Problem Unhappy
encounters
with
media
Why are they appear when
you dont
want them
and
disappear when you need them most?
Why is there such a huge
gap?
My answers are
1. Media logic Vs. your organization logic
2. Your priority is not their priority
3. Their focus may not be your focus
1. What is media logic ?
key elements
A. Their mission
"The construction of journalistic
ideology starts from the premise
that on the one side of society
there are the powerful
(establishment), while on the
other side we find the common
people. In between there are
journalists, located in the region
between those in power and the
people. The journalists job is to
serve the people and challenge
the powerful (establishment)."
(Petersson & Carlberg 1990)
Point 1 : Reporters come to
occasion with a mission/purpose.
They are not academic observers
or bystanders
Point 1
Reporters come to
occasion with a
mission/purpose.
They are not
academic observers
or bystanders
B. Their roles
Serious journalists regard
themselves as the
guardian of the public
good, so they watch out
for malpractice,
corruption, waste of
public resources.
They are therefore biased
in the sense that they
love negative stories
Also, they dislike hiding
of facts and indeed hate
lies. If discovered, the
person who lies will come
under severe criticism
Point 2
serious journalists are
bound to be critical,
sometimes cynical. So
when you are being
questioned by a young
reporter, dont feel despair.
There is nothing personal
about the critical questions.
C. Their way of thinking
Definition of news
"When a dog bites a man,
that is not news, because it
happens too often. But if a
man bites a dog, that is
news."
The phrase was coined by Alfred
Harmsworth, a British
newspaper magnate, but is also
attributed to New York Sun
editor John B. Bogart (1848
1921)
Of course there is an exception
during the outbreak of
rabies, we would take dog
biting a person as a major
news item because it would
spread the disease and
therefore of major public
concern.
Point 3
Journalists love
extremities. A way to
draw their attention is
to uncover novelties for
them.
D. (know) Their limitations
on their return to the
newsroom, journalists have
to compete for time slot or
space in tomorrow
newspaper
As an Editor, we choose
headline stories according
to the 2-I approach.
Importance -- how
important is this story to
the society
Interesting -- how
interesting it would be to
the readers.
Point 4 : help the
journalists to identify
the 2-I in your
story would in return
help yourself to have
the intended exposure.
Summing Up: Think like
them
Water can carry boats but it can sink them as well.
Media are the same, they can help you as much as
they can destroy your reputation.
1st Lesson
You need the messenger
Reporters may be very aggressive in the way they ask
questions and could be a strong critic of you as well and they
may be very partisan
BUT
You still need them to convey the message as most people still
rely on the media to get information
Rememberwhile
reporters knocking at
your door
1. Dont got scared of the presence of a strong team of reporters
at your doorsteps. You need them to convey the message.
2. It is the duty of a reporter to be critical/ask difficult questions
3. Get the facts first before you talk to the media. Dont repeat
Professor Tsuis (ViceChancellor of HKU) mistake he did not
even know of the pushing of the student into the stairwell when
he spoke to the press.
4. Face the press with honesty.
(Henry Tangs attempt to hide his illegal basement is good
example of the need to be honest).
It takes years to build credibility but it requires only a word to
destroy it!
2nd Lesson
2. Insiders cause most damage
The game with the press is not just an external affair.
More often than not, this is an extension of some in
house fighting.
The source of a lot of very damaging information is
usually coming from unhappy insiders. They are just
using the press to continue the inhouse fighting.
This is very typical for big institutions !
3rd Lesson
3. Most Crises are results of some
internal/personal failures
In the form of lack of coordination. This is
very common in big bureaucracy.
Key duties are delegated to inexperienced or
incompetent personnel.
Inadequate resources for a big job
Dos and Donts
of
Media Handling
Dos ..
1. Gather the salient facts as much as you can: what have
happened who has done what.
2. Decide your action [Link] issue a statement or to
hold a press conference..
3. Before you meet the press, remember the messages you
want to send
4. Anticipate questions from the press and rehearse well
before meeting them
5. Arrange a good setting to face the press
6. Keep your statement clear and concise
7. Repeat your messages no matter what you are asked.
Donts .
1. Keep silence as it implies you have
something to hide and giving up the rights to
reply.
2. Dont hide or try to cover camera
3. Dont issue statement late at night
4. Dont try to give long and conditional
statement
