Case studies in media relations

This post reflects upon readings for week 4.

As I am currently taking a module in journalism, as well as being involved in the media, I found the readings from the textbook to be just a rehash of what I already know and learnt, just from the PR practitioner's point of view rather than the journalist's.

What really stood out for me, however, were the included case studies on the Sea Shepard Conservation Society and the SARS crisis in Singapore. These case studies provided a useful practical look into how theory is applied in two different real-life situations PR practitioners will no doubt find themselves in.

The Sea Shepards details how the non-profit, marine wildlife conservation organization uses a clear and coherent strategy to gain media support for their activities. Through the use of various tactics, such as using symbols (baby animals, trees, plants, etc.) to present otherwise abstract ideas in a way that the general public will be able to relate to, getting celebrity endorsements and keeping the media well-fed with useful news and information, the Sea Shepards were able to build up rapport with the media, resulting in positive news coverage of their fourth anti-whaling expedition to Antartica.

The SARS crisis in Singapore demonstrated how the hospitals and the government used tactics which quickly reassured the public that everything was being done to contain the disease. Instead of putting an unknown hospital administrator in front of the cameras, the government sent the Health Minister, a recognizable and authoritative source, to speak on their behalf. And when healthcare workers were being stigmatized due to a number of them coming down with SARS, a campaign was launched through the media to educate and inform the public that they did not pose any threat to the public.

The key lesson to take away from these two different case studies is that the use of a clear and coherent media strategy builds up trust, respect and rapport with the media. This comes in handy when the organization makes the headlines for an event or when a crisis breaks out, as the media is more likely to see the organization in a more positive light, and passes on this view to its audience.