This document provides guidance and best practices for county employees interacting with the media. It discusses the importance of maintaining good media relations to communicate with the public about county services and issues. Some key points covered include establishing honest and open partnerships with the media, following county media relations policies, and being prepared when speaking to reporters by having clear key messages and answering questions directly. The document also provides tips for writing news releases, conducting interviews, and correcting any inaccuracies reported by the media. The overall message is that county employees should be responsive, transparent and truthful in their interactions with reporters in order to convey an accurate and positive image of the county government.

1. Media
Relations for
Employees
of Palm
Beach
County
WHY IS THERE A REPORTER
IN THE LOBBY?

2. Media Relations
County Policies
The Ten Commandments
The Interview
MEDIA RELATIONS 101

3. How we as individuals and collectively as a
County interact with the media. Our daily
actions are accountable to the public. It is this
accountability the media pursue when reporting
our activities.
MEDIA RELATIONS DEFINED

4. One responsibility of government is to
communicate with residents about county
services and issues that may affect their lives.
One of the best ways to communicate is through
the media; therefore, an important role of
government is to establish working
relationships with the media that make
communication more efficient and effective. We
see media relations as a partnership.
GOOD MEDIA RELATIONS IS
GOOD BUSINESS

5. Keep it HOT!!!
Honest
Open
Timely
MEDIA RELATIONS…HOT!!!

6. Inform in times of crisis
Increase awareness of County services
Attract new residents/businesses
Provide understanding of County policy
Convey proactive image of the County
WHY WE NEED THE MEDIA

7. Employees at liberty to speak with media
Those who do speak represent the
County, not themselves
Information should reflect policy
Keep personal views personal
Follow up with email to staff and/or
Public Affairs and your supervisor
MEDIA GUIDELINES

8. County PPM CW-0-011
Purpose of County’s media relations policies and
program:
 Ensure the accuracy of the information released
 Assure no preferential treatment is given to
one reporter
 Avoid dissemination of conflicting information
 Minimize the adverse effects of rumors
COUNTY POLICY

9. We are responsive; we talk to the media
We are an open book
We tell the truth
We are polite
We correct mistakes
We do not “blacklist”
We do not go “off the record”
MEDIA RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY

10. We recognize the media is just one way to
talk to our community
We understand the value of free publicity
We can’t be perfect
What we give to one, we give to all
MEDIA RELATIONS PHILOSOPHY

11. I Mislead
II Lie
III Misrepresent
IV Break the confidence of the reporter
V Clutter the media with useless info
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
THOU SHALL NOT…

12. VI Write or speak evasively
VII Give inaccurate information
VIII Hide when news is bad
IX Pester the media with your story
X Repeat the negative
THE 10 COMMANDMENTS
THOU SHALL NOT…

13. Informative
Educational
Timely
Significant
Unique
Interesting
Of human interest
Whatever you can convince a reporter it is
WHAT IS NEWS?

14. Press Release
– factual information
Photo Opportunity
– notification of visual event
Media Advisory
– notify the media of an immediate event
MEDIA TOOLS

15. Fact sheet
– attached to news release;
helpful when there are a lot of statistics
or complicated information.
News conference
– to announce significant or breaking news.
List speakers. Record questions that need
to be answered at a later time.
MEDIA TOOLS

16. Use a descriptive headline
-make your release stand out
-action oriented headline
-avoid over capitalization
Most important information first
-Who, What, Where (including
address),When, Why, How?
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE

17. Anticipate reporters’ questions
Minimize use of jargon
-attribute acronyms in first reference
When possible add a quote
Two pages or less
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE

18. Include contact information
-should be familiar with the release
and ready to answer questions
Proofread
- A.P. Stylebook (abbreviation,
punctuation, capitalization)
- verify spelling of names and verify
correct titles
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE

19. Timely, timely, timely
- for planned events, send a couple
of days before
- send the news the day it happens
Number pages, mark the end (###)
Marketing vs. News Release
WRITING A NEWS RELEASE

20. Publish a new product every single day
Driven by deadlines; relentless scramble against the
clock
Little time to research and check all the facts
Tough to represent all sides to a story
Size of news hole varies daily, advertising
dependant
UNIQUENESS OF NEWS

21. “News” is the FIRST word in the term news release
Volume of releases received daily – most discarded
Quality of releases – accuracy, simplicity and
clarity
Have listed information contacts
It will not necessarily appear exactly as written
THE NEWS RELEASE

22. County overstaffed and underworked
Well paid with 4 billion dollar budget
Nice, new working facilities
No more than 40 hour work week
Doing a good job or just meeting expectations
PUBLIC PERCEPTION VS PUBLIC REALITIES

23. Reporters are even more:
Cynical
Suspicious
Likely to have watchdog role
Likely to hold government accountable
PUBLIC PERCEPTION VS REPORTERS

24. THE INTERVIEW
•Preparation
•Tips

25.  An interview is not a simple conversation
 Fact finding exercise to collect information,
insight, interesting viewpoint not commonly known
 Casual approach used to disarm…who?
 Reporter monitors everything said, unsaid
 Observes gestures, tone of voice
WHAT IS AN INTERVIEW?

26.  This is the most common of all question sequences for all
types of interviews.
 In this sequence, the interviewer begins with broad, open-
ended questions and moves to more narrow, closed-ended
questions.
 The interviewer may also begin with more general questions
and gradually ask more specific questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: FUNNEL

27.  This question sequence is effective when an interviewee
needs help remembering something or to motivate an
interviewee to talk.
 In this sequence, the interviewer begins with narrow, closed-
ended questions and moves to more broad, open-ended
questions.
 The interviewer may also begin with more specific questions
and gradually ask more general questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: INVERTED
FUNNEL

28.  The Diamond question sequence combines the Funnel and
Inverted Funnel sequences.
 Used when dealing with topics interviewees may find painful
or difficult and therefore are reluctant to discuss.
 Begin with specific, closed-ended questions about a situation
similar to the interviewee's, then ask general, open-ended
questions about the interview, and finally ask specific, closed-
ended questions.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: DIAMOND

29.  In this sequence, all questions have the same degree of
openness.
 Also called the "string of beads" questions sequence, the
Tunnel sequence allows for little probing and variation in
question structure.
 It can be useful for simple, surface information
interviews, but not for in-depth interviews.
INTERVIEW APPROACHES: TUNNEL

30. Credibility index (average: 61.5)
 Supreme Court Justice: 81.3
 Member of the Armed Forces: 73.0
 Ordinary citizen: 71.8
 Network TV news anchor: 66.8
 Local news reporter: 65.8
 Local elected official: 65.2 (PBC 40% ???)
 Head of a local department: 62.9
 Public relations specialist: 47.6
 TV or radio talk show host: 46.6
WHO SHOULD SPEAK?

31. Repeated question
Either/or
Hypothetical/What if…
False facts
Interruptions
Silence
Critics say…
REPORTER TECHNIQUES

32. Straight news
News feature
Profile
Investigative
TYPES OF INTERVIEW STORIES

33. What are the goals of the interview?
What will the tone be?
What are your key messages?
Do your homework!
Prepare background information
Rehearse…call staff
THE INTERVIEW: PREPARATION

34. Answer the question!
Share your message early and often
Avoid jargon
Remember: you are talking to residents
Be friendly & courteous
Silence is golden
THE INTERVIEW: TIPS

35. Keep your cool
Bridging
Don’t repeat the negative
Never “off the record”
Never “no comment”
THE INTERVIEW: TIPS

36. Listen – hear the whole question.
Understand it. Clarify if needed.
Pause – Select key points. Keep eyes up.
Present – Give direct answer first. Give
support explanation. Stop when you’ve
answered the question to your
satisfaction.
THE INTERVIEW: TIPS

37. If you fail to:
Take charge
Anticipate questions
Develop key messages
Stick to the facts
Keep calm
Take the interview seriously
THE INTERVIEW: FAILURES

38. Assume the camera is always running
Speak clearly, concisely
Look at the reporter, not the camera
Know your key messages
Dress conservatively
Avoid contrasts in color; no sunglasses
TV TIPS

39. Ask if the interview will be live or on tape
Use conversational tone
Speak concisely
Don’t ramble. Don’t try to fill “dead air”
RADIO TIPS

40.  Use media as a communications tool
 Use media to “straighten the record”
 If County is open and helpful, stories will be
more positive
 If County is not open, stories will be more
negative
 Reporters want access to people and information
TIPS FROM REPORTERS

41. The elements of news
Sometimes, just the facts
What’s not said
What you know right now
To scoop the competition
To get the story straight
To feed the beast
WHAT REPORTERS WANT

42. Is it important enough?
How damaging is the error?
Do nothing
Ask for a clarification, correction, etc.
Talk to the reporter
Talk to a supervisor
Go to the competition
TO CORRECT OR NOT CORRECT

43.  Correction: Usually a factual error. Your goal is
to have the correct information printed or aired.
 Clarification: Conflicting or confusing
information was originally presented and this
clears it up.
 Omission: Something relevant to the story
(usually a fact or name) was left out and is
now included.
 Retraction: To some media outlets, this is a legal
term. On advice of legal counsel, the outlet
admits an error and apologizes. This is usually done in a large
box marked “Retraction” placed where the original was.
TO CORRECT OR NOT CORRECT

44. If the media doesn’t get the
facts from you, they will get
the “story” from someone else.
ALWAYS REMEMBER…

45. If you help the media when
they call you, they will help
you when you call them.
AND…

46. USEFUL PUBLICATION
HTTP://WWW.PBCGOV.COM/PUBLICAFFAIRS/PUBLICATIONS.HTM
OR CLICK LINK ON TOP OF HOME PAGE.

47. QUESTIONS