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MEDIA > WORKING WITH THE MEDIA
Organizing a Media Conference
Press Conferences
By the Center for Reproductive Law Policy
A press conference is an event your organization puts together with speakers
to announce something important to your organization or your cause that
should be in the news either that day or the next day.
Purpose
Press conferences give all the media outlets interested in your story
a chance to hear the information and talk to your important people at
one time. They are only used for big events or announcements. Usually
a reporter likes to be the only one writing about something, so only use
the press conference for important and big news. These conferences can
also be expensive; use them wisely.
Holding a Press Conference
• First decide what you want to announce or say, where you will
have the press conference, and the day and time it will happen.
- Make sure the date is not a major holiday or other news event, or
no one will come.
- Also pick the conference time to fit into a reporter's schedule of
gathering information for the stories s/he will write that day. Usually
the best time for this event is Monday-Thursday, between 10 a.m., no
later than 2 p.m.
- Pick a location for the event that is easy for everyone to get to.
It would be nice if the location meant something to the story —
like at a clinic or in front of a hospital, but only if it is easy to
get to.
• Send a press advisory to all media outlets to be received 2-3
days before the event. The advisory tells them that the press conference
will happen, that your organization is running it, where and when and
what day it will be, who will be there from your organization, and a little
bit of what the conference will be announcing.
• Call the reporters you think will be interested at least the day
before the conference to see if they are interested and answer any questions
they might have — without giving them enough information to do the
story before the conference. That way, if they are interested, they'll
have to come.
• Pick someone who will greet the reporters as they come in, give
them packets of materials or press kits, make
sure cameras and microphones are in position, and be generally available
to help.
• Create a sign-in table so you know which reporters have been there.
Add any new names or information to your media contact list after the
conference.
• Never have more than three speakers at your press conference,
and make sure they are important people to your organization and your
cause. Perhaps you can include people who are known throughout the country
— politicians, actors, etc. who support your cause.
• Make sure your speakers know what to say. Have practice tests
with them, giving them hard questions and making sure the organization
will be comfortable with the answers.
• Use an interesting visual background, such as your organization's
banner, to entice TV cameras.
• Invite other people who support your cause to sit in the audience
during the conference, but have the first several rows reserved for the
press.
SOURCE: "A Media Handbook for Creating Social Change,"
Center for Reproductive Law and Policy, copyright © 2000.
The Press Conference
By the Center for Sustainable Human Rights Action
Press conferences are formal, arranged meetings held with members of
the press at which the organizer usually offers a statement and then answers
questions from journalists. They provide an opportunity for direct communication
between an individual or a group and the media. Press conferences held
at a special location or with individuals affected by human rights violations
may heighten media interest by putting a human face on the message. A
human rights group may also call a press conference if it has a truly
major announcement or fast breaking news that must reach many members
of the media very quickly.
Press conferences can be formal or quite relaxed. The type of press conference
that is best suited for a human rights group depends on the message it
wants to put forward, the group's media contacts, and its organizational
style. The most informal type of press conference is a group interview
at which several members of the press ask questions of an organization's
representative. It goes without saying that a press conference can be
successful only if members of the media report on it. These kinds of meetings
take time out of a reporter's day, and sometimes reporters may be reluctant
to attend. Before a group decides to hold a press conference, its staff
should consider the following questions:
- Is the subject of the conference important enough to take the reporters
away from other tasks?
- Can the same goals be accomplished with a press release?
Depending on the answers to these questions, a group may want to issue
a press release instead of organizing a press conference. Remember that
wasting the press' time will result in poor attendance at future events.
As one veteran activist said, "One bad press conference means that
journalists are ten times less likely to come next time."
An Alternative to Press Conferences
There are ways other than formal press conferences to pass information
directly to various media outlets. A briefing meeting is one option. Media
briefings are a chance for members of an organization to have a conversation
with members of the media, rather than give a presentation. It is also
a way for the organization's staff to become more familiar with journalists
in a structured setting. At a media briefing, the staff can meet with
a small group of journalists to introduce new ideas; present new information
on an old issue; introduce a new expert who supports the organization's
work; and bring the reporters up-to-date on the organization's activities.
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Using a Press Conference to Increase
Security
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Members and staff of PRODH in Mexico received many death
threats in 1996 and 1997 because of their legal work. In May
1997, 20 armed men in civilian clothes stalked PRODH's office.
They stood on the street corner, sat in cars outside the office,
and followed foreign visitors to PRODH's office. At one point
the surveillants even made a show of arms when an Italian
man left with an escort from his embassy. Complaints to the
police yielded no response. PRODH suspected that the secret
police were trying to intimidate the organization because
of the cases they were handling. The cases involved non-Mexicans
who were accused of taking part in a political rally in Chiapas
State and, consequently, expelled from the country. The presence
of these armed onlookers created tension in the PRODH offices
and threatened their work.
After more than a week of harassment, PRODH called a press
conference and briefed the media on the situation. As soon
as the briefing had ended, journalists took pictures of the
stalkers and requested interviews. The stalkers left. The
next day, the newspapers showed the pictures and ran articles
about PRODH's plight. The men never returned.
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Hosting a Press Conference
A press conference should be called for:
- Major announcements
- Fast-breaking news
- To brief the press at a special location to heighten media interest
Press conferences are special tools that human rights groups can use
to talk to the media, but they must be used selectively. Do not
call a press conference if you think it would waste a reporter's time.
Do not call a press conference if a press release can accomplish
the same goals.
As you plan a press conference remember to:
- Simplify the message and information
- Use articulate, engaging speakers
- Use strong visual images
- Give information about the press conference and its content beforehand
- Be prepared for tough questions
One Week Before
Review the following checklist:
• Reserve a venue.
Is the venue well-known or easy to find?
Is the venue appropriate for the message to be delivered?
What judgments will reporters make about the venue you use?
• Arrange for a podium, chairs, and food and drinks for reporters.
• Schedule time: this should be based on deadlines of media outlets
that will cover the event. (Generally between 10 am and 2 pm in the middle
of the week is best. Is there a particularly slow news day to take advantage
of?)
• Send out announcements by fax, mail, or hand delivery to:
- editors
- assignment editors
- reporters
- national wire services
- weekly calendars/bulletins
- allies and supporters
• Prepare written material for the conference, including press kits.
Press kits may include:
- Information printed on letterhead, including all contact information
- Cover memo or press release about the press conferenceStatements by
anticipated speakers
- History and description of the policy questions being addressed
- Selected press clippings
Endorsements and quotes from experts and other organizations
- One-page description of the host organization
- Visuals: large photographs, maps, charts, graphs, etc.
One Day Before
• Plan the order of speakers and who will say what. Remember
to use a few different speakers.
• Contact members of the media and encourage them to attend.
• Arrange materials, including extra copies to send journalists
who do not attend.
• Visit the venue for the press conference and make sure all of
the details are in order.
• Prepare a list of speakers to give to the media.
The Day of the Conference
• Issue a press release that contains the main message of the press
conference.
• Make last-minute calls to assignment desks and editors.
• Check on the venue several hours before the conference starts.
• Make sure doors are unlocked for reporters and that the room is
easy to find.
• Practice the order of the press conference with the principal
speakers.
During the Press Conference
• Have a sign-up sheet to get the names and addresses of reporters.
• Distribute press kits.
• Give reporters a written list of participants.
• Make opening remarks, introduce speakers.
• Arrange the necessary one-on-one interviews and follow-up interviews.
• Record the conference so that it can be reviewed later.
• Take pictures for in-house use.
Following Up
• Send press kits to the reporters who did not attend.
• Call reporters who did not attend but seemed interested.
• Call reporters from important media organizations and ask if they
need more information. Do not be too aggressive.
• Monitor media coverage to see how the press conference was reported.
• Clip newspaper and news magazine coverage of the event.
• Conduct staff evaluation of the press conference.
SOURCE: "Making the Most of the Media—Tools
for Human Rights Groups Worldwide," Center for Sustainable
Human Rights Action. Copyright © 2002 Forefront.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU
Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or any later version
published by the Free Software Foundation.
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