Dealing with the Media - a short guide First Things First! Which Media? Any Media? News Releases Interviews Radio and TV Interviews Media and Actions Using your own Pictures and Video Footage Using the Letters Page Media and ActionsFirst Things First!Before throwing yourself into media work consider some basic questions: What's the aim of your action?Don't spend lots of time on media work unless that's one of the points of doing the action! If however you decide you want some media coverage then it's worth thinking about which media to target, and how. But, even if you don't actually want media coverage it's worth preparing a News Release (a short summary of your action that conveys your key points to the media)- just in case any journalists turn up. You're also a bit more likely to get your message across (rather than some skewed sensationalism) if you give the journalists your side of the story. What's your angle?How are you going to portray who you are and what you're doing? Does your media angle fit into the wider aims of the campaign? Who will talk to the media?Work this out beforehand so that the media liaison person can prepare some sound-bites and revise the basic facts. The perfect person for the job is someone who is friendly, confident, able to be firm and good with words. The media often like to talk directly to people doing the most interesting things (eg sitting on a big yellow machine or up a tree). The media liaison should know who is happy and able to talk to the media and point reporters in the right direction. back to topWhich media? Any media?Top Tip:When you are planning an action remember to check out the deadlines of the newspapers in your area.Local newspapers and radio often cover virtually anything that is at least a little exciting. The telly can be more choosy, and you'll need to come up with something fairly big to get them interested. National media are more difficult to get involved (it's easier if you're doing your action in London). Think about which of the above media you want to attract and then develop your media strategy. Ask yourself the following: What message do you want the media to pass on? Concentrate on two or three simple key messages to ensure that the public remember them. Is your action sexy enough, controversial enough, or enough of a current topic to be of interest to the national media? Or is it only going to interest local and alternative media? Take a look at similar stories that national media have run in the past - is yours as exciting as those? If your action relates to another news headline (eg taxes raised on SUVs) draw attention to it in your News Release. Are there going to be colourful, dynamic images? Photographers and the telly will only bother to turn up if you're offering something with a good visual impact. Do you know which journalists to contact directly? Ask other activists which journalists are friendly and likely to do a positive write up - try these first. Do you know where to send your News Releases? Make an up-to-date list of email addresses, fax and telephone numbers of your selected media. You can look up their email addresses on the web or ring them up and ask for them. back to topNews ReleasesAlternative MediaDon't forget to let 'our' media know! Post your stories on:Journalists are snowed under by News Releases - make sure yours stands out:
sample News Release Climate change activists blockade Hartlepool nuclear power stationFor immediate release: August 22nd 2006 from Reclaim Power: http://www.reclaimpower.org.uk Email: reclaimpower101@xxxxxx On-site mobile: 078xxxxxx Stills/footage: 078xxxxxx Early this morning, activists from climate change pressure group ReclaimPower (1) blocked the main entrance of Hartlepool nuclear power station, Teesside (2). Using locks and other equipment six activists successfully closed the main entrance and unfurled a large banner with the words 'No More', in response to government and nuclear industry plans to build a new generation of nuclear power stations (3). Darren Locke from Reclaim Power said, 'Nuclear power is not a solution to climate change. Whilst it may be true that nuclear power results in fewer greenhouse gas emissions than burning fossil fuels, nuclear power produces deadly waste which remains radioactive for thousands of years. We have no way to get rid of it. The nuclear industry has had almost 50 years to find a solution to the nuclear waste problem and has failed to do so.' 'The government says that our only option is to accept nuclear power with all its health and environmental problems,' continued Darren. But we do have another option: to reduce our energy consumption, and to get the power we do need from clean, safe renewable sources like wind and solar.' This action is part of a series of actions by Reclaim Power highlighting our reliance on fossil fuels and the need to replace them with clean, safe renewable energy sources.
NOTES:1.This action was carried out by autonomous activists in support of climate campaign group Reclaim Power http://www.reclaimpower.org.uk 2.Hartlepool nuclear power station (owned by British Energy) is due for decommissioning in 2014, but it's likely that the site will be proposed as a site for building a new nuclear power station. According to the nuclear lobby the most viable sites for new nuclear power stations are likely to be adjacent to existing nuclear power plants (see the Government's Energy Review 2006 for more details http://www.dti.gov.uk/files/file32007.pdf) 3.See the Energy Review 2006. British Energy is likely to be part of any consortium building and running the new generation of nuclear power stations.
sample News Release Climate change activists occupy Didcot power stationJuly 5th 2006: For immediate release Early this morning activists from climate change pressure group Reclaim Power occupied a lighting tower at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire. Three climbers scaled the tower and unfurled a 50-foot orange and black banner with the words 'Climate Crime'. They plan to remain there for several hours in a peaceful but visually dramatic action to highlight the role of coal-fired power stations in climate change. Lyn Barth from Reclaim Power said, "This is a shot across the bows for the coal industry. Coal produces more greenhouse gases than any other form of electricity generation. The future isn't in fossil fuels or nuclear. The future is in reducing our energy consumption and sustainable alternative energy. Otherwise we leave a legacy of destruction to our children." Campaigners are concerned that the government and companies like the owners of Didcot power station, RWE/npower, are failing to take serious action on climate change. Ms Barth continued: "It is up to individuals to force them to stop their emissions before the planet reaches a catastrophe." This is not the first time Didcot has been targeted by protestors against climate change. The action against Didcot is part of a series of actions, which include the publicly announced occupation planned for Britain's largest coal power station, Drax in Yorkshire, during the Camp for Climate Action. -END- PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS AVAILABLE. Contact us for further details 078xxxxxx NOTES: 1. This action was carried out by autonomous activists in support of climate campaign group Reclaim Power (www.reclaimpower.org.uk). For further information contact: xxxxxxxxxxx The climbers may be reached on the following mobiles: xxxxxxxx. 2. Didcot A power station (owned by German transnational RWE who also own npower in the UK) burns around 3.7m tonnes of coal a year (from company leaflet 'Didcot Power Stations') and produces around 4.9m tonnes of CO2 (Friends of the Earth, 2004). Recently Didcot A power station came under fire for seeking to disposing of ash by-products from coal burning in environmentally sensitive areas - in particular from Save Radley Lakes campaigners (www.saveradleylakes.org.uk). InterviewsBeing interviewed can be a nerve-racking experience, but it doesn't have to be. If you want a good write-up make sure that the media speak to people who know what they're talking about. The best way of doing that is to offer them interviewees who have prepared. Interviews with the press are usually more relaxed and slower than with the radio or TV, but the same principles apply:
Radio and TV InterviewsIn addition to the above, bear the following in mind:
Preparing for TV and photographsIf you're planning an action with the intent of getting into the news think beforehand about how your spectacle will come across to TV viewers and people reading the paper. You'll have to come up with something really sexy (or have a good sense of timing) to get TV interested in your action. Sort yourselves out with a sympathetic but good photographer who can get high quality digital or prints to the newspapers quickly. Media and ActionsActions often rely on secrecy in order to achieve their goals, but how do you make sure the media will be there without giving them all the details beforehand? If a reporter already knows that you do interesting actions then s/he may be willing to be on stand-by without knowing any more. Most of the time we just have to make a decision on whether or not it's too risky to tell the media in advance. Remember: it's the media's job to get different viewpoints, and they may well pass on details of your action to the police or to the target of your action while doing this. NB: Writing "EMBARGOED UNTIL [TIME]" at the top of the News Release isn't enough to guarantee that the media will respect your security. If you don't want to risk telling the media before the action then take a media contact list with you on the action and phone them as soon as you are there. Or have someone in an office to send out News Releases for you when you give them the signal, but make sure they don't send out the releases before you tell them to - all sorts of things can go wrong! back to topUsing your own Pictures and Video FootageIf you have the skills and equipment you can post your own pictures and videos of the action on a website. If you want the media to use these then you'll have to make sure that:
Remember to check photos and footage for anything dodgy (eg: could look bad if portrayed out of context by the media, or be of use to the police). back to topUsing the Letters PageLetters to the press can be an effective way of getting your message out to people, particularly local papers where you have a good chance of being published.
Media ContactsLocal mediaYou can find contacts for many local newspapers at National mediaIt's often best to get up to date contact details for national media from their websites. Alternative mediaFind out about local/national newssites, newsletters and email lists
Websites where you can post your story yourself: Seeds for Change: a non-profit activist co-op |
