Book Description
Exploring how to effectively communicate with the media, this book offers readers a practical and concise guide to all aspects of media relations while examining the media's pervasive presence and influence on business. This First Edition covers a plethora of topics including how to establish ongoing relationships with reporters, managing media relations during a crisis, preparing for interviews and identifying important media contacts, and how to differentiate between financial media and mainstream media. For professionals with a career in corporate communications, public relations, media and business relations, management communications, crisis management, and integrated marketing communications.

From the Back Cover
This concise, practical book is written for you if you want to work effectively with the media. You will learn how to... Understand what drives the media today Manage media relations during a crisis Identify important media contacts and establish ongoing relationships with reporters Prepare for media interviews Write press releases and plan press conferences Communicate with the financial media Get to know reporters so you can engage their interest in your story Enhance your corporate reputation Like all books in the Prentice Hall Series in Advanced Business Communication, this book is... Brief: summarizes key ideas only Practical: offers clear, straightforward tools you can use Reader-friendly: provides an easy-to-skim format

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
HOW THIS BOOK CAN HELP YOU This book is a practical guide to media relations. If you need to know how to work with and communicate effectively with the media, this book can help you to: Identify important media contacts Establish ongoing relationships with reporters Prepare for media interviews Write press releases and plan press conferences Create a press list Communicate with the financial media Manage media relations during a crisis If you also are interested in a more general discussion about the relationship between business and the media, this book can help you to: Understand the nature of today's media Assess how market forces affect media coverage Understand how reporters conceive stories Differentiate between financial media and mainstream media Analyze the nature of media coverage in a crisis Review a range of strategies for responding to crises WHO CAN USE THIS BOOK This book was written for you if you work in a business or not-for-profit organization and want (1) to understand what motivates reporters and how to convey your organization's messages to them, (2) to learn more about the media's pervasive presence in and influence on business, (3) to learn about the techniques of effective media communication, and/or (4) to take charge of media relationships and better assess the dynamics of media interaction. Specifically, this book is written for . . . Anyone who may be involved in a business crisis: The book dissects crisis communication and details a set of strategic responses to crises. Those who are new to media relations: The book provides an overview of the primary channels you can use to reach the media and offers insights into reporters' methods. Those already in the field: The book presents additional ways to sell your stories to the media and engage reporters' interest. General managers of companies and principals of start-ups: The book details how you can improve your programs to communicate with the financial press. Executives who oversee their companies' communication functions: The book offers insights about maintaining corporate and business reputations—the fundamental reason for effective media strategy. MBA students who want to learn about the media: The book will help future managers who may find themselves interacting with the media. WHY THIS BOOK WAS WRITTEN Over the course of 20 years, the many professionals and students we have encountered—either while consulting to organizations, teaching at New York University's Stern School of Business, or working with clients as a Managing Director for Burson-Marsteller, one of the world's largest public relations firms—have told us of the need for a concise summary of media relations. These busy professionals have found other books on this subject either too long or too simplistic for their needs. That's why Prentice Hall is publishing the Prentice Hall Series in Advanced Business Communication—brief, practical, reader-friendly guides for those who communicate in professional contexts. (See the inside front cover for more information on the series.) Brief: This book summarizes key ideas only. Culling from thousands of pages of text and research, we have omitted bulky examples, cases, footnotes, exercises, and discussion questions. Practical: This book offers clear, straightforward tools you can use. It includes only information that you will find useful in a professional context. Reader friendly: We have tried to provide an easy-to-skim format using a direct, matter-of-fact, nontheoretical tone. HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED This book is divided into five chapters: Chapter I: Setting Your Media Strategy explains what drives the media today, and defines your primary channels (such as press releases, interviews, etc.) to communicating with them. Chapter II: Developing Proactive Media Relations explains how to (1) develop a newsworthy message, (2) get to know reporters and attract their interest in your story, (3) use media channels effectively, and (4) engage public relations agencies. Chapter III: Responding to Media Calls explains how to prepare for and effectively execute media interviews—when the media comes to you. Chapter IV: Dealing with Financial Media Relations explains how to (1) issue financial news such as quarterly earnings and executive changes, and (2) communicate your messages about transformational events such as mergers and acquisitions or restructurings. Chapter V: Handling the Media in a Crisis (1) explains why the media covers corporate crises, (2) provides strategies a company can use to handle the media during crises, and (3) offers tactical advice for dealing with reporters during crises.

FROM THE PUBLISHER