Media Relations Training

Media Relations Training:
Communicating your
Campaign
APIAVote / APALA / One Nevada

October 15, 2008
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Overview
• Communicating your Campaign
• Defining your Goals & Identifying your
Audiences
• Understanding your Media
• Tools to Start & Continue
Communicating with your Media
• Publicizing an Event
• Nevada Specific Messaging
•Debrief + Q&A
About APIAVote
• Work towards full engagement of AAPI
communities in civic and electoral processes
• We believe communities can best help

themselves.
• Centered around field, communications, and

training
• 2008 election efforts: voter mobilization in 14

states.
Why should you
communicate your
campaign?
• Amplifies Your Message (s)
– media exposure can further amplify the
message you want to disseminate to your
audiences
• Assists Your Field Efforts

– media exposure can extend your outreach &
complement your field efforts
• Strengthens your Community’s Presence

– Casts a wider net and informs other audiences
about your community’s importance and work
Define your campaign
goals
& identify your
audience(s)
• Campaign goals?
• How can your campaign use
communications to help accomplish your
goals?
• Target audiences?
• Message(s) to reach audience(s)?
• Organizational capacity to do media
outreach?
Making your
message relevant:
the second line
• A profile on an active community member
• Fundraising events & projects to mobilize voters
• Personal narratives of people, and how they
became involved and engaged
• The launch of a campaign targeting a community
not traditionally engaged
• Announcement of coalitions or sponsorships
• Relevant data or statistics
Understanding your
Media
• Ethnic versus Mainstream
• Types of Media
• Pop Quiz
• Categories of Media “hits”
Ethnic versus
Mainstream Media
Different audiences = Different uses, messages, &
strategies
• Ethnic Media
– Ethnic Media is more targeted
– More easily accessed
– Audience, of course, more interested in AAPI issues
– In-language media reaches audience with limited English proficiency
• Mainstream Media
– Wider audience (s)
– Might be more difficult to access
– Audience may not know much about AAPI community or issues
Think about the different audiences and the messages with which
you want to reach them, and plan your ethnic and mainstream
Types of Media
Different types of media require
different approaches and different timelines.
Media Characteristics Deadlines
Televisio * Good for reporting stories •The day before your
n that visually show the event
importance of your message. •10am for the evening
•Stories are brief (30-60 news for last-minute
seconds) events or
• Can reach large audiences announcements
•3-8 weeks for public
Radio * Ranges from 10-15 second Allow several days
announcements
sound bites to sometimes notice for public
longer interviews events that need
outside coverage.
• The same day is
usually fine for studio-
based news items.
Types of Media
Different types of media require
different approaches and different timelines.
Media Characteristics Deadlines
Newspape •More in-depth treatment of • By 2-3pm of the

r subject day before for a daily
•Reporters may use direct newspaper.
quotes from press releases & • Three to five days
statements, or interview before the
spokespeople directly newspaper comes
Magazine •Targets specific audiences of out forto
• Two a weekly
eight weeks
the public paper.
before the magazine
•Will enable you to explain is printed, depending
complex voting issues in-depth on whether the
magazine is
published weekly or
monthly.
* Social Networking
Pop Quiz!
Choose the most appropriate media type to

approach for each of these below:
• New stats on the # voters you have registered

• A group of voters voting at an early voting site,
after a quick rally
• A profile on a very important community leader
who has been pivotal to your campaign
• An appeal to political parties to be more inclusive
of AAPIs in their outreach
• An appeal for high school and college students to
get involved
Two Categories
of Media “hits”
Earned Media Paid media
Press Conferences TV Advertisements
Press Releases Radio Announcements
Letters to the Editor & Op-Ed Newspaper Advertisements

Pieces
Radio/TV Appearances Magazine Advertisements
Interviews
Depending on your organizational capacity (human resources and

funding), you can do one or the either.
Usually though, it is strategic to do a combination of the two. For example,

when a campaign is launched, you should try to do interviews and do an
announcement or advertisement in tandem.
Tip!
Paid media can be
earned media too.
Ask your media outlet if

they would be willing to
make an in-kind
contribution to your
cause by donating ad
space or air time!
Tools to
Communicate with
your Media
• Media List
• Talking Points
• Surrogates
• Media Advisory & Press Releases
• Online/Social Networking
Compiling Media Lists
&
Establishing
Relationships
• Compile a list of all the relevant ethnic &
mainstream media outlets.
• Include at least one contact person for each

outlet, with this person’s email, landline, and cell.
• Include more than one person for large media

outlets, especially those with busy newsrooms.
• Email them to introduce yourself and your

organization/campaign, follow up with a phone
call, and make yourself available as a resource.
Talking Points
• Talking Points are useful so that everyone in your
campaign STAYS ON MESSAGE.
• Should be given to campaign surrogates to know.
• Should be incorporated when people do

interviews, in quotes in press releases, etc.
Campaign
Surrogates
• Should be willing to be high-profile and very
visible.
• Should be able to articulate the goals and the

messages of the campaign publicly.
• Should be willing and able to interact with the

media as well as other communities’ leaders &
representatives.
Pitching &
Interviewing Tips
• Pitching your message
– Short but sweet is KEY!
• Being interviewed
– Short and succinct very key!
– Stick to the talking points
– No rambling!
Media Advisories
& Press Releases
• The ‘lead’ paragraph should answer these
questions in one or two sentences
• WHO is involved?
• WHAT happened?
• WHEN did it happen?
• WHERE did it happen?
• WHY or HOW did it happen?
• Second and third paragraphs should

include a relevant quote reporters can use.
• The rest of the release can provide more
detail on what you have achieved and
hope to achieve.
Online Tools
• Blogs & Social Networking Sites
• Generally have a younger audience
• Can increase your online network &
presence
Publicizing your
Event
– 2-3 Weeks Before Your Event
• Write an op-ed, pick a good location, contact
reporters, call calendar reporters
– The Day Before the Event
• Send a media advisory, and call & remind reporters
about the event
– The Day Of The Event
• Set up a sign-in table, have spokesperson greet
media, and take photos
– After The Event
• Send out a news release, write a follow-up article,
and release these with photos.
Ideas for One Nevada
Campaign: 20 days to
Election Day
• Campaign Goals?
• Messages: early voting, GOTV, post-
election
• Momentum
• Activities
Debrief + Q&A
• What did you learn, or what would be
useful for the future?
• What are your communications goals?
• What resources do you have & do you

need to continue your campaign from this
day on?
• Who will be designated surrogates who

can pitch stories & be interviewed?

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Media Relations Training:

APIAVote / APALA / One Nevada

• We believe communities can best help

• Centered around field, communications, and

• 2008 election efforts: voter mobilization in 14

• Assists Your Field Efforts

• Strengthens your Community’s Presence

Media Characteristics Deadlines

Newspape •More in-depth treatment of • By 2-3pm of the

Choose the most appropriate media type to

• New stats on the # voters you have registered

Press Conferences TV Advertisements

Press Releases Radio Announcements

Letters to the Editor & Op-Ed Newspaper Advertisements

Depending on your organizational capacity (human resources and

Usually though, it is strategic to do a combination of the two. For example,

Ask your media outlet if

• Include at least one contact person for each

• Include more than one person for large media

• Email them to introduce yourself and your

• Should be given to campaign surrogates to know.

• Should be incorporated when people do

• Should be able to articulate the goals and the

• Should be willing and able to interact with the

• Second and third paragraphs should

• What are your communications goals?

• What resources do you have & do you

• Who will be designated surrogates who

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