Life & Technology

The Cision 2023 State Of The Media global report is helpful for nonprofits and businesses to nurture mutually beneficial media relationships. Knowing media needs takes you one step closer to engaging meaningfully to spread the word on your cause. 3132 journalists responded to the survey globally. 

Some of the biggest challenges in journalism revealed in the survey are as follows;

How can PR professionals lessen the burden of journalists? What steps can communication practitioners take to strengthen their relationships with the media?

Maintaining Credibility as a Trusted News Source (27%)

There is immense pressure to maintain reputation and trust, especially with increasing misinformation and accusations of fake news. Journalists are more cautious about the sources and stories they cover. 

Prioritize providing accurate and verifiable information to journalists. Be transparent about the source of your information, including evidence or credible references to support your claims.

Lack of Staffing and Resources (20%)

Layoffs and budget cuts have led to a shortage of staff and resources. Journalists are stretched thin, impacting their ability to cover stories comprehensively. 

Be considerate of journalists' time constraints and work to provide concise, well-packaged pitches and press releases. Offer to provide additional resources or expert interviews to ease their workload when appropriate.

Declining Advertising and Circulation Revenues (20%)

News outlets have been grappling with declining revenue streams, which can affect their ability to invest in quality journalism. 

Be mindful of this financial strain. It's essential to frame your pitches as stories that will resonate with the outlet's audience and potentially generate interest and revenue. Collaborative sponsorship or partnership opportunities will prove beneficial for both parties.

Rise of Social Networks and Influencers (19%)

Social media and influencers have become significant sources of news and information, sometimes bypassing traditional media outlets.

Recognize the influence of social media and influencers in the news landscape. Consider strategies to leverage these platforms along with your traditional media outreach. Engaging with influencers who align with your brand or story can help extend your reach. Learn to recognize journalist and publication needs as you approach both mediums.

Blurring Lines Between Editorial and Advertising (11%)

The distinction between editorial content and advertising is becoming less clear in some media outlets, which can raise ethical concerns.

Respect the editorial independence of journalists and avoid attempting to influence their reporting through advertising or sponsorship deals. Focus on providing valuable, newsworthy content that stands on its own merits.

A strong relationship is a win-win for all. Value every human being to bear fruit in season. Meaningful relationships drive meaningful work. 

An underrated tool in public relations is the relationship-building meeting with the media.

Is it a waste of time, or does it serve a purpose?

What is a relationship-building media meeting?

Simply put, it is an introductory in-person meeting between a brand’s spokesperson and the journalist(s) who cover the brand's industry. Hold one at the Client premises as it presents an opportunity to give a tour of the campus (example: read about how a CEO of a fast food chain met up with a journalist to reconsider his negative view at one of the outlets). Or, the meeting could be at a mutually convenient venue (Hotel lobby, etc.).

A relationship-building exercise is a no-expectation-of-coverage interaction. Every other meeting with the media is an effort to get covered.

The attempt initially is to catch up with mainstream publications that cover various industries and are always in a rush to get their stories out.

How valuable is a relationship-building meeting with the Client or Brand? I want to share three learnings from my stint as a public relations practitioner. 

How does a no-expectation-of-coverage media meeting help the Client?

There are a lot more reasons why such media meetings are beneficial. Media training helps spokespeople make the most of media meetings. 

Relationship-building media meetings are beneficial for Journalists and PR practitioners too. More on those, later. 

Media Interviews can be tough to navigate without prep work for regular, media-savvy spokespeople. I would never take any media interview for granted, for that matter, any interaction in life. Every interaction today is a personal branding opportunity. It does not mean you need to fake it. It is a call to add value. 

Sharing three essentials to ensure a successful media interview. Here are my brief thoughts on each of them; 

Know your media

If you know your audience, you will need to know your media too. A trade publication will always have a different focus than a mainstream financial. 

Researching previous articles on the subject will help you prepare a fresh perspective for the readers. 

Evaluating the journalist’s past stories and writing styles can provide insight into what to expect from the interview.

Capture key messages

What’s in it for you? 

What’s in it for the media? 

How will it help the reader? 

Crack these three, and it’s a win-win-win for all. 

Make sure you practice different approaches when responding to probable questions with your Communication team. 

Sometimes interviews can veer off because of various industry or trend-related changes. Exploring different angles helps bring the conversation back to what you need to say, apart from what readers need to hear and what journalists need to cover.

Remember, No such thing as “off-the-record” after the 'official' media interview.

Everyone is looking for stories that can go viral. One off-the-cuff response can reap trouble. 

If you aren’t sure of the numbers, let the Communication team get back to the journalist with the exact figures. 

Stick to your area of expertise. Speak only when necessary, outside of the interview. Avoid post-interview chitchats so you can stay away from opining on sensitive topics.

Never make forward-looking statements unless you are sure. Or it is an agreed-upon ‘prediction’ internally. 

Not all interviews are the same. These suggestions are suited for first-timers or if you are meeting a journalist for the first time. 

Public Relations is the long game. 

Nonprofits are in the long game. 

Building credibility requires time and trust. Public Relations helps build trust. PR also prepares nonprofits promptly to leverage the power of media.

What are five long-term media opportunities that nonprofits can leverage? 

Unique interview

How are you uniquely impacting your cause as an organization? Is your method a new one that will help lift mankind out of its misery? Are you the first one to make such strides in this area? 

Whatever sets you apart from your peers in the space is a potential story you can pursue with the media. 

Profile your people

Almost every mainstream media has a section to profile individuals making a difference in the community. A diligent search across print, television, and online will help locate relevant ones. 

Larger industry stories 

Participating in industry feature stories is a great way to position yourself in the eyes of your audience. Keeping in touch with journalists relevant to your space is a good approach, if not the best.

Say a journalist is doing a feature on human trafficking. Your expertise will be valuable for the story. A quote or insight you can provide will add value to the story and educate the public. Your value as a reliable source will help you gain similar opportunities. 

Trending stories

When some cause-based issue begins to trend in the news or a trending story is relevant to your nonprofit, reach out to the journalist. 

Media briefings or 1o1’s

Frequent media catch-up meetings are a great way to build your media relations. No strings attached briefings, meaning no expectation of coverage. The journalist learns about what you do and the cause. Hopefully, the journalist will leave with enough information for multiple story angles. Keep that in mind when talking to a journalist – story ideas. 

Another important detail, no meeting is off-the-record for anyone. It is always official. 

These are easy-to-find opportunities, not necessarily easy to get done. Persistent effort is necessary. Apply these media opportunities to spread your word as a nonprofit or startup.