Effective Media Relations: No Accident
Conduct a mini-SWOT analysis on your organization, or on a non-profit organization that you volunteer for or are familiar with, in relation to its preparedness to conduct both reactive and proactive media relations. List the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as they relate to possible media interest and the organization’s readiness to talk to the media. Identify the top three issues that need to be addressed—whether in the organization’s operations, which could be embarrassing or positive and helpful if made public in the news—and the organization’s media preparedness overall.
2. Looking at the news in your local or nearest daily newspaper’s front section, analyze at least five of the major stories for the following factors. Please include either links or a summary for each story.
Which stories have quotes from organizational representatives or other speakers in them?
Do you think the story is the result of proactive or reactive media relations, and why do you draw this conclusion?
Would you rate the story as positive (no information that undermines the positive), negative (no information to counteract the negative), or neutral (both positive and negative information and/or quotes)?
3. Go to the media relations policy sites listed below, and then compare and contrast each with regard to: type of organization, approach to media relations (proactive, reactive), who speaks to the media and restrictions and limitations