Public relations writing

1 / 45
About This Presentation
Title:

Public relations writing

Description:

Public relations writing Many hats, important job A use-use relationship The relationship between journalists and PR folks is often like the one between parents and ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

Number of Views:18
Avg rating:3.0/5.0

less

Transcript and Presenter's Notes

Title: Public relations writing


1
Public relations writing
  • Many hats, important job

2
A use-use relationship
  • The relationship between journalists and PR folks
    is often like the one between parents and
    teen-agers they often disapprove of one another
    but theres a lot of mutual need. Also, teens
    become parents, but parents dont return to being
    teens (not literally, anyway). Journalists may
    leave to go into PR, but rarely is the reverse
    true.

3
Nicky the good Hilton sister
4
  • Anchor learns Nicky isn't a Mrs. anymore
  • WCCO-TV's morning anchor Karen Leigh would like
    to annul an interview reference to Nicky Hilton's
    marriage.
  • Hilton was in the Twin Cities at malls and on TV
    promoting Chick, Nicky's sportswear collection.
    "You recently got married ... congratulations on
    that," Leigh said.
  • "No," Hilton responded. Oops!
  • Unhip to the Hilton sisters' antics, Leigh was
    unaware that Nicky had her Vegas wedding to Todd
    Meister annulled in fewer than 90 days.
  • Leigh has a great excuse for the gaffe. "In the
    press folder that they gave us, the first article
    in there is from the Fashion Wire Daily and it
    talks about her being married. 'Mrs. Todd
    Meister, otherwise know as Nicky Hilton, launched
    her collection of ready-to-wear casuals ...' "
    Leigh said.
  • From whom did Leigh get this info? "Whoever the
    press people are."
  • The packet came from PMK/HBH public relations
    with offices in Hollywood and NYC, according to
    WCCO spokesman Kiki Rosatti.
  • "I don't even know that that was in there," said
    PMK's Victoria Harvie, who declined to spell her
    name when reached in L.A. "Fashion Wire Daily is
    online they could have looked that up. We sent
    them all the clips that have run on Chick. They
    should ask questions relevant to the line and
    not be delving into her personal life."
  • Leigh said, "That's what I went on. didn't
    realize that was the big no-no. I felt awful.
  • Source Minneapolis Star-Tribune

5
On The Patriotism Angle, Carrying It a Little Too
Far
C
old hands that turn red, white and blue may
be patriotic, But they can be an early symptom
Of an autoimmune disease called Scleroderma.
Opening sentence / lead in a news release from
the Scleroderma Foundation, sent to news agencies
just before July Fourth (My thanks to the
Chronicles Burke Watson)
6
A former student of mine
  • George Carlton Deutsch III was a press officer of
    the United States space agency NASA. He was
    appointed to the position by George W. Bush,
    having previously worked in the Bush/Cheney 2004
    campaign "war room."
  • Deutsch gained notoriety in February 2006, when
    it was reported he ordered the adjustment of NASA
    Web sites mentioning Big Bang to include the word
    "theory" afterward. His comments in the internal
    NASA email quoted by the New York Times raised
    concerns because of its religious overtones.
  • Deutsch wrote It is not NASAs place, nor
    should it be to make a declaration such as this
    about the existence of the universe that
    discounts intelligent design by a creator... This
    is more than a science issue, it is a religious
    issue. And I would hate to think that young
    people would only be getting one-half of this
    debate from NASA. That would mean we had failed
    to properly educate the very people who rely on
    us for factual information the most.
  • He was also connected with Dr. James Hansen's
    allegations of censorship of global warming and
    other science reporting within NASA.
  • Source Wikipedia. Also note that his email
    handle was MRBIGSAC

7
Public relations a definition
  • Public relations is the discipline that looks
    after reputation, with the aim of earning
    understanding and support and influencing opinion
    and behavior. It is the planned and sustained
    effort to establish and maintain good will and
    mutual understanding between a business (or
    organization or person) and its public(s).
  • -- PR consultant Renee A. Prejean-Motansky
  • Additions mine

8
Public Relations (PR)
  • Todays PR professional wears any number
  • of hats. In fact, PR encompasses a number of
  • specialties
  • Media relations -- dealing with media questions
    and needs, seeking publicity
  • Government affairs -- no, not Monica.
    Communicating with legislative and regulatory
    bodies and doing some lobbying

9
Public Relations (PR)
  • Industry relations -- dealing with other firms
    in the industry and with trade associations
  • Investor or financial or shareholder relations --
    working to maintain investor confidence and good
    relations with the financial world.
  • Public affairs -- engaging in matters of public
    policy, writing position papers

10
Public Relations (PR)
  • Crisis manager -- handling internal and external
    communications during a crisis. Knowing what to
    do when you get a call and are told 60 Minutes
    is in the lobby or that the Bonfire stack has
    fallen and kids are dead.
  • Community relations being the intermediary
    between an organization in the public, often
    involved in charitable work

11
Public Relations (PR)
  • Because of the variety of hats the PR person
  • has to wear, the term strategic
  • communicator has become the in vogue
  • descriptor as an umbrella term for what they
  • do.
  • PR professionals are also faced with a variety
  • of tasks that are much broader than those of a
  • general assignments reporter at a newspaper
  • or broadcast station.

12
Public Relations (PR)
  • They have to do much more than simply put out
    news releases. They also
  • Supervise photography and graphics, assist the
    Web site
  • Handle media questions, needs and requests
  • Screen charity requests
  • Set up news conferences and similar programs
  • Do research and evaluate the effectiveness of
    programs
  • Contribute to corporate decision-making
  • And then take care of publicity in their spare
    time

13
Public Relations (PR)
  • What they have to write
  • News releases, the most popular way for an
    organization to deliver its message to the media.
    (Video news releases are also common now.)
  • Newsletters, to employees or special interest
    groups.
  • Pamphlets, brochures, manuals to convey facts
    about an organizations history, operations or
    policies.
  • Position papers, or white papers, to explain an
    organizations stance on an issue.
  • Byliners and op-ed pieces crediting an
    organization official but actually written by a
    member of the PR staff.
  • Web writing news releases, blogs, etc. that
    allow PR practitioners to bypass the media.
  • Speeches to allow an organization figure to
    deliver key talking points directly to interested
    groups

14
VIEW FILM
15
Similarities and Differences
16
Similarities and Differences
  • First of all, what journalists and PR
  • professionals have in common is a shared
  • need and appreciation for good writing. Your
  • writing skills will go a long way toward
  • determining your success level, no matter
  • which track you pursue.

17
Similarities and Differences
  • Additionally, to be most effective, journalists
    and PR people must place a high value on
    accuracy. That is essential to nearly all
    communications goals.
  • Thirdly, they all use the same mediums to get
    their messages out -- print, broadcast and the
    Web, so they share common ground in the
    advantages and disadvantages of each medium.

18
Similarities and Differences
  • There are some major differences between
    journalists
  • and PR professionals, and this is where the
    retort
  • about enemy lines comes in to play.
  • Both sides serve different masters
  • -- Journalists serve the public.
  • -- PR folks serve an organization or a client.
  • Folks in PR are paid to put that client or
    product in the best possible light (spin). But
    they shouldnt LIE.

19
PR vs. journalism
20
PR vs. advertising
21
A MATTER OF PERSUASION
  • PR writing is a form of persuasive communication.
    It can be the
  • soft sell of trying to get publicity for a
    charitys upcoming fund-
  • raiser or the hard sell of laying out a political
    candidates stand on
  • the issues.
  • There are three root beliefs of persuasive
    communication
  • People are essentially good. You need to believe
    that to appeal to their basic fairness and
    goodness.
  • 2. People are intelligent or at least can be
    educated. Dont talk down to people and dont
    assume you can trick or fool them.
  • 3. People are changeable. You must not only
    believe that but also have the confidence that
    YOU can change them.

22
A MATTER OF PERSUASION
  • To be an effective PR communicator you have to
    establish and maintain your own credibility and
    that of the organization you work for. A sterling
    reputation takes a long time to build -- but can
    be destroyed in an instant.
  • In addition to the principles of news-gathering,
    persuasive writing etc. that a PR professional
    must know, they must also have an acute awareness
    of three other elements the Message, the
    Audience and the Medium.

23
MESSAGES, AUDIENCES AND MEDIUMS
  • The message You have to know the signals or
    message your organization is trying to send out,
    the impression it is trying to make. A newspaper
    sends an explicit message in the content of the
    stories in publishes, but it also sends an
    implicit message with how the information is
    presented (story play), what is covered and what
    isnt, what stories are left out.
  • In PR, you send an explicit message in how you
    conduct yourself and an implicit message in what
    organizations or products you choose to
    represent.

24
MESSAGES, AUDIENCES AND MEDIUMS
  • 2. The audience Just as a newspaper or magazine
    must know all it can about its target audience,
    so must the PR professional. This allows the PR
    message to be directed with laser accuracy.
  • Now, audience in PR is divided into three
    sub-groups

25
MESSAGES, AUDIENCES AND MEDIUMS
  • A. Publics -- In PR, there is no general
    public. It has to be a much more specific target
    to better refine the message. A public is a
    group of people who have a shared relationship
    with an organization (the client) but may have no
    demographic or other similarities. The
    relationship tries to meet the needs of both
    parties.
  • Students at UHCL or fans of a professional
    sports team, for example, are publics. They can
    be supportive or non-supportive of the
    organization. A fan or employee can be
    supportive the contractor who supplies bottled
    water may be non-supportive but still has a
    relationship with the organization.

26
MESSAGES, AUDIENCES AND MEDIUMS
  • B. Markets -- A very specific type of public.
    These are folks who are potential buyers,
    customers, patrons, patients, clients etc. In
    short, they are generally willing to spend money,
    but have a choice. Think of publics vs. markets
    as family vs. friends you have almost no choice
    on selecting your family members, but you do have
    a choice in selecting your friends. Your family
    has to support you (in theory, anyway) but your
    friends have a choice in spending money on you.

27
MESSAGES, AUDIENCES AND MEDIUMS
  • C. Wide audience Purveyors (readers, listeners
    and viewers) of a particular medium. Their chief
    commonality is the use of a certain medium.
    They are generally passive, not really seeking
    the organizations message. Theyre just there,
    in the line of fire of the message despite a
    potential lack of interest. Whereas, publics
    and markets allow the message to be significantly
    narrowed, this category utilizes the shotgun
    approach.

28
MESSAGES, AUDIENCES AND MEDIUMS
  • 3. The Medium Once you have mastered the
    message and targeted the audience, you have to
    choose the medium that best allows you to achieve
    your goals.
  • For a product that nearly everyone wants -- beer
    or soap -- you would probably choose TV because
    the product appeals to a general audience.
  • Radio allows you to play a message over and over,
    and since radio listeners demonstrate loyalty to
    a station, that is a market you might aim for.
  • Print is handy for more complicated messages, has
    a higher credibility image than other mediums and
    allows the consumer to return again and again to
    the message.
  • The online audience is generally better educated
    and affluent, and the Web allows you to combine
    print, audio and video. But the consumer can
    click away a pop-up ad its a bit more difficult
    to click away a TV or radio commercial.

29
MESSAGES, AUDIENCES AND MEDIUMS
  • In the end, defining the message, targeting the
    audiences and choosing the medium or media
    becomes part of an overall campaign or strategy.
    Your textbook (Page 178) outlines how to create
    an effective public relations plan
  • Analyze the situation 2. Plan the strategy
  • 3. Implement the plan 4. Evaluate the
    results
  • Such a campaign assumes that you cant just tell
    an audience just once what your message is, that
    your goals will take time to achieve. Public
    relations writers have to be ready to adapt the
    message to the whole spectrum of media and to
    changing circumstances.

30
News Releases
31
News Releases
  • Novices and even seasoned veterans all use news
  • releases as a primary tool to get their message
    out. Its a
  • fundamental method for trying to get publicity.
    Heres
  • where all of your newfound writing skills come
    into play.
  • Here are some general guidelines
  • 1. Know what news is and how to write it
  • 2. Know the structure and operations of the news
    room (deadlines)
  • 3. Know the news people and their jobs
  • 4. Know the style of writing that fits the medium

32
Types of news releases
  • Why issue a news release
  • 1. Announce upcoming events, appearances or
    personnel matters/changes
  • 2. Give information about worthy causes, blood
    drives, food drives, aid fund-raisers etc.
  • 3. Give information about a breaking news event
    involving the organization
  • 4. Publicize an anniversary or milestone
  • 5. Release survey/poll results or statistical
    data
  • 6. Alert the public about health/safety issues.
  • 7. To introduce new products, services,
    facilities

33
Writing the news release
  • The good ol inverted pyramid is the primary
    structure used by the PR writer, largely because
    it speaks the language of news professionals.
    Some PR writers will take the IP to the extreme,
    using who-what-when-where subheads/categories
    in the news release.
  • The inverted pyramid is the place to start but
    that doesnt mean there isnt room for
    creativity. You can jump outside the confines of
    the news summary lede with a colorful quote -- or
    perhaps use a short delayed lede. (See sample in
    handout)
  • Note that PR professionals often have to
    manufacture or massage quotes for organization
    officials.

34
News release preparation tips
  • 1. Always include the name and address of the
    organization putting out the release
  • 2. Always include contact information. Phone
    numbers, email addresses and Web sites
  • 3. Indicate the release date. Any embargos?
  • 4. Fit the style to the medium. Generally AP
    style.
  • 5. Watch your length. Try to confine you message
    to no more than 2 pages or 500 words. Email news
    releases should be shorter than that.

35
More news release tips
  • 6. Avoid breaks. Its a subliminal thing for the
    reader. Avoid hyphenating at the end of lines and
    dont break sentences between pages.
  • 7. Write clearly, fact-check, proofread. Avoid
    corporate jargon and legalese. Get it right!
  • 8. Remember the pyramid.
  • 9. Beware of exaggeration/distortion. Especially
    avoid superlatives -- the best detergent ever!
    (Exxon Valdez example now the Sea River
    Mediterranean)
  • 10. Get it to the right person. Tailor the
    content in your release to the appropriate beat
    (business angle for business desk lifestyle
    angle for features desk etc.)

36
More news release tips
  • 10. Make it local.
  • 11. Include visuals.
  • 12. Attribute news to a person.
  • 13. Indent the paragraphs. Another subliminal
    reader trick.
  • 14. Headlines. If you can write good ones, use
    em. If not, stick to what you know. (Headline
    Good news Bears Smith signs with Baylor)

37
Creating Kick-Butt News Releases (and Bonehead
Mistakes to Avoid)
  • Even more tips (from PR Insider Web site)
  • The news release is your only chance to make a
    good first impression.
  • Sloppy, inaccurate, pointless releases are the
    first to hit the newsroom wastebasket or recycle
    bin.
  • To make sure yours isnt one of them, avoid these
    seven deadly sins.

38
Seven Deadly Sins
  • 1. Providing insufficient or wrong information.
    Particularly telephone numbers. Releases must be
    complete, accurate and specific.
  • 2. Writing too long. They should be no longer
    than two pages.
  • 3. Sending it too late. Mail or fax it at least
    two weeks before an event, preferably three or
    four. Send them four to six months ahead for
    major magazines.

39
Seven Deadly Sins
  • 4. Sending a release with no news value. News is
    what happens that is different. If it isn't
    different, it isn't news.
  • 5. Blatant commercialism. Avoid hackneyed words
    and phrases such as spectacular, incredible, the
    only one of its kind, breakthrough, cutting-edge,
    unique and state-of-the-art.
  • 6. Omitting a contact name and phone number. At
    the top of the first, page in the left corner,
    let editors know who they can call if they have
    questions.

40
Seven Deadly Sins
  • 7. Calling after you send a release. Questions
    like "Did you get my news release?" or "Do you
    know when it will be printed?" will brand you as
    a pest. Don't follow up with a phone call to see
    if the media got your release, unless you are
    absolutely sure that someone will check for you.
    Most reporters and editors don't have time.

41
EXAMPLES OF GOOD AND BAD NEWS RELEASES
42
(No Transcript)
43
SELECTED WEB SITES
  • 1. PublicityInsider.com -- Contains info on
    effective news releases, PR resources and insider
    tips by PR professional Bill Stoller.
  • 2. online-pr.com -- Helpful site for anyone
    interested in PR. A resource for numerous other
    Web sites
  • 3. sonic.net/cuclis/news.html -- Explains how
    to be newsworthy and provides a checklist on how
    to figure out your news angle
  • 4. prsa.org -- general information about the
    Public Relations Society of America includes the
    Code of Standards

44
SELECTED WEB SITES
  • 5. prssa.org -- Site of the Public Relations
    Students Society of America includes job
    listings
  • Helpful for new ideas and creativity
  • 6. silveranvil.org -- Site for the annual
    awards given to PR practitioners.
  • 7. prnewswire.com and medialink.com -- Help
    with distributing news releases online

45
One last writing exercise
  • Edit and rewrite the following information (on
    the Web site or delivered to you electronically)
    into a usable news release. Remember to look over
    the tips and sins regarding news releases.
  • Remember to fact check.
  • Be creative with the logo/style, if you wish
  • Due next class
Write a Comment
User Comments (0)