NGO Media Outreach: Using the Media as an Advocacy Tool - AMICC

o A brief organizational description ( a mini-mission statement at the end of
the document)
Press Release Tips
� Timing is everything. Press releases should coincide with the media
outlets schedule. Releases should be sent so that they arrive before a
paper or station’s daily editorial meeting
� Pitch the story. Make use of your media contacts by calling a handful of
the most important journalists to let them know about the press release
and answer any questions they might have.
� Be selective: The real secret to press releases is using them selectively.
If they are sent too often, news organizations may pay less attention.
� If there is not enough information to merit composing a complete press release,
tools such as a media advisory or press statement can be used. A media advisory can
be used to announce a press briefing, or lists experts available for interview on a
breaking news topic. A press statement is simply a statement from the executive
director or other key organizational spokesperson issued on organizational letterhead.
� Additional tools such as fact sheets, time-lines, charts, graphs or other background
information is also useful.
B. The Interview
• An interview is a Question-and-Answer session between a journalist and a
source. Journalists use interviews to gather information and to hear different
points of view. Media interviews provide an opportunity to convey an
organizational message, share information and respond to current events
Preparing for a Media Interview
Research: Who will be the interviewer? What is the topic of the interview? Where will
it take place? When will the story be used? How long will the interview be? What kind
of stories the interviewer has done in the past?
Prepare: What core message do you want to convey through the interview? Write down
two or three ways you can express that core message. What new relevant information
can you put forward? Think about statistics or other examples to support your core
message.
Practice: Prepare ten tough questions. Be ready to answer questions that may be
difficult or uncomfortable for you or your organization. Practice what you want to say
and how you want to say it. Have a colleague or friend stage a mock interview.
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