Now that you’re familiar with the media landscape and know the basics of building a communications plan, it’s time to get your message out there. This chapter maps out how to cultivate relationships with media professionals, make your story more newsworthy and pitch your ideas to reporters.

ESTABLISHING CREDIBILITY WITH REPORTERS

Personal contact between journalists and LGBT organizations plays a crucial role in effective media relations. Many mainstream press outlets do not have full-time staff members that specialize in LGBT issues, so LGBT organizations play an important role in supplying news, background information and quotes. Organizations and journalists both benefit from this kind of arrangement, but you have to establish your credibility first.

In order to establish credibility:

• Offer yourself as a resource

• Provide useful pitches

• Supply accurate and thorough background information

• Refer journalists to other organizations and spokespeople when you’re not the right contact – it shows you’re not talking to them just because you want to get on TV

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REPORTERS AND LGBT CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Once reporters feel comfortable with the reliability and credibility of a source or organization, they’ll seek you out for quotes and information, trust what you say and cover the work you do.

While these relationships can be mutually beneficial, the two sides often have different – and sometimes conflicting – interests. Journalists often look for controversial or sensational stories, and LGBT organizations in particular look to dispel controversy and sensationalism. LGBT advocates are often hesitant to make a statement in fear of being misquoted.

However, if you don’t participate in the media conversation about LGBT issues, you miss out on a big opportunity to reach an audience that makes decisions about LGBT issues both in their day-to-day interactions and in the voting booth. It benefits you to build professional relationships and foster goodwill.

While you’ll inevitably get some less than ideal coverage, it’s a necessary risk that you’ll need to take in order to heighten your organization’s profile and get your message out there. If you have a solid communications plan, a strong network of media contacts and carefully planned messages, you’ll minimize any potential risk.

THE BASICS OF EFFECTIVE MEDIA RELATIONSHIPS

When reaching out to the media, you want to keep several important principles in mind.

Professionalism: The relationship that you establish with a reporter is a professional one, so be sure to treat it as such.

Respect: Treat reporters as you would a new co-worker, and remember that not all reporters will be informed about LGBT issues.

Honesty: Never lie to a journalist. If you’re not sure how to answer a question or don’t have a piece of information readily available, don’t assume or guess. Say “I don’t know, but I will help you find what you need,” and then get back to them as quickly as possible.

Knowledge: Be informed. Know the subject matter that you’re discussing and the media outlet you’re speaking with before you make initial contact.

Confidence: Make sure they understand the stakes. If you can show the media outlet you’re speaking with how important the issues you’re discussing are to you and your community, they will be more likely to become engaged with your issues and use you as a resource.

Clarity: While you’re an expert on your issues, the journalist you’re speaking to may not be an expert — yet. Speak clearly and directly and don’t use jargon. While certain phrases and acronyms may be part of your everyday conversations with your colleagues, they may be unfamiliar to a journalist. If a journalist doesn’t know a concept or term, consider it an opportunity to be the first one to explain it to them.

Prudence: Assume EVERYTHING you say is on the record and can be used in a news story. Even the way you decline to answer a question conveys information to a reporter.

PITCHING

When you pitch a story to the media, you suggest an idea or angle for a story that a reporter can build upon and develop. Many LGBT rights advocates don’t realize the power they have in getting their stories heard. Reporters are constantly on the lookout for compelling stories that will engage their audience.

Timing Is Everything. Do not call them when they’re on deadline, usually after 1:00 p.m. It’s always best to call earlier in the day and earlier in the week.

Hook Their Interest. When you’re pitching a story, make it interesting and engaging to a reporter. Sometimes an organization or event will merit a feature article, but this is the exception rather than the rule. Think critically about what you’re trying to say and think of ways that you could hook a reporter who might then hook a reader—there’s a lot of news every single day, so you’ll need to make your story stand out.

Be Specific. Provide supporting facts, names and details.

Know the Issues. Have your messages ready and be prepared to demonstrate in-depth knowledge of both the main and related topics.

Be a Resource. Be ready to provide photos, background information and relevant sources.

Document Your Progress. Record what stories you pitch and to whom as a way of keeping track of reporter interests and preferences that may help when working with reporters in the future.

FRAMING

When you make a pitch, use an interesting frame or an angle to strengthen your concept. Here are some possible frames you can use:

Controversy: Call attention to the way your issues fit (or don’t fit) into a political or social conflict or scandal. Controversy sells stories. You should use this frame judiciously, as excessive controversy can lead to disinterest or backlash.

Dramatic Human Interest: Humanize an issue by telling the story of a significant personal triumph or difficult personal setback. As long as you have the consent of the subject, you can hook a reporter and readers with a heart tugging tragedy or triumph.

Trends: Connect your issue to a current opinion, attitude or pattern of behavior. Reporters naturally respond to trends, and many press outlets will try to anticipate trends. Remember the “rule of three” – as long as you can find three examples, you can back up your statement that a trend is emerging.

Timelines/Calendar: Frame your story around a holiday or notable calendar event, using your issue to bring a new angle to a story that might otherwise be a light “filler” piece. For example, you might use Mother’s Day or Father’s Day to talk about the struggles faced by LGBT people trying to adopt children.

New Announcements: Find stories that are unprecedented, groundbreaking or “first ever.” Even if you’ve known something for a while, figure out angles that you can use to sell it to reporters as something new and fresh.

Localize a State or National Story: Take a piece of national news, such as a court ruling or piece of federal legislation, and show how it impacts your community. You can also take a story of local interest and connect it to a larger cultural trend or pattern.

Anniversaries or Milestones: Look at an anniversary one year later, ten years later or twenty years later. Milestone stories track progress or setbacks and help create context. For example, you might consider pitching a story commemorating the anniversary of Stonewall or the Massachusetts Judicial Supreme Court marriage equality decision.

Profiles and Personnel: Feature spokespeople, community leaders or activists who may become news themselves because of their personal stories and experiences.

Special Event: Use unique framing techniques to talk about an event, whether it’s a conference, rally or gathering. By focusing on the preparation process or the larger political or social goals of the event you’re more likely to get coverage than if you just discuss the event itself.

Respond and React: Be proactive about your messages as a rule, but in some cases you may want to respond to claims or statements, particularly those that are inaccurate or defamatory. Counter-frame the message to change the course of the conversation so it represents your point of view.

Celebrity: Bring attention to an organization or issue by including a public figure in the story, whether it’s a cultural, religious, political or entertainment personality. Be careful not to overshadow your messages and your organization.

Strange Bedfellows: Discuss unusual alliances that may emerge from an event or piece of legislation. Stories about unlikely allies can be great for news or feature pieces.

THE CULTURE OF NEWSROOMS

The fast-paced culture of the newsroom sometimes makes it difficult for journalists to talk, but if you work within the confines of their busy schedules you’ll be able to have meetings that will have a bigger impact than a voicemail message or an email.

Start by contacting reporters who have covered LGBT issues in the past. If you are working alongside another LGBT advocate, you may want to involve that person in the discussion as well. Once you’ve established a relationship with a reporter, she or he will be more receptive to your inquiries and also more likely to pitch your story to an editor. You will also have a better shot at arranging a meeting with the Editorial Page editor and other people in the newsroom.

For instance, one glaad staff member had success going to the newsroom and asking to be introduced to different editors and reporters. By visiting the newsroom, he had opportunities to meet several different reporters, which gave him the chance to make a number of contacts at one time. If he had tried to build the same relationships over the phone, the process would have been much more drawn out. When you’re arranging these in-office meetings, ask who will be in the office in advance.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

Once you know how you want to frame your story, you make the actual pitch. Here are some things to keep in mind when pitching to a reporter:

Offer Reporters What They Need: Reporters need a good story, and you’re in a position to give it to them. Much of the success of the pitch depends on your confidence level, while the rest will follow with your message and how you frame the issue.

Keep It Brief: Reporters do not have time for long calls. You will only have a few minutes to get their attention and capture their interest—make sure your pitch contains the who, what, where, when and why. Do not call simply to ask if they received your media advisory. Pitch the story, reference the advisory of release and offer to send it again if they haven’t seen it.

Begin with Reporters You Know: Target specific reporters with whom you have relationships. If they have done a piece on your issue or a similar subject, reference their prior work. At the very least, target reporters in the relevant section of the paper. If you must make a cold call, ask the general assignment editor or producer whom you should contact.

Pitch What Is Newsworthy: Reporters need to like your story, but they also need to sell it to their editors. Remember to pitch a story that is exciting and engaging—see the previous section for some strategies on how to find a creative angle on a story.

Be Ready with Backup: Make sure you know the key points that you want to convey to the reporter and that you also have an in-depth understanding of related information and supporting details. Have supporting facts, names, details and resources readily available.
Express enthusiasm: If you are not excited about the story yourself, the reporter won’t be either. Don’t go overboard with your enthusiasm —give reporters the necessary information, offer to provide more and then get off the phone.

Be Timely, Not Obnoxious: If you sense that a reporter is busy, offer to call back later. Acknowledge their situation: “Listen, I know you’re very busy. Do you have a moment now, or should I call you back later?”

Close the Deal: Ask reporters whether they are interested in your event and would like an invite. Most reporters will not immediately commit over the phone, so don’t be afraid to follow up to secure a confirmation.

Have Back-Up Pitch Angles: If it becomes clear that a reporter is not interested in your initial pitch, consider a different angle. Perhaps the reporter cannot attend an event but would be interested in interviewing a speaker at another time. A reporter might respond better to the local human-interest angle than the national policy angle, for example.

DEADLINES, DEADLINES, DEADLINES

All media professionals, whether they work for print publications or television, work under strict deadlines. It’s a good general rule to simply ask a reporter, “Are you on deadline?” when you call them to pitch a story. If they are, find out when they’ll be available to talk and contact them then. Reporters will be more likely to help you if they feel that you respect and understand the way they work.

Tips about deadlines:

• SEND OUT A MEDIA RELEASE:

• Print: if possible, send several days before your event; at the latest, between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. the day the news is scheduled to break

• Electronic press: two to three days prior; send a media release the day before

• Most news organizations can schedule a reporter or a news crew right away, but some will wait until the last minute

• The day of the event, make an early morning call to verify receipt of material

• If your media release or press kit is not accessible, fax, email or messenger another copy as soon as possible