Accessing the Media by Jill Osborn

Author:Jill Osborn
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781510730267
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Published: 2018-05-10T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Second Point of Contact: Greet the Reporter

Befriending a reporter at an event not only helps a reporter get what he needs—the truth—it also helps you get what you need. It increases your chances of getting your message in the paper, and it also saves money you might otherwise spend on advertisements. It is a win-win for both sides.

As a prosecutor, Aaron Berlin fought for rights for abused women and provided a voice for women who needed one in the courtroom. Aaron knew how to improve the community. So when he decided to run for district court judge, I was happy to consult with him about ways to increase his media exposure.

The night Aaron approached a journalist, he was at a charity event. Aaron admitted he normally would have sat back and not said a word, but per my advice, he took action. “I did what you told me to,” he said. “I introduced myself and asked if the cameraman needed a comment from me. The cameraman said he needed the interview right away and was glad to talk to me because he said he had to race back to the station to put the story together. It worked.”

By taking action he got publicity for his campaign while talking about something positive—all with no advertisement cost.

Mahatma Gandhi had a different opinion about the press. He despised them, once saying, “I believe in equality for everyone, except reporters and photographers.” Gandhi must have been sensitive about the negative press he received during his career of peaceful protests that enabled India to gain independence from British rule. Whatever the reason, know negative press will happen. There will be reporters who want to report on your fumbles. If you do make a mistake, make sure to tackle it head-on by talking to the reporter with respect. Kindly tell the journalist your side of the story. Take responsibility if need be. Humbleness goes a long way. Do not go into hiding or avoid the press, but do avoid personal attacks online. You do not want to be quoted online for personally responding to one person’s post.

To avoid bad press, make sure to always tell the truth. If you lie once, you will never be looked at as a credible source. If you accidentally provide misinformation, correct it immediately. There is no shame in saying, “I made a mistake.” But if your mistake goes on air or is printed in a newspaper or online, the mistake grows into a huge problem. So correct it before that happens. Be sure to get back to journalists within a reasonable time. The longer you wait, the closer a deadline looms. Try to befriend journalists on a personal level whenever possible. But do not pester a journalist day in and day out. If your story gets turned down time after time, or you do not get returned emails or phone calls, take the hint. You are doing something wrong. Change your strategy. Know that you can have bad press one week and good the next.

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