How to Work with the Media
While some schools offer media training and support for their faculty (and to a lesser extent graduate and other students), you may not have much experience working with reporters and producers. This page offers a wealth of resources to get you started.
Engage your Public Information Officer (PIO)
You don’t have to do media outreach on your own. Contact your public information office to see what it can offer. Strategies for Working with Your Public Information Officer
Develop Your Message
Before you start interacting with the media, you need to know what it is you want to say. Spend a little time in our messaging section to learn how to distill your work down into a few dynamic sentences. This is a foundational skill for working effectively with the media.
Write a Press Release
Knight News Release Workshop is a web site created by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to aid non-profits in developing news releases. The site constructs model news releases, compares well and poorly written headlines, and offers tips on drafting effective quotes.
Components of a Press Release
PR Newswire is a comprehensive news distribution network that offers a variety of free resources including a Public Relations Toolkit and this instructive article on writing a good press release.
Guided Press Release Creator
Community Media Workshop, based in Chicago, offers a host of public relations resources to community groups and nonprofits. This template takes you step-by-step through the process of creating a solid press release.
Sample Releases
Here are sample releases from within the Hartford network. Take note of where the primary message is located and how the information is organized.
Three Steps to Better Media Coverage
Nancy Schwartz & Company provides useful tips not just on how to generate a good press release, but when and how to send it out.
Contact the Media
Media Access Guide: A Resource for Community Health Promotion
The CDC has updated this comprehensive resource on all things media, particularly for community health related projects or organizations. Lots of tips and templates are included.
How to Get a Reporters Attention
Nancy Schwartz & Company has produced this excellent primer on reaching out effectively to the media.
Manage the Conversation with a Reporter
Managing the Conversation Tips on handling media calls from
Strategic Communications & Planning
Tutorial on Health Policy Communications KaiserEDU.org offers a narrated slide tutorial on health policy communications by Jackie Judd, Kaiser vice president and senior advisor for communications and a former broadcast journalist. The tutorial provides information and guidance on how to effectively communicate with the media and suggestions for how to frame key messages for print, broadcast, and radio interview settings.
Seven Tips for Successful Interviews from Mt. Vernon Public Relations.
Create a Sound Bite
Sound Bites With Bite from Strategic Communications & Planning is another resource that can help you find the language that positions you well and encourages reporters to call you back.
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