This document discusses tactics for distributing information to the public and news media. It covers the roles and responsibilities of a sport public relations professional in generating favorable publicity and developing positive content. Various communication tactics like advertising, news media, organizational media, and interpersonal communication are compared in terms of their public reach and impact. Building relationships with news media through direct contact and distributing news releases in a standard format are emphasized. Effective news releases should have news value by being timely, impactful, prominent, unusual, or proximate. Distribution methods, types of news releases for different purposes, and supplemental materials like media kits and audiovisual content are also outlined.

1. Chapter ??
8
Employing News MediaEmploying News Media
TacticsTactics
C H A P T E R

2. Part 1

3. Objectives
• Understand the role of the sport public relations
professional in distributing content to publics
• Appreciate the value of news and its effect on media
coverage
• Become proficient in standard news release formatting
• Identify the best distribution methods for releasing
information
• Become familiar with the benefits of social media
releases

4. Responsibilities....
Generate
favorable
publicity
Develop
positive
content
Distribute
Information

5. Communication Tactics for Distributing
Information
• Advertising and promotional media - marketing
departments
• News media - “Credible presentations of
message to large audiences”.
• Organizational media - variety of information
pieces (ch. 5)
• Interpersonal communication - face-face
distribution (ch 11)

6. Tactic
Public
Reach
Public
Impact
Pros & Cons
Advertising/Promot
ions
High Low ?
News Media Medium- High Medium-Low ?
Organizational
Media
Medium-Low Medium- High ?
Interpersonal
Communication
Low HIgh ?

7. Relationship = Media Relations
Direct contact between PR rep and news media

8. News Releases...
have descriptive value
value
• News value
(TIPCUP)
– Timeliness
– Impact to readers
– Prominence
– Conflict
– Unusualness
– Proximity
What to write about??
Anything related to the organization:
- game preview, game summary
- announcements, changes in time/day
- personnel changes
- sponsorships, events
What is MOST interesting to the public?

9. News Release Formats and Elements
• Header
• Leader (who what when where why & how)
• Body (inverted pyramid)
• Ending
– Boilerplate
– 30 (ending notation)
• Associated Press style

10. Header
(This one w/ no location)
LEAD
BODY
perspective

11. Ending
Boilerplate
30 30
or
###

12. Associated Press
• Most press releases follow AP Style
• Most likely to get picked up for stories
• Guides commonly used terms, abbreviations,
capitalizations, etc...

13. Hints and Alternatives
Quick Tips for Making Your News Releases Effective
• Headlines should be no more than 80 characters
• The optimal length for a news or press release is between 300 and 800 words
• Blog posts should be reformatted into traditional news or press release style
to be effective
• Limit the number of Web page links in your news or press release to one for
each 100 words
• Using industry jargon in your news or press release is fine, as long as you
include samples and definitions that will help those outside the industry
understand
CoSIDA

14. Guidelines and Alternatives
prTini
• Social Media
• Blogger Briefing
• YouTube
• Twitter etc...

15. End Chapter 8
Part 1
Part 1

16. Chapter 8
part 2
part 2

17. News Release Types and Functions
• Straight news - brief releases. Trades, sponsorships, coaching
changes, etc...
• Competition previews (game advances) - helps
the reporter craft the story. Assumes limited knowledge.
• Competition stories - Results oriented. always emphasize
positive aspects of the organization. Lead sentences shape the story. Key
moments of play. Quotes from players or coaches. Written immediately
after the game. (Michigan vs. Louisville)
Competition Preview:
•Teams playing & win-loss records
•Date, time, location
•name of facility and capacity
•live media coverage info
•results of previous match-ups
•starting lineups
•Injury updates
•late breaking news

18. Distribution
• Printed distribution
• Electronic distribution
• Newswires (PR, BW)
• RSS Feeds
Key concerns:
which method is most effective?
what does the reporter prefer?
follow with a phone call
day of distribution?
What are
the pros
and
cons?

19. Media Kits
(press kit, press packets)
Usually supports an event. Provides media with many useful
pieces of information
• Biographies - important facts about people involved.
• Fact sheets - one page outlines. “backgrounder info
about the purpose of an event.
• Other items - anything pertinent to the event

20. Audiovisual News Releases
• Actualities - “soundbite” recording of a speech or
quote. accompany with transcript for accuracy. 10-20
seconds is ideal.
• B-roll - unedited videos for newsmedia.
• Video news releases
• Organizational logo
• Photography

21. End part 2