Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Volume 4, Number 3, 1999
Expanding Our Dissemination Options: A Word From the Director
Disability Research and the Media
→ Developing Media Relations
Personal communication with journalists is essential to effective media relations. An important role of dissemination specialists, or others charged with media relations, is to represent the research organization to journalists. This linking role requires understanding of the perspective of the organization as well as that of the journalists, with a key function of interpreting the needs, operations, and language of each. The development of media relations should be aimed at three objectives: 1) providing the media with research information for publication; 2) providing the media with research information for their archives; and 3) serving as reliable sources when research information is needed to support current stories.
Start Locally. A first step in developing media relations is to study local media outlets including television, radio and newspapers. Local media have an immediate interest in their community, like to promote community pride, and often take an interest in research conducted at a local institution. Their approach also may place research information in a local context, adding a local human face. Local journalists are also connected with national news networks. Interesting research information in local news may more easily make its way to national outlets than press releases sent directly to those outlets. In following-up a press kit the NCDDR was informed by a major newspaper that "we get over 1,000 press kits a week; if we’re going to use the press kit we’ll contact the source."
Research organizations have a number of options in determining who to contact in the local media. One method is to review past stories relating to people with disabilities to identify journalists who appear to be receptive to disability research information. The features editor at a newspaper often handles the health and human interest columns where disability information is usually located. Newspapers also may have a medical editor who is receptive to disability research information and business editors may have particular interests in employment research or new product development. Researchers also may identify journalists who have a disability, a connection with a disability organization, or an interest in a disability issue. Although they may be in a different editorial department, these receptive journalists could provide a strong reference for contact with the most appropriate journalist.
Developing a Media List. Researchers are typically knowledgeable about newsletters, magazines, and journals in their specific fields. A large number of additional media sources also may be interested in newsworthy research information. An expanded media list may include local media, media in the specific field, media sources in related fields, and disability and popular media sources.
Researchers can locate disability media sources in America's Telability Media (Winston, 1998) which includes over 1,200 disability media sources. Popular and disability media information may also be found in the National Directory of Information Sources on Disabilities (NIDRR, 1994); The Complete Directory for People with Disabilities, 1998/99 (Greyhouse Publishing, 1998); and Resources for People with Disabilities (Oakes & Bradford, 1998).
The NCDDR has developed a media database with over 600 entries which are updated frequently. NIDRR grantees may contact the NCDDR for information about the media database.
Developing Effective Relationships. Research organizations may help journalists to identify newsworthy topics, identify information sources, and develop interesting stories. These activities benefit journalists and researchers by increasing coverage of research information and accurate reporting. The key to developing mutual relationships is to establish and maintain credibility. Providing accurate and honest information over time earns the trust of journalists. With trust established, journalists are more likely to seek out researchers as sources of information, opinions, and linkages to additional information. In working with journalists it is vital to develop good interpersonal relationships, including following the "Five Fs of Media Relations" (adapted from Robey & Stauffer, 1995):
Fast. Researchers should respect journalists’ deadlines. Return phone calls immediately, even if it is past normal office hours. Return email messages within the day they are received, if possible.
Factual. Provide factual information with an interesting human face. Provide research information in a highly readable format. Journalists may also appreciate creative or dramatic statements and personal or human-interest anecdotes to help illustrate the research information. Give sources for additional facts and statistics.
Frank. Be open to the journalists’ questions and respond with honest answers. Journalists will respect an honest inability to answer a question.
Fair. Researchers should be fair to journalists if they expect fairness from them. Provide equal amounts of information to all journalists.
Friendly. Remember journalists’ names and review examples of their past writing. Develop a cooperative relationship by listening to their perspectives, knowing their interests, and extending
your appreciation when they cover the research information.
The press kit is a standard way to provide information to the press (Robey & Stauffer, 1995). A press kit is a packet of materials that helps journalists understand the organization and its research, and helps them to develop their stories. Press kits are useful in introducing researchers to journalists, providing technical information about the research, promoting the information for press coverage (with human-interest information), and in providing information about larger issues involved in the research. Press kits may include the following components:
(Adapted from Robey & Stauffer, 1995).
The Press Release. The press release is the mainstay of media relations and is the most accepted, cost-effective way to reach journalists. A press release includes information prepared for the media as a "ready-to-run" story. If a press release contains newsworthy information and is well-written it may be printed virtually unchanged. Press release contents may also refer journalists to additional information in the press kit to help them enlarge the story. Press releases should include summative and interesting information about the research in an effort to catch the interest of the journalist.
Today, electronic mail has become a preferred method of communication. It may be advantageous to use a combined approach, with an emailed press release followed by a hard-copy version of the research information and supporting documents in a press kit. Emails allow journalists to start a story immediately and use the more comprehensive press kit to expand and complete the story.
Conclusion
Including research information in the popular and disability media provides researchers with concerns and ideas for extending their dissemination activities to the information sources that are most
frequently accessed by people with disabilities and the general public. The future holds a great promise for expansion of customer-driven services in integrated community settings. This requires that
communications between researchers, people with disabilities, and communities take place in the forums operated and accessed by the targeted users of research information.
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