Public relations professionals risk falling into several media relations traps because they work under some incorrect assumptions about media behavior and journalists' goals. Here are six common misconceptions and some solutions to avoid them.
Mistake # 1: Assuming journalists are your friends.
While it is quite possible to have journalists as friends....I have a few myself, I confess.....it's a mistake to make this a goal of your media relations. As someone once said, "If you need a friend, get a dog."
Journalism is a very different business from public relations. While each professional is trying to tell a story, the public relations practitioner is hired to position the client in the best possible light, while the journalist is trying to tell a story regardless of who looks good. Somewhere between the outrages of yellow tabloid journalism and spin doctors who are economical with the truth, lies a common goal.
That common ground is the straight good story in which your side is reflected accurately and the public is served by a truthful story that clarifies the issue.
Mistake # 2: Underestimating the newsworthiness of a seemingly minor issue.
There is nothing too small, no peccadillo too minor, to warrant coverage if the news maker is a public figure, such as a CEO, Congressman or entertainer. The only rule that applies is "get the story first."
Hoping that a minor embarrassment will not merit coverage is naive. Make sure your client is ready with a brief media statement. Depending on the situation, you might lead with the announcement or wait until you are called. But your turnaround time for response is almost instantaneous. If you haven't got the statement together, tell the media when the statement will be ready and rapidly follow through on it with your client.
Learn from others' mistakes. Singer George Michael issued no statement when he was arrested in early April and charged with lewd conduct in Beverly Hills. Days went by before any statement was made - further damaging his reputation.
Mistake #3: If you've got a story to tell, the media will beat a path to your doorstep.
This is right up there with, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you." Numerous high technology companies have valuable new products but haven't figured out how to sell them in consumer-friendly language. Highly successful government agencies have done a terrific job of restructuring and improving the delivery of their services but haven't successfully positioned what they are doing in attractive terms to targeted media.
Mistake #4: Never mind those scurrilous allegations. Our lawyers will protect me.
Your lawyer may protect you in court, but in politics the court of public opinion is the one that counts. Raymond Donovan, President Reagan's Secretary of Labor, had endured years of allegations and charges of racketeering and was found not guilty. He stood on the Court House steps and asked the media, "Now can somebody tell me where do I go to get my reputation back?" The Clinton White House clearly has chosen not to take that approach. Instead, Bob Bennett is supplementing his behind-the-scenes legal maneuvers with media comments designed to put the special prosecutor on the defense.
An allegation doesn't have to be true to be damaging. According to the "four credible hit theory of belief formation," if a credible source makes an allegation about you four times, without a reasonable explanation from you, the public tends to believe it. Therefore, the old lawyer's advice of clamming up until the court date doesn't work in the middle of a media storm.
Mistake # 5: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything.
If politicians followed this one, the silence on Pennsylvania Avenue would be deafening. However, it can be dangerous when you are attacked in a media news item or program and only sweet utterances emerge from your lips. The tone should be high road but a well-aimed stiletto is always more appreciated than a hatchet. For example, you could use a variation of the George Bush line. When Dan Rather hit him hard on the "CBS Evening News" during the 1988 Presidential campaign, Bush said, "Dan, I have respect for you, but not for what you're doing here tonight." They never called Bush a wimp again and he went on to win the Republican nomination.
The lesson: if you're attacked and you don't have anything nice to say, say it with style.
Mistake # 6: The media have to agree with you in order for your message to emerge.
This assumes a journalistic crusade to push a particular policy or issue. But the overwhelming requirement of most journalists is to tell a story in an interesting way. Make sure you know what your message is and actively seek out opportunities to get it across. Don't just think of news items. Think of programs on radio and television, feature items in newspapers, magazines and trade journals. These can provide far more opportunities to position you and your organization.
Barry J. McLoughlin is President of the media consulting and training firm, Barry McLoughlin Associates Inc. with offices in Washington, D.C., Princeton N.J. and Ottawa, ON. Canada. He will be a featured speaker at the PR NEWS Advanced Crisis Management Workshop in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 17..Author of Communicate with Power, he can be reached at http://www.mclomedia.com or by e-mail at communicate@mclomedia.com.