Media Training 101

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Media Training 101
How to engage media to tell your story
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Agenda

• What Makes a Good Spokesperson
• Key Messages
• Preparing for an Interview
• Working with the Media
• Press Releases

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What Makes a Good Spokesperson
An industry expert or leader who possesses

• The Three Cs
• Clear
• Concise
• Compelling

• The Three Rs
• Responsive
• Reliable
• Readily Available

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Key Messages
Why use key messages?

• You may only get this one brief chance to be
  heard make your point quickly.
• Keeps you on topic and focused on the end goal.
• Use them as an opportunity, a foot-in-the-door,
  to get more time to talk about the issue.
• Broadcast media is quick. Interviews are brief,
  narrowing your focus to the key messages will
  ensure you reach your end goal.

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Key Messages
Writing your key messages

• True - Dont make things up.
• Simple - Key messages are not mission statements.
  Use language that would be appropriate for a
  friend or neighbor who is not a health-care
  professional.
• Memorable - Any normal person should be able to
  remember them.
• Persuasive - Your message should be able to
  influence the audience. Use your personal story.

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Key Messages

• Use AHA provided key messages for the issues
• Describe the issue of concern
• Take some of the key facts and make them your own
• Use your experience to tell the audience why the
  issue is important and what they can do to help

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Preparing for an Interview

• Understand the background of the interview
• What is the story about?
• Who else is being interviewed?
• What information will you be asked to provide?
• What is the deadline?
• Review your key messages
• Anticipate questions and practice answers
• Practice

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Preparing for an Interview
Handling Different Types of Questions

• Negative Questions
• Multi-Part Questions
• Words in Your Mouth
• Hypothetical Questions
• Either/Or Questions
• Not Knowing the Answer

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Preparing for an Interview
Interview Dos

• Keep it short and simple
• Expect strange questions
• Ignore the reporters attitude and be pleasant
• Avoid No Comment Instead say I cant really
  talk about that but what I can tell you is

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Preparing for an Interview
Interview Dos

• Use stories to make your points
• Everything you say is on the record
• Clarify questions you dont understand
• Use positive language
• If you dont know the answer, say so
• Build bridges

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Preparing for an Interview
Interview Donts

• Repeat negative language
• Say No Comment or reveal confidential
  information
• Say anything negative about your competition
• Argue with the reporter
• Lose your composure
• Speak off the record there is no such thing

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Preparing for an Interview
Building Your Bridge

• Whats most important to know is
• Let me also add
• That is not my area of expertise, but what I can
  tell you is
• Another thing to remember is
• It is also important to point out
• What we are really concerned with

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Working with the Media

• Reporters need to know
• Who
• What
• Where
• When
• Why
• How
• If you can answer these questions while conveying
  your
• message points, youve helped the reporter and
  the AHA.

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Working with the Media
Interviewing with print media

• The more information, the better. Offer to
  provide facts and figures in writing.
• Offer to respond to follow-up questions.
• Offer photos or graphics to enhance the story.
• Smile while you are talking.

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Working with the Media
Interviewing with print media

• During a phone interview you risk being
  misquoted. Speak slowly and clearly.
• Turn off your cell phone, computer, blackberry
  they are distracting and can pull your focus
  away.
• It is OK to say you dont know, just refer the
  reporter back to the AHA staff or offer to look
  into the question and get back to them by their
  deadline.

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Working with the Media
Interviewing with radio

• Talk to the reporter, not the microphone
• Talk in pictures describe events, places,
  people, situations
• Know the audience

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Working with the Media
Interviewing with radio

• Speak clearly and slowly.
• When doing a phone interview, stand up and smile!
• Direct listeners to a Web site and phone number
  for more information, multiple times.

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Working with the Media
Interviewing with television

• Ignore the camera and production staff. This is
  a conversation between you and the reporter.
• Talk to the reporter, not the camera.
• Minimize movement dont rock, sway, or use
  large hand motions.

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Working with the Media
Interviewing with television

• Speak in sound bites. Typically, only about 10 to
  15 seconds of your interview will be used.
• Assume the camera is always on.
• Smile.

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Press Releases Whats the Process?
Step 1 Selecting the study

• AHA communications staff
• Reviews studies weekly and selects potential
  releases
• Confers with science staff
• Selects studies based on impact and interest

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Press Releases Whats the Process?
Step 2 Writing the release

• AHA communications staff
• Assigns the release to a freelance writer
• Provides writer manuscript, abstract and notes
  from AHA science staff
• Freelance writer
• Interviews author(s) of study
• Writes draft release and sends to AHA
  Communications staff

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Press Releases Whats the Process?
Step 3 Review

• AHA Communications staff
• Completes edits for factual content
• Sends to Editorial Services for further editing
• Sends to lead author for approval
• Sends to AHA science staff for approval
• Works with multi-media staff to develop video
  interviews, podcasts, photography and
  infographics
• Sends to Communications EVP for final approval

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Press Releases Whats the Process?
Step 4 Publication and promotion

• AHA Communications staff
• Posts release in embargoed online newsroom
• Distributes embargoed release five days in
  advance of confirmed publication
• Posts release online once manuscript is posted
  and embargo lifts

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Writing a Great Release
What to say

• Focus on the primary finding or end point
• Headline should be one line-- compelling, but
  not overly dramatic
• The lead should clearly state the single-most
  important finding
• List results in first third of release and keep
  details of study design later

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Writing a Great Release
How to say it

• Write at an 8th grade literacy level if possible
• Define medical terms and use common language
• Quotes should add meaning and significance
• Avoid long sentences
• Use bullets for lists, especially stats

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• Questions?