NCSL NEWS Media School Media 101 The Media

NCSL NEWS Media School Media 101 – The Media: Who They Are & What They Do Media 222 – Legislative-Media Relations Media 363 – Media Tactics and Terminology Media 484 – Interview Techniques & Delivering Messages

What Makes News F Winners and losers F Heroes and villains F Criticism, controversy, #1 conflict F Trend or change F New, unusual or different NCSL NEWS Media School

Reporters u Reporters • are people, too. With a few exceptions, reporters are decent, ethical professionals with a job to do. u Reporters • #2 aren’t out to “get” you. Usually. Pre-conceived agendas exist, but can be changed. u Most reporters are fair, careful and thorough. • Understanding how a reporter works NCSL NEWS Media School reduces your chances of being misquoted.

Reporters #3 Daily Challenges to a Journalist Deadlines Write stories that have to be approved by an editor Can only report what people tell them Subject of endless ‘sales pitches’ Don’t write headlines or decide programming NCSL NEWS Media School

Volunteers needed to help torture survivors Lincoln, Nebraska, Journal Star Governor Signs Open Records Law With Teeth Kansas Publisher Legislators Say Fix School Funding During Breakfast Cincinnati Enquirer White House, Mc. Cain agree on Torture Green Valley News and Sun Base Closings Get Bush’s OK; Congress Next The Indianapolis Star Judges Appear More Lenient on Crack Cocaine The Wall Street Journal Police Told By Mayor to Stop Looting The Patriot News (Harrisburg, PA) NCSL NEWS Media School

The Media: Newspapers USA Today 2, 296, 335 The Wall Street Journal 2, 083, 660 The New York Times 1, 126, 190 Los Angeles Times The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Houston Chronicle Atlanta Journal-Constitution 843, 432 678, 779 586, 122 521, 419 362, 426 Cleveland Plain-Dealer Oregonian 339, 055 333, 515 NCSL NEWS Media School

The Media: Television 60 Minutes NBC Nightly News ABC World News Tonight NBC Dateline CBS Evening News O’Reilly Factor Larry King Live Daily Show with Jon Stewart CNN Prime Time Hardball 15, 600, 000 9, 800, 000 8, 500, 000 8, 300, 000 7, 400, 000 2, 500, 000 1, 288, 000 1, 200, 000 879, 000 502, 000 NCSL NEWS Media School

U. S. Top 10 Web Sites by Brand November 2005 Nielsen/Net. Ratings Brand Yahoo Unique Audience (in millions) Time Person (hh: mm: ss) 103, 882 3: 21: 39 Microsoft 96, 130 0: 43: 30 MSN 91, 348 1: 46: 22 Google 85, 526 0: 55: 04 AOL 74, 321 6: 13: 39 e. Bay 56, 332 1: 59: 48 Amazon 42, 496 0: 27: 17 Map. Quest 35, 076 0: 40: 07 Real 34, 355 0: 40: 07 Apple 30, 845 0: 47: 20

NCSL NEWS Media School Media 101 – The Media: Who They Are & What They Do Media 222 – Legislative-Media Relations Media 363 – Media Tactics and Terminology Media 484 – Interview Techniques & Delivering Messages

The Numbers Full-time Capitol reporters: 513 #4 Media to legislator ratio: 1 in 14 Media to legislative staff ratio: 1 in 58 Reporters covering Super Bowl: 3, 000+ Media to player ratio: 35 to 1! NCSL NEWS Media School

The Public u What the Public is Saying #5 • Make it easy for us to get information: we are too busy to find out on our own • Talk to us in a language we can understand • What we know about the state legislature, we get from the media NCSL NEWS Media School

The Public u What the Public is Saying • We never hear from our state officials • Isn’t Congress more important? • Acceptance that Americans don’t know enough and don’t appreciate their form of government NCSL NEWS Media School

Trust Nurses Druggists, Pharmacists Veterinarians Medical doctors High school teachers Dentists Engineers Clergy College teachers Policeman Day care providers Accountants Bankers 84 73 71 69 64 62 61 58 58 54 49 39 37 Journalists Local officeholders State officeholders TV reporters State Governors Newspaper reporters Business executives Lawyers Senators Congressmen Insurance salesmen HMO Managers Advertising practitioners Car salesmen Gallup Poll, Honesty and Ethics Poll, December 2006, 2004 26 26 24 23 22 21 18 18 15 14 13 12 11 07 NCSL NEWS Media School

U. S. Trust in Institutions “How much do you TRUST each institution to do what is right? ” Edelman Trust Barometer, 2007

U. S. Trust in Institutions What type of media do you turn to first for trustworthy information/news? #6 Edelman Trust Barometer, 2004 Survey of 400 U. S. opinion leaders, 35 -64 years old, household income of $75 K-plus

U. S. Trust in Institutions What type of media do you turn to first for trustworthy information/news? Edelman Trust Barometer, 2004 (blue) and 2005 (red) Survey of 400 U. S. opinion leaders, 35 -64 years old, household income of $75 K-plus

Legislator/Media Survey Results Generally, state legislators are honest when responding to media inquiries. Reporters Disagree Strongly Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Media Survey Results State legislators generally understand what qualifies as a news story. Disagree Strongly Reporters Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Media Survey Results State legislators, overall, are committed to public service, not personal interests. Disagree Strongly Reporters Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Media Survey Results All aspects of a legislator’s private life, including business relationships, personal history and moral character, are legitimate topics for media coverage. Reporters Disagree Strongly Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Media Survey Results Generally, state legislators are ethical people. Disagree Strongly Reporters Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Media Survey Results Generally, reporters are ethical people. Disagree Strongly Reporters Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Media Survey Results Generally, the media in my state adequately provides citizens with the information they need to know concerning the policy decisions made by the state legislature. Disagree Strongly Reporters Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Media Survey Results Most news articles are neutral, unbiased accounts. Reporters Disagree Strongly Agree Strongly Legislators NCSL NEWS Media School

Legislator/Reporter Survey Results Please rank the following as to where you get/believe reporters get story ideas. Reporters: Legislators 1. Conversation/Introspection 1. News tips from inside the legislature 2. News tips from inside the legislature 3. News tips from outside the legislature 4. Press releases/press conferences. #7 2. Press releases/press conferences. 3. Conversation/Introspection 4. Editor Assignments 5. News tips from outside the legislature 6. Other News Outlets NCSL NEWS Media School

NCSL NEWS Media School Media 101 – The Media: Who They Are & What They Do Media 222 – Legislative-Media Relations Media 363 – Media Tactics and Terminology Media 484 – Interview Techniques & Delivering Messages

Media Tactics u The “A or B” Dilemma • “Is it that the legislature just doesn’t care about this issue or is it just that the lobbyists have too much power? u The Irrelevant Questioner (Goin’ fishin’) • Series of obvious questions • Going back to a certain question again and again u The Absent Party Ploy • “The Speaker told me that if the state adopts this kind of bill, it will regret it later. Do you agree with his assessment? ” NCSL NEWS Media School

Media Tactics u The Loaded Preface • “Given the fact that the industry and the general public is overwhelmingly against the committee’s position on this, why do you keep trying? ” u Machine Gun Questioning • Interruptions, foot tapping, jittery eye movement, snowballing interview speed u The “Golden Pause” • Uncomfortable silence -- who will break first? NCSL NEWS Media School

Interviewee’s Bill of Rights You Have the Right to: üKnow the topic üKnow the format #8 #9 #10 #11 üBuy time üHave time to answer the question üCorrect misstatements üUse notes üRecord the interview NCSL NEWS Media School

Interviewee’s Bill of Rights You Do Not Have the Right to: üKnow the questions in advance üSee the story in advance üChange your quotes üEdit the story üExpect your view be the only view üDemand article be published NCSL NEWS Media School

A Reporter’s Lexicon u u #12 Off the record: Material may not be published or broadcast. Period. Not for attribution: Information may be published, but without revealing identity of the source. Background: Usually means not for attribution. Confirm with reporter. Deep background: Usually means off the record. Make sure it does. NCSL NEWS Media School

A Reporter’s Lexicon u u #12 Off the record: Material may not be published or broadcast. Period. Not for attribution: Information may be published, but without revealing identity of the source. Background: Usually means not for attribution. Confirm with reporter. Deep background: Usually means off the record. Make sure it does. NCSL NEWS Media School

NCSL NEWS Media School Media 101 – The Media: Who They Are & What They Do Media 222 – Legislative-Media Relations Media 363 – Media Tactics and Terminology Media 484 – Interview Techniques & Delivering Messages

Interview Tips u Buy preparation time if possible u Establish an “interview setting” • Clear your desk • Close the door u Use notes u Keep message points in front of you u Talk Slowly! (for more accurate quotes) NCSL NEWS Media School

When a Reporter Calls u u u #13 Get reporter’s name, affiliation #14 Ask: “What story are you working on? ” Ask: “What’s your deadline? ” Promise to get back before (not on) deadline If TV or radio, determine location, format, live or taped NCSL NEWS Media School

Preparing for an Interview u u u List key messages Anticipate questions (what negative questions can be asked? ) Prepare responses Know reporter, publication or program, interview format Background reporter, producer NCSL NEWS Media School

Know Your Agenda “I am now ready to give the answers I have prepared for your questions” Charles De. Gaulle “Do you have any questions for my answers? ” Henry Kissinger

Know Your Agenda u u u Determine your audience and what you would like to tell them Develop messages -- two or three things you intend to say whatever the questions It’s a presentation, not a conversation!! NCSL NEWS Media School

Rule of Silence Never say anything to a journalist you don’t want to read in the newspaper, see on television or hear on the radio.

Anticipate the Worst The toughest question will be asked. “if you dread it, you’ll get it. ”

A = Q + Key Message Point NCSL NEWS Media School

Blocking and Bridging u Don’t ignore or evade the question u Address the topic of question u u #15 Asked about a problem, talk about a solution Never say “no comment, ” but explain why you can’t NCSL NEWS Media School

Blocking and Bridging: u "I think what you're really asking is. . . " u "That speaks to a bigger point…” u “Let me put that in perspective…” u “What’s important to remember, however…” u “The real issue here is…” u “I don’t know about that. . . But what I do know is…” u “What you’re asking is…” u “Just the opposite is true…” NCSL NEWS u “That’s false…” Media School

Headlining: Some Examples u u “The most important thing to remember is. . . ” “The real issue is. . . ” “I’ve talked about a lot of things. It boils down to these three things… “Let me make one thing perfectly clear” NCSL NEWS Media School

Today’s Headlines “It’s a presentation, not a conversation. ” u u Better understanding of how journalists work makes you a better source/interview Understanding how the public receives its information makes you a better communicator u Know your media rights and non-rights u Know your message and how to deliver it NCSL NEWS Media School

NCSL NEWS Media School Gene Rose NCSL Communications Director 303 -364 -7700 gene. rose@ncsl. org