Media Relations 101: How to Write an Effective Press Release. Get noticed, get publicity

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Bernard Doyle
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1 Media Relations 101: How to Write an Effective Press Release Get noticed, get publicity

2 Why is media relations important? An inexpensive marketing tool Builds relationships with reporters: Increases the chance of positive Spin and accurate reporting of facts

3 What is News? A time-sensitive product An arbitrary product NOT advertising Is spontaneous Can expire fast What media decide it is

4 Press Release vs. Media Advisory Press or News Release is news: hardhitting, breaking, facts, explanation, announcements, etc. Media Advisory announces details of an event: usually meant to invite media (no charge) Change voice or tone to suit specific media audience

5 Tactics Media Advisory FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO February 14, 2014 [DATE] Headline (TORONTO, ON. ) 1. Lede first sentence tell people what the event is all about 2. Next 2-3 sentences further explanation of the event and key speaker 3. Event details: What, When, Where 4. Media contact name, title, phone number,

6 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from the University of Toronto April 16, 2014 Former President of India to Lecture at U of T (Toronto, ON) A lecture by His Excellency Dr. Abdul Kalam, President of India from 2002 to 2007, will take place at the University of Toronto this Friday, April 18. An aeronautical engineer by training, Dr. Kalam is also one of India s most distinguished scientists and the first scientist to be elected to the Office of President in what is the second most populated country in the world. Before Dr. Kalam became President he served in the role of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, with the rank of a Cabinet Minister. In this capacity he authored, Vision 2020, a roadmap to make India a developed nation by His lecture will address the role of science and technology in the development of civil society. A news conference will be held following the lecture. Please see details below. EVENT DETAILS: WHAT: His Excellency Dr. Abdul Kalam, President of India ( ) to lecture on the role of science and technology in the development of civil society WHEN: Friday, April 18, Lecture begins at 10:45 am and includes a question and answer period. News Conference to follow at 11:45 am at the location indicated below. WHERE: University of Toronto, Governing Council Chambers, Simcoe Hall, 27 King s College Circle For more information please contact: U of T Media Relations at or

7 Tactics News (or Press) Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO Month Day, 2014 Headline TORONTO, ON 1. Lede first sentence GRAB the READER! 2. Next 2-3 sentences further explanation of the news 3. Quote from researcher 4. Next 3-4 paragraphs background on the news, other details (such as funding, etc) 5. Ending quote Media contact name, title, phone number,

8 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from the UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO November 7, 2014 U of T #1 in Annual Research Rankings TORONTO, ON -- The University of Toronto has earned the highest possible marks from Research Infosource Inc., a leading Canadian consulting firm, in its annual rankings. U of T placed first overall in the Medical/Doctoral category among Research Infosource's 2008 Research Universities of the Year, receiving a perfect score of 100 possible points. According to Research Infosource, this honour was determined by several criteria, including the amount of research a university published in a given year as well as the level of funding generated for that research. '"We are thrilled to have our researchers and scholars recognized for their innovation, leadership and excellence," said Professor Paul Young, Vice-President, Research. He emphasized that "research is at the core of the value the University of Toronto has to our students and to global society. This ranking confirms that we are making an impact by way of scholarship in a broad array of disciplines in the life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences and humanities." The rankings are included in Research Infosource's Canada Top 50 Research Universities List 2008, to be published in a special newspaper supplement in the National Post today and the Ottawa Citizen tomorrow. For further information, please contact: Dr. R. Paul Young, Vice-President, Research University of Toronto paul.young@utoronto.ca

9 The Basic Tenets Timing (immediate, embargoed) City released from (Toronto, ON) Catchy headline; strong lede All details, possible call to action Contact information (remind them) Boilerplate End with

10 What to Watch Out For Length (no more than 2 pages) Clarity (acronyms, jargon, follow up) Timing (breaking news that day) Watch and verify claims (competition) Too many people or organizations Sponsors (media don t care)

11 Say Whaaaat? Stanford University, California, is pleased to report that the Graduate School of Business today announced the establishment of the Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, an interdisciplinary center to study and advance the development and deployment of clean energy technologies through innovative policy and finance.

12 Bad Headline Panorama Resources Ltd. Announces Terms Of Ethiopian Potash Corp. s Concurrent Private Placement Financing And Update On Proposed Reverse Takeover

13 Better Headline Panorama Resources Ltd. Announces Terms of Proposed Amalgamation

14 From the Reporters Perspective Write your story with objectivity The reporter s job isn't to: help you make money publicize your exhibition send people to your website promote your sponsor(s) Journalist wants stories subscribers read You being excited about your project, think it s a good story, isn t enough

15 Tips for Contacting the Media news advisory about 1 week in advance of event news advisory again, 2 days before event Follow-up second with phone calls to key media maybe 5-6 reporters You can also use CNW Group (paid newswire)

16 Tips for Contacting the Media cont d When calling reporters, avoid late afternoon they are on deadline Try to speak to them directly, but if you can t reach them, leave a voic and clear information about how to contact you; follow up with an with same information

17 How to Answer Reporters Questions Tell the truth, but just the facts Use plain language; avoid jargon Avoid off the record conversations Avoid no comment bridge to your messages Keep your audience in mind

18 How to Answer Reporters Questions Treat reporters in a professional manner Be prepared; have your key messages ready Listen carefully to their questions Watch for traps ( why did you... ) Keep it short and simple

19 CASE STUDY: APPLYING WHAT YOU VE LEARNED Now that you ve learned the basics, take 15 minutes to write a headline and lede paragraph(s) using the following facts of an actual research study.

21 Instead of obits, people often learn of a loved one s death through social media, the most common being Facebook. A research paper from U of T was published in journal s edition, entitled, Virtual Mourning and Memory Construction on Facebook: Here Are the Terms of Use. In Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society (December 2013). Facebook has memorializing procedure: no new friends can be added/removed from a deceased person s still active account. The procedure means the profile of the deceased no longer reflects the user but, the study says, rather the remembered life of the user s Facebook friends, and the individual s memory archive becomes a social archive.

22 A survey by Librarian Kathleen Scheaffer and Professor Rhonda McEwen reported over half of the 18 participants said that Facebook was important, very important, or essential in the process of coping with the death of their loved one. The immediacy of publishing comments, messages, wall posts and photos provides Facebook mourners with a quick outlet for their emotions and a means of timely group support. The U of T study shows users actions directly affect the online curation of the deceased s self and memory, and also create an environment of competition among mourners.

23 The Headline: U of T Research Examines the Implications of Mourning on Facebook

24 (Toronto, January 31) With increasing regularity, relatives, friends and colleagues find out someone they know or love has died via social media. A University of Toronto research paper, Virtual Mourning and Memory Construction on Facebook: Here Are the Terms of Use, was recently published in the Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society. The researchers investigated the online information practices of people grieving, commemorating, and mourning a loved one through the popular social media channel, Facebook. Professor Rhonda McEwen and Librarian Kathleen Scheaffer, at the Faculty of Information (ischool), University of Toronto, teamed up to examine how, or whether, mourning practices and Facebook s terms of use policies have implications for the bereaved and/or the memory of the deceased.

28 Questions?

29 Thank you for your time! We are: Laurie Stephens Director, News and Media Relations, University of Toronto Kathleen O Brien Communications Officer, ischool, University of Toronto kathleen.obrien@utoronto.ca

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