HUMPTY DUMPTY AND MEDIA RELATIONS
By Terence Fane-Saunders
Chairman and Chief Executive, Chelgate Ltd

"When I use a word", Humpty Dumpty said in a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean - neither more nor less".
- Lewis Carroll - Through The Looking Glass

When some people say public affairs, they mean public relations. When others say public relations, they mean media relations. And others, again, will talk about media relations when they mean media information.

But there's a real difference between media relations and media information.

Media information is a transactional process. You provide the information. The media receive it. End of transaction.

When an overworked, hard-pressed journalist receives a news release, his response to it will be based on two factors - the inherent and the external. The inherent qualities will be entirely provided by the news release itself. The external factor relates to that journalist's existing knowledge of the company, the circumstances, the people and the background.

Similarly, when he or she conducts an interview, phones for comment or attends a press conference, the external factor will shape their response to the information they receive. If they feel positive about that person and/or the organisation concerned, that will colour their reaction. And the opposite will equally apply.

So good media relations professionals take care to build key media relationships well beyond the transactional provision of news and information. They ensure that key journalists are familiar with the firm and its management, that they understand its objectives and appreciate its values and standards. And this means personal contact.

Of course, there's a balance to be struck. A busy journalist may not appreciate being hauled across town to make small-talk. He has a job to do and stories to write.

But journalists also value reliable, authoritative sources. They appreciate the need to build their own network. So, at Chelgate we make a point of setting up regular meetings for our clients with their relevant media - even when they don't have news to offer. But it's vital that the journalist understands the purpose of the meeting. If there's no hard news, not even any quotable comment, we make that clear in advance. And we make sure that the journalist in question knows just what they can expect to gain from the contact. That's good media relations.

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