin with a question: What is a gatekeeper? the term is broadly used to describe any person at a newspaper or at a radio or television station respon-sible for deciding what is reported as news.

One of the keys to becoming an effective, engaged extension educator is developing close working relationships with these people. You will have little success in getting your message to your clients through print and broadcast media unless you know who these gatekeepers are and how to work with them.

2 Alabama Cooperative extension system A Social Media Call to Action Pb

weekly papers, with accessible managing editors and reporters who, in addition to covering a wide range of subject matter, also share gatekeeper responsibilities with their editors. On the other hand, job roles at many large daily newspapers may be considerably more formal and specialized. You may work with editors who concentrate entirely on gatekeeper roles and with reporters who focus exclusively on writing the stories assigned to them by their editors. You may work closely with specialty editors who manage specific sections of the paper, such as the regional or lifestyle sections.

Part of the challenge of developing a successful media relations strategy is getting to know a newspaper’s or broadcast station’s organizational structure and personal dynamics to determine who the go-to people are. Always remember that they vary considerably from place to place.

Broadcast News Gatekeepersbroadcast news offices are different from their print counterparts in several significant ways. in most tv newsrooms, the principal gatekeepers are news direc-tors charged with setting overall news policy. However, assignment editors, responsible for handing out daily news coverage assignments to reporters, often function as the daily go-to people. reporters who specialize in topics such as the environment, nutrition, or health and who typically have significant input into what is aired are go-to individuals in other stations.

this situation is also true for the producers of morning, noon, and evening newscasts. many of them have considerable leeway in determining what subjects are ultimately covered in the station’s news programming.

On the other hand, radio gatekeeper roles may vary considerably from station to station. At small- and medium-sized stations, you may work exclusively with a news director who carries both gatekeeper and reporting roles. At many large radio stations, you may work with both news directors and reporters who specialize in several topics and who often share gatekeeper roles. As with newspapers, you will often have to spend time learning the personal dynamics of tv and radio newsrooms.

Knowing What Is News Knowing gatekeepers is critical to our success, but so is the ability to convince them that our story ideas qualify as news. richard Goldberg, a former boston-area tv producer, built a reputation in the 1980s showing people how to get their messages covered in television newscasts. He urged his clients to ask four essential questions to determine a story’s newsworthi-ness—questions that apply as readily to print as to television news.

1. Why is your story news?Perhaps the question is best expressed this way: Why would anyone care about what you’re doing? Just because you think your story is big or significant does not mean the gatekeeper will. if the gatekeeper isn’t convinced it is news, the story will never be printed, and if the story is neither printed nor aired, it is not, by definition, news.

You may consider the opening of a demonstration garden at a local assisted living center or primary school newsworthy, but you have no guarantee that the gatekeepers will consider it news unless you can

At some newspapers, you may have as much success working with receptionists and reporters as you do with managing editors.

Radio gatekeeper roles may vary considerably from station to station with some gatekeepers assuming multiple responsibili-ties, including on-air reporting.

News Media Relations: The Fundamentals 3

demonstrate one or more compelling reasons why it is worth reporting to their readers, viewers, or listeners.

2. How are readers, listeners, or viewers affected by your story? the measure of newsworthiness boils down to one question: Who will be affected and how? You may think that a demonstration plot at a local assisted living facility or primary school merits coverage, but to sell a gatekeeper on it, you have to demonstrate a compel-ling human interest angle.

For example, you may provide tangible examples of how this project will positively affect the lives of people who help with the garden. You may also demonstrate how it could serve as a prototype for similar gardens throughout the community, not only as a way to feed people but also as a way to provide a strong sense of community.

3. Does your story have a link to a larger state or national story?virtually every newspaper and broadcast gatekeeper will be more willing to cover a story if you can link it to an issue with statewide or national significance. For example, you could link the garden demonstra-tion project to several prevailing trends, such as the growing desire among some aspiring gardeners to deal with spiking food costs or simply the sense of psycho-logical well-being often derived from raising one’s own food or participating in a community self-help effort.

You may think that opening a community garden at a local assisted living center is a great idea, but do your local gatekeepers?

4. How visual is it?Just talking about a story isn’t enough. You have to show it too. Help the reporter frame the issue within a rich visual context to ensure that viewers and readers gain a lasting impression. by enhancing its visual effects, you ensure that the story attaches to mental hooks in the minds of readers and viewers.

in the case of demonstration gardens, for example, you could enlist some of the assisted living residents or primary school students to work in the garden while being photographed or video recorded. As an added visual enhancement, you could include a large, colorful sign with the extension logo and the name of the garden posted beside a large basket of freshly picked vegetables.

Sources of News Coveragebecoming an effective user of print and broadcast media also involves cultivating an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each medium. understanding these comparative advantages and disadvantages will help you target the media best suited to your story idea.

Daily NewspapersWith the exception of magazines, daily newspapers offer the most potential for in-depth coverage of a topic. they usually operate in large metropolitan areas and specialize in national, state, and local news. much of what they offer is drawn from national wire and syndication services. the major offerings at daily newspapers typically include news and feature stories, editorials, and op-eds and investigative reports.

Consider ways that your story could be linked to wider state or national issues. For example, you could show how national and even global economic factors are contributing to the rising home gardening trend.

Weekly NewspapersWhile offering much of the same fare as daily newspa-pers, weekly newspapers typically specialize in locally oriented news targeted to small, often rural audiences. national wire and syndicated materials are carried less often—if ever—by weekly newspapers. they are usually focused on human interest-related themes—stories about people doing memorable things—which is why it’s typically easier to secure coverage in weekly papers.

Magazinesmagazines, like newspapers, offer the advantage of extended coverage of your story idea. One added advantage is that many magazines, especially trade association publications, target specific audiences, such as environmentalists, farmers, gardeners, and agribusiness professionals. magazines typically feature stories about noteworthy people, trends, and occur-rences in their specialty areas. A disadvantage with magazines is that stories often must be submitted months in advance.

Televisiontelevision news departments have traditionally offered one or more of the following opportunities for covering issues:

• newscasts

• Public service announcements

• editorials

• Public affairs programs

Weekend newspapers typically specialize in locally oriented news targeted to small, often rural audiences.

tightening budgetary constraints have forced growing numbers of television stations to eliminate or drasti-cally reduce their public affairs programming, although some tv stations still incorporate into their morning and noon newscasts brief one-on-one interviews with community leaders and others. Optimal opportunities for tv news exposure are generally the morning, noon, evening, and late evening newscasts. some stations also feature early evening newscasts, which in the central time zone, air at 5 p.m. some of these newscasts routinely feature lifestyle, business, and health segments that may be well suited to your story idea.

RadioWith the advent of talk radio in the last couple of decades, radio has reemerged as a major source of news/talk programming, which often encompasses local programming aimed at morning and afternoon commuters.

Local Cable and Low-Power TV News Program AlternativesPublic affairs programming still endures on some local cable channels and low-power tv stations, although in most cases, the audiences for these programs are exceedingly small.

Wire ServicesWire services, such as the Associated Press and reuters, gather news from across the country and the world, providing 24/7 coverage for affiliated print and broadcast media. While these services are usually located in large cities, they also employ stringers to cover stories in remote places. send press releases and

4 Alabama Cooperative extension system

Budgetary constraints have forced growing numbers of televi-sion stations to eliminate or drastically reduce their public affairs programming.

related material for wire services to the nearest local contact. remember that wire services are interested only in the most exceptionally newsworthy stories. they should not be considered a casual news contact like a local newspaper or tv station.

Keeping a ListOne of the keys to successful news dissemination is compiling a frequently updated list of key news outlets, such as local and regional newspapers; regional and special interest publications; local television and radio stations; and wire services. With each of these outlets, also be sure to include the names, titles, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mails, social media addresses, and fax numbers of key gatekeepers. Gatekeepers to include are as follows:

• City, regional, and state editors, who typically oversee city, regional, or state news coverage, respectively, at daily newspapers

• Features editors, who are charged with coverage of feature stories about noteworthy people, places, and events

• specialty editors, who focus exclusively on topics such as health and fitness, lifestyles, and the environment at daily and sometimes weekly newspapers

• editorial page editors, who manage the edito-rial and op-ed sections of daily and sometimes weekly newspapers

• tv and radio news directors

• tv assignment editors

• specialty reporters with one or more gatekeeper responsibilities

• bureau chiefs, who manage a satellite office for a metropolitan tv station or newspaper

• Community calendar editors responsible for long-range scheduling of news events

• Public service directors, who manage public service announcements at tv and radio stations

• news program producers

Contact these media outlets at least once every three months to update your list.

Working with Gatekeeperslearn how newspapers and broadcast stations cover news before you introduce yourself to their gate-keepers. Following an introductory phone call or visit, give gatekeepers your basic contact information (office, cell phone, and fax numbers; e-mail and pertinent social media addresses; and, when appropriate, your professional blog and web addresses). Also include a brief summary of your educational credentials, areas of expertise, and current job responsibilities. use highly accessible language and avoid technical, potentially confusing jargon.

Follow up your introductory visit and e-mail with brief, periodic phone calls to pass along story ideas and updates on important programming efforts. remember that gatekeepers are busy people who are interested in only a handful of things:

Wire services are interested only in the most exceptionally newsworthy stories and should not be considered a casual news source like a local newspaper or TV station.

Keep it real: Never assume you can dictate to gatekeepers and reporters how they should cover a news event.

News Media Relations: The Fundamentals 5

• the facts

• Accurate information

• Quotes that are short and colorful and that avoid technical jargon and buzzwords

• background information that will help them understand the significance of the story as they prepare their reports

• An exclusive—being the only reporter to get the story

don’t burden them with trivial information. remember sergeant Joe Friday’s famous phrase: “Just the facts, ma’am.”

Pitching 101You can use several methods to present—or as they often say in the news business, to pitch—story ideas to media gatekeepers. Contact them well in advance, typically two weeks ahead of scheduled news events. some media, particularly magazines, require as much as a couple of months advance notice.

below are some of the most common ways to contact gatekeepers:

Pitch

A short, concise summary, not exceeding more than 200 or 300 words, acquainting a gatekeeper or reporter with a story idea that you are thinking about offering as a formal news coverage opportunity. Pitches are useful for gauging a gatekeeper’s interest in a potential story. in many cases, a brief phone call works better than a written, e-mailed summary.

Media Advisory

A one-page fact sheet providing only the basic facts and written primarily to focus the gatekeeper’s atten-tion to the time and location of an upcoming news event. typically e-mailed a few weeks in advance of an event, advisories should include a one-sentence description of the event, the time, location, estimated number of participants, and a contact name and phone number. media advisories are typically followed shortly by a comprehensive press release.

6 Alabama Cooperative extension system

In the news business, a pitch is a short, concise summary of a story idea you would like a gatekeeper to consider covering.

More Rules of Thumb

• Beresponsive.Respondtoagatekeeper’sorreporter’sinquiryassoonaspossible.

• Trynottocallgatekeeperslateintheday,whichistypicallywhentheyarepreparingtheirstoriesforprintorbroadcast.

• Neverlie.Stickwiththefacts.Ifyoudon’tknowtheanswer,sayso.Offertoprovideinformationassoonaspossible.

• Avoidexpressingyourownopinions.

• Offerassistance.Explainthesequenceofeventsinvolvedincoveringastory.Suggestothercrediblesourcestocover,butdon’ttellgatekeepersandreport-ershowtodotheirjobs.

• Getreal.Don’tassumeyoucancontrolthenews.Youcannotdeterminewhenastoryrunsorhowitwillbeplacedinrelationtoothernews.Thesedecisionsarethegatekeeper’sresponsibility.

• Becompelling.Gatekeepersareinundatedwithstoryideaseveryday.Makesureyourstoryisastantalizingaspossiblewithoutbendingthefacts.

• Beflexible.Ifagatekeepercan’tcoveryourstoryonthedateyouhadinmind,trytorearrangetheeventtofithisorherschedule.

• Beaccessible.Letthegatekeeperknowwhereyouwillbeafterhourssoyoucanbereachedtoansweradditionalquestionsaboutastory.Don’tletthegate-keepergetawaywithoutlearninghowheorshecanbereachedinthefuture.

• Beappreciative.Sendapersonalnoteifyoulikedthewaythestorywaspresented.Reporterstypicallynevergetenoughcreditfordoingagoodjob.

Press Release

A full but succinct account of your story, typically no more than 600 words, written as a news article. send press releases as e-mails a couple of weeks before an event.

Phone Calls

if you don’t have enough time to present your story concept in writing, contact your gatekeeper or reporter directly by phone, outlining the basics of the story as quickly and as concisely as possible. Follow up media advisories and press releases with brief phone calls to ensure that your material was received.

Press Kits

A set of written materials providing the basic informa-tion to prepare a story. these are often helpful to gatekeepers and reporters if they are sent at least a couple of weeks before an event.

Kits typically include the following:

• Press release

• Fact sheet

• biographical sketches of key players

• Graphic elements such as pictures and your organizational or program logo

• Your personal contact information

Working with Traditional Media via Social Mediasocial media venues such as Facebook, twitter, and professional weblogs can be effective ways to keep gatekeepers abreast of what you are doing. to an increasing degree, many of them are building their own social media presences and are happy to pass along these observations and links to their own audiences. but remember that these gatekeepers and reporters are busy people. While they’re interested in your professional observations, they are not likely to be interested in the details of yesterday’s visit to the drugstore or next weekend’s trip to see Aunt bess. social media links you provide to news personnel should be strictly professional.

Other Types of Media Reach (HandlewithCare)

Letters to the Editorletters to the editor are effective ways to respond to an article or column with which you disagree. replies should be brief, roughly 400 words, preferably less. As a rule of thumb, the shorter, the better. because letters are often edited for tight space, include the most important point(s) in the first paragraph.

Note: Always employ extreme caution when submitting letters to the editor. While they are often highly effective in educating readers about timely issues and, in some cases, correcting faulty news coverage, they have the potential of alienating many readers.

Op-Edsnamed because they are featured on the page opposite the editorial page, op-eds have great potential to help or to hinder your efforts. editorial page editors, the people who oversee op-ed submissions, are typically highly selective about the types of material they run. to be seriously considered, op-eds should be well conceived, well written, factual, well organized, and concise, not exceeding 800 words. many editorial page editors demand shorter pieces, ranging from about 600 to 650 words.

Note: As with letters to the editor, approach op-eds with extreme caution and discuss with the appropriate Extension administrator before submission. While a potentially valuable and effective way to educate readers about critical issues, op-eds have the potential to hinder as much as help your efforts.

Editorial Board Meetingsif you are reluctant to submit a letter to the editor or op-ed under your own name, consider another option: persuade the members of a newspaper editorial board to endorse your or your organization’s opinion. this will involve a phone call or a personal visit to the chair of the newspaper’s editorial board to explain why you think your opinion deserves endorsement. When an editorial board has taken a view opposite yours, be prepared to provide a convincing body of evidence explaining why you think you are right and they are wrong. Phrase and present rebuttals as tactfully as possible.

News Media Relations: The Fundamentals 7

EX-0131

Jim Langcuster, Extension Communications Specialist, Auburn university.

For more information, call your county extension office. look in your telephone directory under your county’s name to find the number.

Published by the Alabama Cooperative extension system (Alabama A&m university and Auburn university), an equal opportunity educator and employer.

Web Only, New Oct 2011, eX-0131

© 2011 by the Alabama Cooperative extension system. All rights reserved. www.aces.edu

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Parting Thoughts and a Chargeit goes without saying that we extension educators are operating in a brave new world—a world that would seem incredibly strange to our professional forebears, whose outreach efforts were initially carried out through personal encounters and meetings and, later in our history, through print and broadcast media.

now, with the boundaries between so-called old and new media, the time has come to think and act differ-ently. there are no new and old media, only elements comprising a sprawling, flat information landscape in which everyone participates equally—small wonder why extension educators are being challenged to look at media delivery in a radically different way.

this new information order has empowered our diverse audiences as never before. What we once thought of as a monolithic extension audience is now a multitude of microaudiences who are still open to our products but only when delivered as optimally and conveniently as possible. Our challenge is not choosing between old and new media but in combining all types of media in ways that ensure that our products are delivered in the fastest, most optimal ways possible.

speaking of products, they will no longer be ours in the older, twentieth century understanding of the term—quite the contrary, they will be developed collaboratively with our diverse audiences. the critical point to bear in mind is that there are no hard and fast rules in this new information order. We will learn and improvise along the way. We will learn to be flexible—flexible in ways that earlier generations of extension educators scarcely could have imagined. We will learn to adapt, but we shouldn’t find this troubling or intimi-dating. Adaptation is not new to us—it’s a big part of what we do. We are, after all, Extension educators.

There are no old or new media, only elements comprising a flat, sprawling information landscape in which everyone competes equally.