Building Media Relationships
How to Establish, Maintain, and Develop Long-Term Relationships
Sommers, Susan
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Year Published: 2009
Pages: 244pp ISBN: 978-0-19-542695-3
Library of Congress Number: HD59.S64 2008 Dewey: 659.2'0971
Resource Type: Book
Sommers wrote this guide to teach how media can be used to raise an organization's public profile and improve its connection with the target audience.
Abstract:
Sommers wrote this guide to teach how media can be used to raise an organization's public profile and improve its connection with the target market. The book focuses on the positive aspects of the media and
introduces a marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes. It provides understanding of the media for beginners and veterans alike, along with tips and systematic instructions for how to build a strong and long-lasting relationship with the media.
According to Sommers, the media is the most cost-effective way to make an organization successful. The goal of the book is to guide a person who is responsible for the media coverage of their organization to make a media plan that best suits their company. The author claims that any organization should be able to harness the power of the media to build trust with the public, increase profits and generate good publicity.
The book is divided into four parts: Part 1, Understanding Media Relations; Part 2, Developing a Media Relations Program; Part 3, Executing a Media Relations Program and Part 4, Issues Management and Crisis Communications.
Beginning with an explanation of the goals of a good media relationship, it takes the reader through the process of establishing one. Then, maintenance and possible problems are introduced. The sections are further divided into 14 chapters that cover such topics as the role of media relations, conducting research to identify media goals and a target audience, developing a media database, managing media interviews and plans to avoid media crises. Each chapter summarizes what the reader can expect to learn and is full of
sample plans, case studies and even stories from Canada#s most successful companies. Much distrust of the media exists in society and this book aims to show how the media is really a supportive, productive tool as opposed to a competitive, adversarial weapon. Sommers believes that "there is nothing more exciting and rewarding for an organization or company than building solid, on-going relationships with the media. Those are, after all, the only kind that matter."
[Abstract by Mia Manns]
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