What are the most important considerations when working with the media in Public Administration?

In my role, I've learned that working with the media involves being clear and honest in communications, understanding their need for engaging stories, and preparing thoroughly with key points and potential questions. Quick responses to media queries are crucial for maintaining trust. It's important to ensure message consistency with your organisation's policies and to remain professional, even under pressure. Handling sensitive information with care is vital. Building positive relationships with journalists and regular media training are essential. Lastly, monitoring media coverage helps gauge public perception. It's all about balancing transparency with discretion.

Be honest and be responsive, even when you don't have the answer the reporter/outlet is looking for. I believe it is always critical to make sure you reach back out as in as timely a matter as possible and provide a status update, whether it means you have referred the request "upstairs," or you are awaiting an answer to their query. Most reporters/editors know you can't always deliver, but usually appreciate that you did your best to get them their interview\answer.

Gather statistics and helpful data to help quantify your response or solution. When developing your response, consider what you want the story’s headline to be.

One thing I found helpful in this respect is tailoring the communications channels through media needs. In order to maintain their tight deadline schedule you should make yourself available as much as possible, even if the time frame goes over weekends and non working hours. Creating social media and communication groups has helped me a lot to address every current toppic as fast as possible and to solve and issue that requires crisis communication management.

In my professional life, developing close relationships with different media journalists, editors and directors has helped me a lot. Many organizations work on their Communication through a communication agency, which is placed almost like a wall between the organization and the media. However, and although an agency can be useful, for example, in launching press releases and in preserving your reputation in the face of some more aggressive media, the fact that journalists know that they can count on you and ask you some questions directly, helps a lot in creating a close and collaborative relationship with the media and in which the messages are published exactly as we want them to appear.

Always ask when the reporter is writing his/her story; is there a deadline to provide a response or information? Even if you can’t provide the reporter with information, consider referring them to other sources such as advocacy groups, academics, etc.

Some organizations measure their success in communication based on the number of impacts, whether the message was passed properly or not, if it has appeared in relevant media and their PR Value - which is the closest thing to ROI in Communication. In my opinion, the most important thing in Communication is the reputational aspect because it is a medium/long-term indicator, which creates a solid foundation of trust with the different stakeholders. It is often not valued when you have it, taken for granted; However, it can be lost in 1 day and be a catastrophe for the organization.