Workshop Notes: Using Media Effectively

August 9, 2006
Complied By:  Justine Chen

IIntroduction

  • The general public has no clue about Taiwan, therefore:
  • The Formosa Foundation’s priority is to inform grassroots political organizations in order to influence policy by convincing decision-makers that the constituents demand what is good for Taiwan (e.g. self-determination)
  • All types of media are very important, thus we are holding this workshop to learning how to use media to our advantage

WHPR – uses the experience of journalists, reporters and public relations to teach others how to generate media for a cause.

Using Media Effectively

  • Why media matters – because you want to share a common cause and move the cause along
  • It is a battle for hearts and minds – to get people to support you
  • The only way to do that in this country is to use media effectively
  • Media allows you to talk to a large number of people at one time.
    • E.g. If you can get into the B section of the L.A. Times, you will probably also get onto local TV because they take most of their stories from the L.A. Times’ B section
  • In order to understand media and use it effectively, you need to consume media differently.
  • Visual media is very important, so attach a visual component to your story
    • Good visuals – animals and children
  • Many of the stories in the newspaper are planted by PR firms or companies that have a stake in getting publicity
  • Read the by lines – if the same person always writes foreign affairs issues, make note of it so you know who to contact to place a foreign affairs story. Get to know this person and build a relationship
  • TV – What you see on TV is what they want on the air. Find a way to give them what they want. The easier you make their job, the more they will want to use your story.

News Releases

  • Message
    • Communicate a particular message – this is who we are, this is what we do, this is what we want.
    • Usually a message is agreed upon by a committee or small group of people. Then this message is incorporated into a news release, at which point the group deliberates. What about the people outside your committee/group?
    • Your target audience is people outside your group.
  • Soundbite – a sentence or less that explains your message.
    • Do not confuse shorthand and soundbite – shorthand is the jargon used by people in a certain field. Do not use this in soundbites because it will confuse people not in your field and those who are not familiar with the subject.
  • After you decide what you are going to shop around to different media outlets, show the finished product to someone outside of your organization or group to get their feedback.
  • You may need to compromise, but this is necessary in order to move your cause along and you are using media effectively.
  • Boilerplate – a standard description of your organization that goes at the end of a news release .
    • Soundbites can be part of your boilerplate.
  • Put your news release on letterhead because it show that it is official and it will automatically include contact information.
  • If you are new to generating media, start with your local paper.
  • If you place 1 story a year, that is a good rate.
  • If you are strapped for space, you can just send the first paragraph of your news release. If they want to know more they can always contact you for it.
  • When you are calling to pitch a story, always have your boilerplate at the tip of your tongue.
  • If they as you to “pay to play” (pay for an ad in order to have a story run), ask them to run the story in a different issue than where the ad was bought. That way there will be no confusion about legitimacy.
  • A frame informs people of your agenda and overall message.
  • Make it brief and to the point in order to separate yourself from others.
  • Keep calling to feed them stories, keep communication lines open.
  • Letters to the editor are easier to place because you can tie it into a story that was recently published.
  • Also send commentary when it’s a good issue.
  • Talk shows and radio shows are also good places – they are the lifeblood of politics and the marketplace of ideas.

Justine Chen graduated from UCLA in 2006 with a BA in Political Science. She is now a student at National Taiwan University's International Chinese Language Program on a scholarship from the Ministry of Education. She plans to eventually attend graduate school for a master's in international affairs. Justine was a 2006 Formosa Foundation Ambassador and continues to advocate for the country of Taiwan.