Dawn A. Alexander, director of public affairs for Burson-Marsteller in Washington, D.C., last year received the Washington Region Harold Burson Employee of the Year award for her exemplary handling of media relations. A relative newcomer to BM (she has worked with the agency for just over two years), she developed her style of media relations based on many years in the political arena and government domain.
Prior to joining BM, she was assistant press secretary in the White House for Clinton, and deputy press secretary for the Clinton-Gore Inaugural Committee from 1992-95. Even though Alexander occupies a managerial position at BM, the majority of her work is dealing with the press to get ink for BM clients or related causes.
PRN: It's my assumption that part of why you're so effective in the media relations role is that you seem so comfortable, so relaxed, dealing with the media. You don't come across as rigid and you seem like you can provide an answer on the fly.
Alexander: I guess that's because long ago, I decided I was going to be a B personality and not an A. I think this kind of attitude helps keep things in perspective because one of the most important objectives you have to reach, when you're dealing with the media, is that reporters and editors have every confidence that you are a credible source - and I don't think that happens as much when you tend toward hysteria. Even if you're under pressure, you have to take the time to help them get their jobs done and get their jobs done well. They're calling you for a reason and they believe you're in a position to know, and you're in a position to help make sure they get the story right.
PRN: How did you adopt that working philosophy, that willingness to pick up the phone and talk to the press?
Alexander: I've been in media relations on the government side for most of my working career [since 1976]. I've only spent 2 1/2 years in the private sector and the rest was in government: I spent nine years in the U.S. Senate, seven years in district government (for the Hon. Charlene Drew Jarvis, Ward 4 Councilmember and chair of the Committee on Economic Development) and 2 1/2 at the White House. I joined Burson-Marsteller in April 1995 but by then I had developed the ability to stay calm and collected.
PRN: With the openness of the Internet and the ease with which the public's gaining access to the corporate boardroom, what have been the perplexities of managing media relations today?
Alexander: I don't know that it [the Internet] necessarily complicates media relations as much as it just adds another piece to the puzzle. As a media relations professional, you have to be able to change with the times and you have to spend a great deal of time mastering the [media] outlets that exist as well as those that come online each and every day.In 1976, when I was at the Senate, every office didn't have a fax machine and every person didn't have his or her own computer. I've watched technology advance incredibly and I've seen the number of news outlets increase exponentially, so mastering it has become quite a challenge, but not impossible.
PRN: So, how do you that - master it?
Alexander: I think it comes down to keeping abreast of the trends and the people. You need to constantly ask yourself: What entities are communicating on the Internet? What's the best way I can stay in tune with the organizations, the trade associations and news operations that I need to work with?
I've learned over the years that the power of the press no longer exists just on the national and regional levels... more and more people have turned away from the traditional media [as their sole source of information] and are more receptive to information that they get the way they want to.
Alexander can be reached at 202/530-4501.