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Making The Most Of The News Media

Picture this. It's a crisp, sunny winter's morning. You cruise into your corporate parking space - you know, the one with your, name emblazoned across it - switch off your CD player, grab your laptop, and leap from your car. Your mind's whirling.

A modern corporate warrior, you're deep in thought about that call to Tokyo you've just got to make in 10 minutes time, the big board meeting tomorrow to discuss what to do about the discovery of the dwindling pension fund, and the cup of coffee your PA will have just placed lovingly on your desk. Life is sweet. In control. Predictable.

Too late to turn back.

Then suddenly - WHAM! What's that television crew doing, bearing down on you at full-speed?

They're headed straight for you, firing off questions six to the dozen.

"We want to talk to you about the missing pension funds," cries the reporter. "When did you realise something was wrong?"

Damn! How did they find out? You panic and freeze. You can't decide to run or retreat. You thought you would have time to sort this out behind closed doors.

What do you do now?

It could happen to you.

If you think you'll never be the target of a media ambush, you'd better think again.

When it comes to dealing with the media these days, it can happen that fast - and often does.

You just never know when you pick up your phone - either at home or at work - whether a reporter will be on the other end.

When the media want to talk to you, it's too late to get prepared.

In today's kamikaze communications world where reporters are filing more stories for more broadcasts, publications, and the internet, when they're desperatly chasing more deadlines than ever before, you've got to be ready when journalists come calling. They need to talk to you - and they need to talk to you now.

If you really want to succeed as a modern and effective executive, you have to learn how to play the media game. And that means learning how to play by the rules. Their rules. Make no mistake. The media have the most power. You've got to get smart and communicate as if your corporate life depends on it. Because in some situations it will. Just ask former Police Commissioner Peter Doone.

Here are my three top tips for golden media relations, based on field-tested tactics honed over two decades on the road as an award-winning investigative television correspondent working for national current affairs programmes in New Zealand and Canada.

Over the past 21 years, I've conducted tens of thousands of interviews around the world as a journalist, and I've written and narrated millions of words of news and current affairs story scripts. Very few of my subjects had any idea about the rules of the media game.

Just a warning: these tips aren't everything you need to know to win at the news media relations' game - but they are a valuable starting point

Rule #1 - Be approachable. Be co-operative.

This is the number one rule. It's the crucial foundation for great media relations. Get this wrong and you get nothing right with the media. It sounds so simple. So straightforward. So how come so many executives still don't get it?

When you say "No" to reporters, close the door in their faces, refuse to take their calls, deny them access to information and documents - especially public information they're legally entitled to have - you buy trouble.

Any reporter worth his/her salt will just dig deeper - and longer - and harder - until they unearth not only what you've refused to divulge but also usually a whole lot more. What would have been a small story is now a much bigger one. Maybe even on the front page.

Stonewalling reporters simply doesn't work. You challenge their skills. They're trained to fight back - hard. So talk to them. tell them as much as you can.

Help them see the big picture.

Rule #2 - Never lie. Never.

Claiming you've been misquoted doesn't work any more. If you've been audio or or video taped, your lie will be the played not only on breakfast news. We'll see it replayed again at noon - over tea at six o'clock - and just before bedtime.

We may even see it next year. If you can't tell the truth, don't say anything. But don't lie.

Rule #3 - Never say: "No comment.".

Forget all those bad movies you've watched over the years. "No comment" is stupid. End of story.

The public will automatically assume you've got something to hide. If you can't legitimately discuss an issue with reporters, tell them why you can't comment. Don't shut them out.

Then tell them when you will be able to talk, what you are doing about the situation in the meantime, and make a promise to get back to them when you have some answers. Then do it. Otherwise, reporters and their viewers, listeners and readers will listen to your "No comment" and think: "Oh! Frank Finance knows the answers, he just won't tell us.

"Or maybe Frank is out of the loop - he doesn't know important stuff he should? Or maybe he's covering up for something he should know but doesn't."

Openness. Transparency. Dialogue.

Three words you, as an executive, can embrace and profit from if you play your cards right with the news media.

And if you do, you're unlikely to find yourself the target of the media joke that asks, "How do you know you're having a bad day at the office? When you turn up for work and there's a crew from 60 Miuntes waiting for you!"

- Auckland Today

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