Understanding the Media Course

Availability: Open Course and In-Company

Why attend?

It can be hard getting media visibility, yet free coverage for you and your company is invaluable for promoting you, your brand or a specific product or service you offer.  Marketing through alternate means is a costly business. Media coverage can either generate new business or drive it away. The challenge is not only how to get exposure but to ensure you get your key message across in the way you want.  This course, run by a BBC news and print journalist, will give you lots of practical advice on how to pitch ideas and get positive publicity for your business.

Who is it for?

People who want media visibility to build brand and generate new business. This course is an introduction to handling the media and is a stepping stone to Meeting the Media and Handling Tough Media Situations.

What you will learn

What is the media?

• The differing aspects of a media story
• Why developing a constructive rather than adversarial relationship with the media is vital

Pitching to Journalists

• What journalists expect from proposals
• What a proposal should consist of
• Recognising and developing a hook for a story

Written Submissions – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

• What makes a good and bad press release
• Drafting a written submission to interest a journalist/editor

Making a Phone Pitch

• Expressing an idea concisely on the phone and selling it to a journalist
• Understanding the ‘rules of the game’ in conversations with journalists
• Being aware of your rights
• Knowing when an interview is not an interview

You and Your Message

• Developing key messages
• Positioning yourself and your business succinctly to interest a journalist

Benefits to you and your organisation

• Know what a journalist looks for in developing a story
• Develop a good telephone or written pitch to increase your chances of media coverage
• Build relationships with journalists to increase future publicity
• Understand what to include and not include when communicating your story
• Gain greater control over how your key messages are represented in the media