Matchmaking: you and the media

It’s important to realise from the start that you and local journalists do not necessarily have the same aims and objectives.

You’ve got a campaign proposition that you want to communicate to your targets in the local area through as much coverage as possible, thereby helping to convince them of the need for change. Simple enough. But local journalists will have different aims. They want to:

  • find a story which is newsworthy or fits in with “news values”
  • finish the story and move on to the next one. Some journalists write up to seven stories per day, a big workload.

Remember that whilst you may believe that mental illness and your campaign are highly interesting and relevant to people in your local area, not all journalists will. Remember you are effectively competing with hundreds of other stories and journalists get hundreds of emails/faxes everyday so it’s your job to make a match between your story and what journalists want to get noticed. News values are a shorthand way of saying what journalists look for in a story.

If you don’t manage to make this match, one of two things may happen. Either your story won’t get any coverage at all, in which case you’ll have wasted your effort. Or perhaps journalists will find their own way to make the story useful to them and this may not cover your proposition – this won’t help your campaign either.

So either find a way to link your campaign proposition to news values or use other ways to influence your target.

News values: the rules of the game

Unexpectedness – ‘man bites dog’ is a news story; ‘dog bites man’ is an everyday occurrence and not seen as worth reporting.

Threshold – how big is the story? How many people are affected by this problem? How many people are calling for this change?

Clarity – stories must be clear and unambiguous. Academic literature is all about subtleties and longwinded essays; news is about headlines and quick, easily understood propositions.

Frequency/Timing – if the story is a one-off event, it is far more likely to get coverage, because discrete events like this fit into news schedules very easily. It is much harder to get coverage for a ‘trend’ or an ‘ongoing problem’. To draw attention to long-term trends, you need an event which the media can report, i.e. new figures or facts, a new report, a new case, etc…

Meaningfulness – will readers or viewers think that this is relevant to them? If the story is local, this is very likely.

Continuity – if your proposition builds on previous stories, this makes it easier for the media to cover them. They can use old footage or old photos that they have stored.

News context – what other stories are around? The day of the Queen Mother’s funeral, it would have been pretty difficult to get coverage for any campaign, no
matter how newsworthy it would have been on a normal day.

Importance/Elitism – people that are seen as important or elite grab people’s attention. You believe that your change has got to be made – well, that’s not as interesting as a celebrity saying the same thing.

Personalisation – More than a million people read Mark Haddon’s novel about a boy with Asperger’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime in the first year after publication – compare this to how many people read abstract academic papers about Aspergers syndrome. With the media, obviously you have to have real people rather than fictional characters personalising your cause, but the principle is the same. If you distil your campaign so that it’s focused on the experience of one person, this will help you.

People will then think: ‘what has happened to Sarah/Sadiq?’ Alternatively, you could present your campaign as a battle between two people, one supporting your change and one blocking it. The media particularly likes conflict and controversy.

Negativity – most news is bad news. Entertainment value – most people watch/listen to/read the media to be entertained, not to be educated, so this is key. If you can make your campaign funny or exciting in some way, journalists will be more interested. Try to capture their imagination and put yourself in their shoes and think about what would make a story stand out (i.e. a nice visual or a picture relevant to the story, someone talking about their experience, the use of humour or maybe even teasers in the delivery of your news).

Visuals/footage – even print media nowadays include a lot of photos and obviously television media has to have pictures to go with every story. So if you find some visual representation, your story is more likely to be picked up. It can be relatively simple, like people handing in a petition at a local town hall.

Not every story printed will conform with every news value, but the more your story conforms, the more likely it is to be covered.

What matters above all else in keeping readers, viewers and listeners is the local angle to a story. There is a journalistic fable that when the Titanic sank, one local newspaper’s front page story was: “Local man drowns”. Whether the story is true or not, it illustrates how the local angle is essential for your campaign. Once you’ve established what yours is, it will dramatically increase your chances of the story being published.

So only contact the media who cover the area where you live and campaign.

Check your information
 There are a few questions that journalists ask people time and time again. Try to find out the answers to these in advance. If you really don’t know the answer, just say so – don’t ever be tempted to make things up.

  • How many people are experiencing this problem is this area?
  • Why hasn’t your change already been made?
  • Won’t this cost a lot of money?
  • Is your campaign unique or the first of its kind in Britain?
  • Where is your campaigning group or service based? It sounds obvious but naming the town or area will make it clear where you are from.
  • Does your area have very high/low rates for prescribing modern medicines or of mental health services/waiting lists for talking therapies etc? This approach can also help give a local angle to a national issue.
  • How many people use mental health services in your area, and how many carers do you estimate there are? This helps show that mental health issues affect many people, who could be potential readers, listeners or viewers.
  • How are local mental health service users and carers going to be affected by the issue you are campaigning about? Focus on the human aspect of your campaign, such as the frustrating hours spent fighting for an appointment, or the fulltime nature of supporting someone in a crisis.
  • What advice would you give to someone facing this problem?

Which journalists to contact: TV, radio or newspapers? 
People often say nowadays that we live in a multimedia age and think that the only thing that counts is television coverage of campaigns. That is a mistake.

Whilst TV and radio and now the Internet have meant that we are less reliant on newspapers and magazines for news, they are still important.

This is partly because it is much easier to share a newspaper article with other people – you just pick it up and hand it to them. Sharing recordings of TV and radio is far more difficult.

Local newspapers cover much smaller areas than regional television or radio. They are therefore far more likely to think that your campaign is relevant to their readership. And local politicians and health trusts will also be more interested in what they have to say.

Research has also shown that people have far more trust in their local newspaper than national TV and radio. So local newspapers have a lot of potential and are worth using to communicate your campaign proposition.

Remember also that you will have to work much harder to get your campaign covered by a TV station – you will need to ensure that there are images available to cover the story and set up a shoot or press conference. You may end up making a huge effort and getting exactly what you want – but there are no guarantees.

Local radio requires less work, though you will probably need to attend an interview, which could take up time.

So, if you haven’t much time, go for newspapers or the Internet. If you have more time, approach local radio too. If you’ve got time to spare, go for TV, radio, newspapers and the Internet as well.

Which journalist to contact: news or feature?
If your story is a news story with a clear deadline, for example: a protest, handing in a petition, a conference or a launch taking place on a certain day, an announcement made on a certain date, then your best bet is to approach the news desk of the newspaper you are targeting.

If your story’s deadline is not necessarily linked to a specific date and is maybe ongoing (e.g. a personal account on how depression has affected someone’s life) it is better to approach the feature department of your newspaper, unless your story has relevance to something that is being covered in the news and that you may be able to link into.

You may find it helpful to fill in the Media Planning matrix as you go along.

Telling journalists about your campaign: press releases
To tell local journalists about what you’re doing, the easiest thing to do is to issue a press release. This should be a very short document, ideally one side of A4, but could go on to two pages if this is unavoidable.

At the top of the page, state if there is an embargo on the news – this will tell journalists not to use this news before a certain time and date. There is, however, no absolute guarantee that this will be respected.

Next, write your headline in the middle of the page. This should clearly state what the ‘news’ is. There’s no need to be too clever with the headline – it just needs to
tell anyone glancing at it what your story is about.

The first sentence should explain exactly what the news is, where and when it is taking place, and who is doing it. After this, you can explain why this is happening.

You should include a quote from someone who has experienced the problem you’re campaigning about and supports your solution. Make sure that this person is from the local area. This increases relevance.

At the bottom of the story, there should be a section called ‘Notes to Editors’. Here, put any extra facts that are not strictly part of the story but which provide
background.

Put your contact details in this section, this is very important as the journalist will need to contact you if they are interested – use a mobile phone number if at all possible, as journalists like to feel they can contact you whenever they need to. Use a number that you will answer 24/7 as journalists are unlikely to try and contact you a second time.

If your case studies are prepared to be interviewed by journalists, then say so in the Notes to the Editor section. Having case studies gives a human dimension to a story and all journalists love that.

Send your press release to journalists via email if possible. Fax is the next best option. If you can’t use email and send your press release by normal post, allow 3 days for journalists to receive it. Whichever way you send your press release, phone journalists to make sure that they’ve received it, ask if they have any questions and offer to help them in any way you can. If you’re posting the release, make sure the date of your release takes into account the time it might take to reach the journalist's desk.

View a Rethink press release

Want advice on your press release? Don't have contact details for local media?
 Rethink's media department can help. We can't write press releases for you, but we can give you advice and hints on a draft you've prepared. Phone 0845 456 0455, email Rethink media or write to Rethink Media, 5th Floor, Royal London House, 22-25 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1DX for a list of local media contacts.

Being asked to an interview - success!

If you’re asked to attend an interview, that means that your campaign proposition is almost certain to get coverage. Journalists are helping your campaign a lot by giving it coverage, so it makes sense to repay the favour by making life easy for them. So do them the courtesy of being on time. And ask in advance if there’s
anything particular they want to ask you about.

Make sure you find out what kind of people read the newspaper you’re being interviewed for or watch or listen to the programme. You can then tailor your language to that audience.

What not to wear
 If you're being interviewed on TV, think about what you're wearing. Don't wear bright clothes or clothes with checks as they will look odd on camera.  Wear clothes that are comfortable, but don't look too casual.  Remember, it's easier for people to accept a radical message if you look conservative!

Interviews: abnormal conversations
 Interviews look like normal conversations, but they’re not – even the ones on cosy chatshows. After all, what kind of conversations have pre-prepared questions and
scripts? The media is all about theatre and you need to learn to be a successful media actor.

To be successful in an interview, don’t wait until a journalist has asked you a question before you decide what you want to say. Work it out before you’ve arrived.

You will never be able to say everything you want to say in an interview. You probably know a great deal about your change and your campaign and it would take a book or a 4-hour programme to cover it in any detail. But you haven’t got time to wait for someone to write a book about it or make a 4-hour programme.

So you need to work out what is the absolutely most important thing you want people to understand about your change and make sure you say it. If you go
along with very very little to say, it’s more likely that you’ll communicate that. Choose one main point and 3 reasons why your change should be made. These are
often known as your key messages. Keep an anecdote about a case study up your sleeve as well – it may come in handy.

Keep it simple and make one point at a time. The world may be complex and messy, but your communication needs to be focused and precise as well as passionate. Speak slowly and clearly – don’t waffle when you’ve said what you need to say.

Don’t raise your voice or shout – you’ll only look foolish. It might be an issue that you’re passionate about and in usual conversations with your friends, you might get a bit excited. But you’re not in a normal conversation, so stay cool, calm and collected. Smile, even if you’re not on TV – your feelings will come across in your voice and the audience will warm to you.

Interview techniques: bridging
If you wait for interviewers to ask you your dream question before you communicate your key message, you may never get to say it and then the whole thing would be a waste of your time.

So don’t wait – take action! Use the technique known as ‘bridging’.

Bridging means making a connection between the question you’re asked and the main point you want to get across. You’ll have seen politicians do this all the time on TV. The thing is, it works!

Never ignore a journalist’s question and say ‘I don’t want to talk about that’, as that will antagonise both the journalist and viewers or listeners. Instead, acknowledge their question, answer it briefly and then move on to your point.

For example, if you’re campaigning to improve physical healthcare for people with severe mental illness, you may be asked: “But what about mental health services? Surely lots of people aren’t getting the mental health care they need?” Answer: “Yes, some people are missing out on mental health care as well. But It’s a tragedy that people who have managed to deal with their mental health symptoms are being denied the physical healthcare that we all take for granted. Did you know that people with severe mental illness die 10 years younger than other people from physical reasons. People with mental illness have a right to physical healthcare, like anyone else.”

A good tactic is to acknowledge a point and then bring in an example from your campaign. For example, say “Let me tell you about a young man from just down the road in….”

Often journalists try to open up specific issues and try to make them broader (this in their view makes it more relevant to more viewers or listeners).

For example, if you’re trying to campaign for better choice in medication, a journalist might say to you: “Of course, lots of people want to have more choice
in medication”. Answer: “Yes, that’s true, but the problem is particularly serious for people with severe mental illness. Statistics reveal that...”.

Remember that no journalist can make you say anything that you don’t want to Say. You are the expert on your campaign – it’s highly unlikely any journalist knows more about your change than you do.

Media myths: off the record?
You can never guarantee that anything you say to a journalist will not end up in print or being broadcast. So don’t say anything that you’d rather not be made public. You may become friendly with a few journalists over the years, but that’s still no guarantee that you can speak to them in confidence. Within the media, they’re playing a role and that is to scoop as much interesting information as they can. Don’t take this personally. It’s your job to make sure you don’t say anything that could get you into trouble.

How do I look?
Doing a TV interview is a bit daunting the first time you do it. Try and ignore the equipment that surrounds you.

Don’t look into the camera – speak to the interviewer. This helps to make your communication look more natural and make you look likeable.

Don’t worry if the interviewer seems to be ignoring you – they have to listen to prompts from their producer through their earpiece.

“I’m on the phone!”
Often radio interviews are conducted on the phone. If you’re doing this, make sure you’re in a quiet place. Phone interviews can be more daunting than being in a
studio, where you can see the people you’re talking to. If you can go to a studio instead, try to do that – the interview will be better. In a studio, ignore all equipment and talk to the interviewer. But remember – it’s not a normal conversation, it’s theatre.

Interview advice

For more advice on conducting interviews Download or buy 'You and media' online.

What if they get it wrong?

Remember that the journalists covering your campaign are not experts. If there’s a mistake in a newspaper piece, write a letter immediately, marking it ‘for publication’ and explain the mistake. This could actually be a good opportunity as you can reiterate your campaign proposition in your letter. But keep it short.

If it’s a radio interview that’s gone wrong, perhaps where a recorded interview has been pared down for broadcast, contact the programme producer and explain your concerns. If you’re still not happy, contact Ofcom.

If it’s a piece for TV news that you’re unhappy with, contact the producer. Or, in extremis, contact Ofcom, the regulator for the UK communications industries, with
responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications and wireless communications services. Phone 0845 456 3000 or 020 7981 3040, email Ofcom or write to Ofcom Contact Centre, Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA

For Press contact:
The Press Complaints Commission (PCC), an independent body, which deals with complaints from members of the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines. Phone their helpline 0845 600 2757, email the Press Complaints Commission or write to Press Complaints Commission, Halton House, 20-23 Holborn, London, EC1N 2JD