Media Relations

Storytelling for change

Sharing Your Story

This page provides guidance on how to share your story with the media. It will take you from background knowledge of the media to developing and sharing your story all the way to writing and sending a thank you message. We have linked templates and resource documents in each section that include additional information on the various steps outlined.

Understanding the Media

Media is the main means of mass communication and references a broad idea. If referring to a single form such as radio, television or newspaper, it is considered a medium. Even more specific would be the media outlet, such as the Star Tribune, KARE 11 or MPR.

Each media outlet has a wide variety of staff positions. Usually, when reaching out to share your story, you want to look for people in positions titled reporter, blogger, journalist or editor. You can also reach out directly to the assignment desk or general tip line and information will be shared with reporters.
Four different types of media coverage:  
  1. Paid Media: Sponsorships and advertisements.
  2. Shared Media: Social media platforms where an individual user creates and adds content, but someone else controls the platforms and has some level of control. 
  3. Owned Media: Information that you control and distribute, such as email blast, newsletter, magazine or website. 
  4. Earned Media: When the media choose to pick up a story because it is of interest to their audience.

When pitching a story, earned media is what you're hoping for. You can also utilize your shared and owned platforms to help spread the message.

Interviews

There are different ways that the media conducts interviews. Interviews can be live or pre-recorded. Live interviews offer the chance for all that you say to get used, while pre-recorded interviews allow for do-overs if you stumble. Depending on which media channels you have reached out to, your interview may be a video recording which can be used online, for television or social media, or a voice recording which would be used for newspaper notes or radio. Finally, interviews can occur in-person or remotely. In remote interviews, technology such as computer video cameras or phone calls are used. If doing a remote interview, ensure you have a quiet, clean, brightly lit area to do the interview in. When in-person, there might be a voice recorder or traditional video camera and mic. In-person interviews can be conducted at your home or place of work, at a meeting location like a library or at the site of your story or in the media outlet’s studio offices. 

Speaking the Language

There are several terms that are commonly used in the media that are important to know:

To “pitch” to the media is the act of reaching out to reporters to propose a story for press coverage. Pitching a story can be done in person, over the phone or through an email. Pitches should be kept short and interesting. Always try to keep pitches under 30 seconds and offer to provide more information if they find the topic interesting.

A media advisory is a tool used to invite reporters to cover an event such as a press conference, rally, community meeting or march by providing the who, what, when, where and why. If you have an event flyer, you could include that in an email along with a personal note or invitation, or you can create an advisory specifically to invite the media to your event.

The terms news release and press release are interchangeable. News releases convey a story to the media. They cover something that is currently happening, happened in the recent past or will happen in the future. The news release format includes an attention-grabbing headline, an introduction to the topic, a quote about the topic and any supporting or relevant information. A news release can be sent in addition to, or instead of a pitch to the media outlets of your choice. The news release might be used by the media as written, a reporter or new anchor might share the information during their segment or a reporter might reach out to you for an interview or additional information.

One important skill when working with the media is the ability to determine if a story is “newsworthy”, or worthy of being shared in the news. Relevant announcements and new plans are newsworthy, as are seasonal reminders or updates. Human interest stories and new data releases can be newsworthy as well. As reporters field pitches, they check for timeliness, proximity, prominence, emotional connection to the audience and if their audience would be interested in the topic to determine the newsworthiness of the story.

Developing Your Story

Before you write a news release or pitch your story to a reporter, you must develop your story, key messages and talking points. These items help ensure consistency and clarity within your communication.

Key messages are the most important sentences about your cause. They are the central ideas and the core of every conversation you have. Key messages should be short and easy to share and understand. You should only have two or three key messages, each about one sentence long.

Talking points support your key messages. Talking points can range from one sentence to a small paragraph so long as they are simple and provide information to validate your key message. Facts, examples, expanded information, data, and supportive statements all fall into this category. You can also include a call to action in your talking points. This is when you ask people to volunteer, sign up, or visit a website after hearing the information you shared.

Not every piece of news belongs in every form of media.

For example, if you would like to do a video walk through or share photos, radio is probably not a good option. If you need to get the word out within 24 hours, a printed newspaper might be excluded because time is needed to write, edit and print. Additionally, you should consider who your target audience is and how they are most likely to receive news. Some people prefer radio, print or television, while others might lean toward digital outlets.
When you know which media outlets you want to reach out to, you need to then find the contact information for specific people you will pitch the story to. This could be someone you have a personal connection with or someone who has recently covered similar topics. If you know a name, a google search or searching the media outlet’s website might get you an email or phone number. If not, you can use contact us forms found on websites or email the news desk, assignment desk or info/tips email.

The next hurdle is deciding what to pitch to the media contact you have chosen. If you have something new, like new data or an upcoming event, or you have a personal story and mission to share, those are good options. Another option would be adding additional information to a current conversation or topic that is being covered already. The key is making sure your pitch is newsworthy.

The final step is to pitch the idea to the media contact. This can be done via the phone, contact us form or an email. When pitching your story, keep it short and compelling—under 30 seconds to say or read. Be sure to include your key message, make it personal and reference current news topics if applicable. At the end, always share your contact information and offer to provide additional resources or sit for an interview. 


After you pitch your story, be available. Sometimes when a reporter calls, they will ask if you are available right then. If you are, great. If not, ask when they need it by and try to find a time that works for both of you.

Storytelling for Change

 If successful, your pitch won't just inform people, but inspire them into action! Give some thought to how your can communicate your values through language of the heart, using emotions and leveraging hopes and obligations of the audience. But remember the following storytelling etiquette:
  • The story has to be true and yours to tell.
  • Never explain a culture that is not yours.
  • Never make another person's struggle or identity a prop of your storyline - use your lived experiences and struggles. 
  • Never use racial slurs, hate speech or discriminatory language.

 

Consider this TED talk from Chimanda Adichie, outlining the dangers of a single story. How does her overarching lesson teach us about what people think about aging or older adults in our community? What voices are being heard and who isn't?


This Storytelling for Change worksheet is from The Art of Storytelling , A Free Downloadable Workbook by Dawn J. Frazer. Consider this alternative approach to mapping out the structure of how your personal story and lived experience can be what you lead with in your work with the media.

Successful interviews start with who you are and why you reached out. You should be able to comfortably share your story and answer any follow-up questions the reporter may have. Try to appear relaxed and speak clearly — focus on volume and pace.

Preparing for an Interview

After securing an interview, it is important to double check everything. This means confirming your topic, time and place of the interview and identifying exactly what message you wish to share. Ask yourself: If someone remembers absolutely nothing outside of one or two sentences, what would I want those sentences to be? From there you can review your notes and create an order in your key messages and talking points that helps share your story and keep you focused.

Once you have those items down, practice a few times. Preferably this is done with someone who can ask questions and provide feedback, but you can also practice out loud in front of a mirror. This will help you work on facial expression, tone of voice, movement and pace. 

As you are practicing, think about any other questions the reporter might ask you about the topic or as a follow-up to your statements. Additionally, if you have time, you can send the reporter the most important questions you want them to ask before your interview. They don’t have to use them, but it is a nice place to start the conversation if they do.

Successful Interviews

When giving an interview, there are a few important rules.
  • Always tell the truth. When asked questions that you don’t have the answer to, don’t make something up or lie. Simply say you don’t have that information or don’t know the answer and move on. You can always offer to find the answer to their question or someone who can respond to their question and get back to them later.
  • Stay calm and collected. It’s easy to be nervous, but there is no reason to be. Take a deep breath and stick to your key messages and talking points. If a reporter asks you questions or says something that differs from your opinion, that is okay. There is no reason to get angry or frustrated, it is their job to investigate multiple angles just like it is your job to tell the truth.
  • Keep your answers short and simple. Answers should be only two or three sentences. Much longer than that and they are hard to use.
  • Focus on YOUR story. Unless you have permission to do so, don’t speak on behalf of other organizations and groups. It’s also wise to avoid placing blame or pointing fingers, instead, focus on “I” statements. “I experienced this, my grandmother needs that, I believe better funding would lead to better resources.”
  • Thank the reporter for their time and help when you finish.

 

After you have finished your interview, it is good practice to reach out to the reporter via email with a thank you. If you offered to share data, other information, photos or links, this is a great time to do it. You can also verify what day and time the story will air or be published, offer to answer any follow-up questions and thank the reporter for their time.

 Tools and Resources

Media Strategies & Storytelling for Change


Are you interested in being a champion for positive change in your community? Do you want to have a greater impact in your outreach with the media?


Our goal is to help leaders in the aging sector effectively share the story of your work and ensure Minnesota becomes a more age-friendly state. This free live training made possible thanks to a Technical Assistance Grant from Age-Friendly Minnesota will help you gain knowledge, skills and confidence to engage effectively with the media. Watch it and check out more free age-friendly education today.


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