On Deadline: Managing Media Relations (4th Edition)
By Carole M. Howard and Wilma K. Mathews
Waveland Press, Long Grove, IL, 2006
Paperback, 255 pages, $24.95
Reviewed by David M. Freedman

If you could read only one book about media relations, this would be it. It's comprehensive, well-organized, and clear. It gives you general principles and specific examples to support them. The book is written mainly for public relations staffs of large organizations that market to consumers, though it's quite useful for people who work in PR agencies, and solo practitioners as well. The authors rely heavily on their own deep and varied experience in the fields of journalism, corporate public relations, agency PR, and academic work. But they also present the viewpoints of many other professionals in those fields, including sidebars reprinted from other sources.

The new edition covers such trends as "infotainment journalism," blogs, budget cuts for primary reportage and news gathering, and of course increasing reliance on the Internet as a source of news.

I found the second chapter, "Getting Started," to be one of the most valuable (see complete table of contents below). It gives good advice on setting up a corporate media relations program, whether you're an employee or outside agency.

One fact that few executives or organization leaders seem to appreciate is that your role is to make a reporter's job easy, to help that reporter meet his or her objectives and, at the same time, to help your organization meet its objectives. This tightrope-walking exercise means that when you speak to a reporter you are representing the organization; when you speak to the people in [the] organization you are representing the reporter. You do not need a split personality to achieve the balance, but you do need a sound understanding of everyone's goals and objectives.

The advice on introducing yourself to reporters, editors, and program directors is excellent. Chapter Three gives several views on what is newsworthy, good definitions of hard vs. soft news, ideas for building lists of story ideas, and creating your own customized media directory.

Each and every chapter is valuable, covering fundamentals as well as discussing subtleties of the profession. The short chapter on ethics is refreshingly realistic and not preachy.

Carole M. Howard retired as vice president of public relations and communications policy at The Reader's Digest Association. A former reporter, she also worked for AT&T for 18 years in various public relations and marketing positions. E-mail tailwinds1@aol.com.

Wilma K. Mathews has 35 years in international and domestic public relations management. She is director of public relations for Arizona State University, while also consulting and providing media training. She was formerly president of Phoenix-based Communicatons Consulting & Training. Mathews also worked for AT&T for 15 years in various public relations and media relations positions. E-mail wkm23@asu.edu.
 

• News releases for print media

• News releases for broadcast media

• News releases for electronic media

• Editorial board visits

• Pitches

• Subject-matter experts (SMEs)

• White papers

• Public service announcements

• Interviews

• Op-ed pieces

• Talk shows

• Letters to the editor

• News conferences

• Satellite media tours

• Backgrounders, briefings, and seminars

• News features

• Stand-alone photographs

• Stand-by statements, Q&As, FAQs

Posted Oct. 10, 2006

© 2006-2008 David M. Freedman
Chicago
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