What is Media Relations? [And How to Do It Right]

By Alex Mikhail — Communications Strategist

Early in your PR career, you may have asked, “What is media relations, and why does it matter?” Whether you’re a seasoned veteran now or a business leader considering media relations as a strategy, the landscape is ever-evolving. And we can all use a refresher course now and then. In short, media relations is an essential function of public relations, where the main goal is to educate the media to report on a company’s objectives, accomplishments or other “news.” This “other” might involve another company or a person, and the outcome can be about anything notable or newsworthy.

A successful media relations effort always begins with the development of strong, outcome-producing relationships with media outlets, producers, assignment editors, print/online journalists, influencers and more.

Why Media Relations is Important

Media relations allows brands to break through the clutter by establishing credibility and trust with their audiences.

For example, company executives can be interviewed about a significant accomplishment or update, how they plan to achieve their goals and how this information will impact consumers or the public.

What is Earned Media?

Coverage secured through a traditional “pitch and place” outreach strategy is referred to as “earned media,” which does not involve advertising, paying for the story or another form of publicity.

Earned media is valuable because it holds more credibility than paid media. It requires reporters to understand which part(s) of a company’s news is “story-worthy” and relevant for their audience—without a financial incentive.

Benefits of Earned Media:

  • Increases brand visibility and trust
  • Positive media coverage enhances brand image
  • Helps build strong media relationships
  • Generates traffic and increases engagement

Tips for Conducting a Successful Media Relations Program:

To earn attention and build trust with the press, creating and implementing a targeted media relations strategy is paramount. Here are four tips to get started:

1. Build and Maintain Genuine Relationships with the Media

Successful media relations programs require exactly what you might think — building trustworthy relationships with media. This is critical, as they can be leveraged to secure more (and sometimes better) coverage opportunities in the future.

Establish a Genuine Connection:

As with any close relationship, establishing a genuine connection with assignment editors, planners and producers is key, rather than simply framing “What do I get out of this?” as the sole priority. Remember, this is a mutually beneficial relationship, so take time to engage in conversation that fosters a personal relationship. It could be through a shared hobby, how you both spend time on weekends, etc. Just try to avoid personal or touchy subjects, such as politics.

Maintain the Relationship:

Once you get to know a member of the media, make sure to maintain that relationship over time. Connect with them on social media and do not be afraid to reach out semi-regularly to see how they are doing. Not all correspondence should be about pitching a story.

2. Develop a Tailored Pitch

Do Your Research:

Successful pitching requires media relations professionals to do their research. Specifically, research the right journalists for each pitch.  Their inboxes are inundated with story ideas every day, so do not waste their time. Approach them with news that is considered relevant within the parameters of their particular beat or interests.

Be Specific:

Regardless of focus, journalists want to tell stories that reach the widest audience possible. They tend to focus on stories that contain some combination of specific themes that are already part of the collective conversation. Those themes often include timeliness, impact, human interest or conflict. Media will not be interested in pitches that do not touch on at least one of these common themes.

3. Structure the Pitch Correctly

Nail the Hook:

Since an email subject line represents your first impression to the recipient, it is essential to nail it! Clarity and brevity make subject lines effective.

Consider including a compelling hook, in the form of a thought-provoking question or a striking statistic, to capture their attention from the outset.

The Five W’s:

Place the most critical information at the start of a pitch—any details you want the journalist to retain should be front and center.

As for the pitch itself, remember to address the Five W’s— “Who, What, When, Where and Why.” Each should be covered in a way that grabs journalists’ interest.

4. Understand the Target Audience

When pitching, understand what type of audience(s) they want to reach. Once the target audience is determined, confirm where they go to find news that interests them.

For example, if a pharmaceutical manufacturer wants consumers to know they have developed a new drug, consider pitching pharmaceutical industry publications, health and wellness outlets, health reporters and broadcast media that run special health segments.

Bottom Line: What is Media Relations?

A strategic media relations program is the cornerstone of a successful public relations strategy. When companies cultivate strong media relationships, important doors open for them to amplify their messages, build credibility and navigate the complexities of public perception more adeptly. Additionally, providing media coaching utilizing these best media training tips will ensure your client’s message is consistent and lands the right audience.

The evolving digital media landscape provides opportunities to engage directly with audiences, making it crucial to adapt and innovate. By embracing these principles, media relations professionals will be empowered to share compelling stories and shape the narratives that define them.

To learn more about media relations in a customized session for your team or your media spokesperson, call us at  (858) 886-7900 or email info@wrightoncomm.com.

Best Media Training Tips

By Julie Wright —President

Twitter: @juliewright

Here is a list of our four best media training tips for client partners stepping into the media spotlight. We picked these four tips to set you up for success by preparing for the interview, keeping your head during it and building the media relationship following it. Think of it as a four-step process for media relations success.

Tip 1: Screen the Opportunity

When you see a media interview go bad like this British interview with Quentin Tarantino, the culprit is typically a lack of preparation combined with an unrealistic expectation as to how the interview was supposed to go. When things don’t go as we expect, some of us—like Tarantino—will lose our cool (which makes great, if cringe-worthy, television for the rest of us).

Screening requires basic fact finding to ensure the opportunity is a good fit for you and that you prepare appropriately.

(W)right On Communications’ best media training tips start with reviewing the outlet’s and writer’s past coverage. Is the media outlet and opportunity a good fit for your business and its goals? Is it a top-tier media outlet or a smaller and scrappier blog? Does the reporter have an agenda, a partisan viewpoint or an axe to grind?

A blogger seeking clicks has a different goal than a long-form feature writer or a local TV news reporter needing video for broadcast, online and social promotion. Print and online journalists will often want video to accompany their stories as well.

Find out who else the reporter is interviewing for the story. Are you one of many voices or are you the only person speaking to your side of an issue? They may or may not tell you who else they’re interviewing, but it will certainly help you better prepare if you can find out.

If you’re not clear what it is that the reporter wants from you for their story, ask for more details or clarity. If their explanation doesn’t make sense to you, it is okay and often safer to politely decline.

If this is an opportunity you are interested in, get the reporter’s deadline and commit to the interview well before that time. I have seen clients hold out until the last second and, as a result, miss the opportunity to have their quote or information included. The reporter wants to complete all interviews as early as possible so that they can write the story. The longer you wait to provide a comment, the higher the likelihood others will shape the story and your quote will be placed at the very end of the article, if it gets included at all.

Tip 2: Prepare for the Opportunity

Prepare by drafting or reviewing your key messages and talking points. If you don’t have these already, start by narrowing down the main points you’d want to communicate. Pick your top three. Practice them in front of a mirror or with a friend.

If you expect challenging questions during your interview, brainstorm all of the worst rude questions you might be asked and practice your responses to them. That way, when the nasty question arises, you’ll be relaxed and can respond without losing your cool. This is very important if you’re on camera!

If this is a video interview, think about your appearance and the setting. Do you need your facility cleaned or your office uncluttered? Is there anything on your desk that might be confidential? Show up looking your best and avoid unnecessary visual distractions. You don’t want to be caught on camera like Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin on a turkey farm.

Tip 3: Interview Smart With Your ABCD’s

After screening and preparation, it’s go time. Even if it’s an outlet that you expect to be challenging, you can still get a great win if you keep you head.

During the interview, remember your ABCD’s:

  • Acknowledge the question: “I’m glad that you asked that.” Or “I get asked that question a lot.”
  • Bridge to your key message: “That’s a great question that I hear often, but what’s really important to people is …” or “… but what our customers ask most is …” These phrases help you move from the interviewer’s questions to your key messages. More examples: “Let me answer that question by putting it into context…” “Let’s talk about something I’m even more familiar with…” “Well the quick answer is no, but it’s important to understand that…”
  • Conclude with proof points: “… we know that because we did a customer survey and 95% said…” These proof points support your key messages and are essential to build your credibility with the interviewer and their audiences.
  • Dangle the next topic if you’re feeling lucky: “… and it’s dang cool software design” or “… and that discovery leads to a really surprising new problem to solve.”

Our best media training tips during the interview also include:

  • Be brief. The less you say, the more poignant and quotable your points are. It lets the interviewer be engaged so they can ask questions and leaves them wanting more. It’s easy to drone on, especially when a reporter is interviewing you by phone and taking notes. Just because the reporter hasn’t asked another question, doesn’t mean you need to fill the void with ramblings. Make your point and wait for the next question.
  • Avoid negatives or charged words. A “problem” is a “challenge.” You don’t “hate” something, you “prefer its alternative.” It wasn’t a “failure” but a “learning opportunity.” Recent media research shows that the media don’t have a political bias. They have a bias for ‘negative’. Conflict sells. When everything is going smoothly and harmoniously, there’s no news.
  • The mic is always on. Remember during your interview that nothing is off the record and the camera is always rolling. What you say before or after the interview can be picked up by a hot mic. Our best media training tips include not saying anything you don’t want to see all over the Internet.
  • Bring the energy. Be conscious of your energy level and body language. Your nonverbal communication can say more than your words. Voice, gestures, posture, eye contact–pay attention to how you deliver your messages and not just their content. Avoid eye rolls or big sighs. And if it’s an on-camera interview, dress for the part.

Tip 4: Follow Up

Correct any inaccurate statements or provide more follow-up to clarify content from the interview. This could include emailing a full study, images and other links to the reporter. If you have an agency or PR department, they will often take care of these loose ends.

You should debrief on the final published story or broadcast to look for opportunities to improve for next time.

We have many other do’s and don’ts among our best media interview tips, and this article is not intended as a replacement for a full, customized media training session. Typically, we include on-camera practice based on our client partner’s industry, their organization’s needs and their comfort level in the media hot seat. We’ll also offer a refresher the day or hours prior to a big interview!

To learn more about getting our best media training tips in a customized session for your team or your media spokesperson, please contact us at (W)right On Communications. Call (858) 886-7900 or email info@wrightoncomm.com.