MEDIA OUTREACH
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Preparing and Giving Interviews
• Develop “sound bites” -- short, memorable phrases that are easily quotable and convey your basic message.
• Talk through your ideas: invite a friend to go over what you will say, or talk to your mirror.
• Remember: an interview with the media is YOUR moment to get your message in the public eye.
• Prepare a statement: reporters easily compute statements that generally follow a 10-25-50 word length format. So, write a brief (10 word) sentence summarizing your main idea. Then explain it further in 25 and 50 word statements.
• Be a human being: don’t treat reporters like they are tools for use. Treat them with compassion and respect and they will likely reciprocate.
During an interview:
Nonverbal language is an important part of interviewing. Remember to:
• Maintain eye contact.
• Be natural, relaxed, and alert.
• Show enthusiasm -- smile!
• Stay focused on the topic you want to discuss. Don’t get sidetracked, especially if you are interviewed with your opponents.
• Use statistics that are meaningful to your audience.
• After the interview, thank the reporter.
What to do when you call a reporter
• When calling a reporter, give your credentials, “Hi, I’m calling from Tikkun, a grassroots movement with active chapters in more than 50 cities.”
• Give your pitch: Explain what the suggested story is and why it is significant.
• Get to the point quickly and give the reporter the important facts first.
• Tell the reporter where she can verify this information and collect more.
• Keep your responses simple and to the point. Make your main points two or three times, using the sound bites you’ve prepared.
How do you hold a media event?
We should never underestimate the power of one interview carried out by a single reporter. But obtaining media coverage from several different sources dramatically raises your current level of publicity and increases the possibility of more varied coverage in the future. One way to attract attention from a wide range of news sources is to stage a media event.
A media event is a meeting with many representatives. These events are almost always:
• Short, simple and visual
• Designed to highlight your initiatives and issues
• Held in time for reporters to make deadlines
The most common and easiest media event is a press conference, which is basically an interview held with a roomful of reporters. Instead of talking to a reporter one-on-one, you will be addressing journalists from many publications, and possibly many types of news media.
For a press conference or other media event you will need:
• A very significant story that draws journalists from many types of media.
• A lot of media people to attend.
• Plenty of time to set up your event and alert the media in advance.
• Invitations for your event, sent to members of the media.
• A facility big enough to hold the people who will attend, with plenty of chairs and adequate accessibility.
• A spokesperson that is articulate, comfortable with the issues, and able to interact effectively with the media.
• A story and presentation with includes images that are compelling both on television and in print.
• A clear idea of the story you want to tell and what you want your story to achieve.
• Remember, what makes your story important is the story, not the special effects.
When speaking with a reporter or at a media event, it is imperative that you be well prepared. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call our National Office to ask for public speaking materials and tips.
Courtesy of the Community Toolbox at
http://ctb.ku.edu/tools/en/sub_section_main_1275.htm
Using the School Newspaper
The school newspaper is actually a very important organizing tool. It will cover just about anything on campus and almost everyone reads it. Developing relationships with the editors and reporters is crucial. Always send them information about your events (no matter how small) a week in advance and the day before. Call them to make sure they are covering your event! If you are just starting a group, try to get them to write a human-interest story that is solely about your group: "TIKKUN: A Third Path Springs up at Wesleyan." Call them and tell them about Tikkun and why you think the founding of your group is newsworthy. If you make a good pitch, this could be an excellent start to developing a membership base! Everyone who reads the paper will learn about your group. You might want to wait for your first event so there will be more to write about.
Media Analysis
The TIKKUN Community has set up a Rapid Response Team to (among other things) contact media and let them know the ways in which what they have already written or presented on television or radio have given a narrow or distorted picture of reality. You can join these efforts or start your own on campus. There will most likely be a need for a local media campaign of this sort. You can find out more about this campaign by visiting the Tikkun Community section of the Tikkun website and clicking on “Media Critique.”
• Develop “sound bites” -- short, memorable phrases that are easily quotable and convey your basic message.
• Talk through your ideas: invite a friend to go over what you will say, or talk to your mirror.
• Remember: an interview with the media is YOUR moment to get your message in the public eye.
• Prepare a statement: reporters easily compute statements that generally follow a 10-25-50 word length format. So, write a brief (10 word) sentence summarizing your main idea. Then explain it further in 25 and 50 word statements.
• Be a human being: don’t treat reporters like they are tools for use. Treat them with compassion and respect and they will likely reciprocate.
During an interview:
Nonverbal language is an important part of interviewing. Remember to:
• Maintain eye contact.
• Be natural, relaxed, and alert.
• Show enthusiasm -- smile!
• Stay focused on the topic you want to discuss. Don’t get sidetracked, especially if you are interviewed with your opponents.
• Use statistics that are meaningful to your audience.
• After the interview, thank the reporter.
What to do when you call a reporter
• When calling a reporter, give your credentials, “Hi, I’m calling from Tikkun, a grassroots movement with active chapters in more than 50 cities.”
• Give your pitch: Explain what the suggested story is and why it is significant.
• Get to the point quickly and give the reporter the important facts first.
• Tell the reporter where she can verify this information and collect more.
• Keep your responses simple and to the point. Make your main points two or three times, using the sound bites you’ve prepared.
How do you hold a media event?
We should never underestimate the power of one interview carried out by a single reporter. But obtaining media coverage from several different sources dramatically raises your current level of publicity and increases the possibility of more varied coverage in the future. One way to attract attention from a wide range of news sources is to stage a media event.
A media event is a meeting with many representatives. These events are almost always:
• Short, simple and visual
• Designed to highlight your initiatives and issues
• Held in time for reporters to make deadlines
The most common and easiest media event is a press conference, which is basically an interview held with a roomful of reporters. Instead of talking to a reporter one-on-one, you will be addressing journalists from many publications, and possibly many types of news media.
For a press conference or other media event you will need:
• A very significant story that draws journalists from many types of media.
• A lot of media people to attend.
• Plenty of time to set up your event and alert the media in advance.
• Invitations for your event, sent to members of the media.
• A facility big enough to hold the people who will attend, with plenty of chairs and adequate accessibility.
• A spokesperson that is articulate, comfortable with the issues, and able to interact effectively with the media.
• A story and presentation with includes images that are compelling both on television and in print.
• A clear idea of the story you want to tell and what you want your story to achieve.
• Remember, what makes your story important is the story, not the special effects.
When speaking with a reporter or at a media event, it is imperative that you be well prepared. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to call our National Office to ask for public speaking materials and tips.
Courtesy of the Community Toolbox at
http://ctb.ku.edu/tools/en/sub_section_main_1275.htm
Using the School Newspaper
The school newspaper is actually a very important organizing tool. It will cover just about anything on campus and almost everyone reads it. Developing relationships with the editors and reporters is crucial. Always send them information about your events (no matter how small) a week in advance and the day before. Call them to make sure they are covering your event! If you are just starting a group, try to get them to write a human-interest story that is solely about your group: "TIKKUN: A Third Path Springs up at Wesleyan." Call them and tell them about Tikkun and why you think the founding of your group is newsworthy. If you make a good pitch, this could be an excellent start to developing a membership base! Everyone who reads the paper will learn about your group. You might want to wait for your first event so there will be more to write about.
Media Analysis
The TIKKUN Community has set up a Rapid Response Team to (among other things) contact media and let them know the ways in which what they have already written or presented on television or radio have given a narrow or distorted picture of reality. You can join these efforts or start your own on campus. There will most likely be a need for a local media campaign of this sort. You can find out more about this campaign by visiting the Tikkun Community section of the Tikkun website and clicking on “Media Critique.”
We are an international community of people of many faiths calling for social justice and political freedom in the context of new structures of work, caring communities, and democratic social and economic arrangements. We seek to influence public discourse in order to inspire compassion, generosity, non-violence and recognition of the spiritual dimensions of life.
