How To Manage Media Relations - An Analysis (part 1)

News Conferences

by

Charles Lamson

Just as a news release (a statement prepared and distributed to the press by a public relations firm, governmental agency, etc.) has "news" as its adjective, so should a conference. After all, why would you call reporters together if not to release hard news? Unfortunately, the news conference has been badly misused by publicity-seeking individuals or groups who offer little more than an orchestrated effort to gain attention.

A news conference should offer both the news and a forum for the exchange of information. Here are some guidelines:

• Make sure your proposed announcement is worth the time and effort needed to produce a news conference. Ask yourself some questions:

1. Is this announcement something that will have significant impact on the reading/viewing audience? Examples: natural disaster updates, dramatic change in company leadership.
2. Is this a major product announcement? You can announce a product once; after that, you promote and publicize the product.
3. Is this a complex issue that cannot be explained with a release? Does the issue demand a forum so that reporters can ask questions? Is the issue better discussed during a press briefing (a meeting called by an organization, government, etc, to inform the press of something)?
4. Does the occasion involve a new chief executive officer, football coach, celebrity or head of state from whom the media would want quotes?

• Always consider whether you can adequately give the information to the media via some some other mechanism, such as a news release, telephone call, email, briefing or editorial board meeting, before calling a news conference.
• If you decide to conduct a news conference, you need to bargain for all the time and support you can get. A major product announcement should come only when all parties are ready to deal with the questions and demands that will result from the announcement, such as product orders, requests for information and product demonstrations.

The logistics of a news conference are critically important.

Location. A news conference does not have to be held in a hotel ball room. Journalists go to where the conference is, if this is worthy of the time and effort. A product announcement could be held in the manufacturing facility, laborsatory, warehouse or trade conference site.

Wherever you hold the conference, make sure it meets the needs of the journalists. There should be plenty of room for the cameras as well as chairs for the reporters. Make sure any power needs are met as well as any special lighting needs. Check the acoustics so that, if you have to, you can help set up microphones for better coverage.

Online or e-conference. A press conference online, via the Internet can be easier on the pocketbook and easier on reporters' time. Instead of providing space in a facility, you create space on the Internet by setting up a special Web site just for the conference. Instead of giving directions to an in-person conference, you give out the URL for the Web site. Instead of providing B-roll, you incorporate streaming video on the site. Instead of making copies of releases and supporting material, you load the information onto the site for easy access and quick links.

Your online conference can be audio-only or include video and graphics. You can also archive the conference for future reference and follow-up.

Timing. With media now operating 24/7/365, the timing of a news conference no longer has to be dictated by time of day or day of week. Consideration still needs to be given to your primary media and their schedules but national or global conferences, especially if they are online or globally live, can occur at any time.

Notification. For an in-person or online news conference, notify the media several days in advance, and remind them once. Your notification should show the importance of the conference to their audience.

Protocol. For any news conference, greet reporters when they arrive or log in. For in-person conferences, show reporters and crews where to sit and/or set up equipment; for online conferences, have a preset list of procedures, agenda and links for information.

Start the news conference on time. Just as your speakers have other commitments, so do journalists. Stay within the specified amount of time for presentations and do not let the question-and-answer period linger beyond the point where questions become sparse.

Finally, thank all attendees for coming and participating. Do not assume they know how grateful you are for their appearance.

Available material. The material you give to the media before or after the conference is critically important. Press kit information should include only essential items such as the primary news release, supporting material (fact sheets, FAQs, time line, etc.). Include photographs only if they are essential to the news announcement, such as a product photo of the new officer.

Online material can be extensive but do not overload the online attendee with too many hyperlinks, Web page references, attached photos or graphics or other materials.

There is no need to include B-roll (In film and television production, supplemental or alternative footage intercut with the main shot. The term A-roll referring to the main footage has fallen out of usage) if you can electronically send it to TV stations or put in on the Web site. There is no need to include an audiotaped actuality if you can electronically send it to the radio station(s) or place it on the Web site.

Create your news kit to fit the occasion; do not force fit the conference to the kit.

*SOURCE: ON DEADLINE: MANAGING MEDIA RELATIONS 4TH ED., 2006, CAROLE M. HOWARD AND WILMA K. MATHEWS, PGS. 47-49*

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