UNDP Office of Communications

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Reaching the Outside World

Working with the Media

Media coverage can exert a powerful influence over high-level policy makers and the public at large. A story placed in a respected publication or on a widely viewed television show can draw attention and support to UNDP and its human development objectives, extending the organization’s reach far beyond the people we interact with through individual programmes. In many countries, media outlets are thriving, boosted by a decade of democratization, privatization and the Internet.

For development practitioners, the downside to the media can be the oversimplification—and at times distortion—of complex issues. Journalists for the most part present short, general stories that appeal to mass audiences. The growing portion of media space devoted to “infotainment” only encourages this trend. Many media outlets also prefer stories that emphasize conflict and intrigue, rather than harmony and progress.

Working with the media—first to catch its attention, and second to encourage it to accurately present your messages—requires smart and strategic planning, based on a sound understanding of how the media business works.

In this context, UNDP places a premium on cultivating professional relationships with journalists, responding to their queries with speed, and minimizing the bureaucratic red tape they must cut through to access information about the organization and its activities. UNDP staff should also be diligent in following coverage of the organization, and inform reporters and/or their editors as soon as possible if factual errors are published or broadcast.

UNDP Administrator Helen Clark is interviewed by the BBC World Service in Ghana UNDP Administrator Helen Clark is interviewed by the BBC World Service in Ghana. Photo: UNDP Ghana

Types of Media

Media configurations vary widely by country, but in general, the types of media outlets fall into one or more of the following categories:

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Media Formats

Most media produce content in five formats:

News stories—these generally run on the front pages of newspapers and at the beginning of television/radio news shows. For daily papers or shows, they will normally be about events that have taken place in the last 24 hours. They may also be about emerging developments on a story that has been in the public limelight.

Investigative reports will break into the news cycle with information that may not be about ‘new’ events. They may create news by uncovering developments the public should know about—corruption scandals, an environmental hazard and so on. The launch of a UNDP report could generate news stories if the report contains new and different information that will grab public attention.

Features—these stories are generally longer and not bound by a time frame, although they must be topical and connect to public interest. Feature stories have more time for preparation and more space for detail and analysis. An ongoing UNDP programme that has clear results and a demonstrable impact on people’s lives could be the subject of a feature story.

Interviews—the staple of television and radio talk shows, interviews also appear in some print publications. They will generally have some kind of a news angle, although, as for feature stories, the criteria are less rigorous. Some interviews rest solely on the prominence or celebrity of their subject.

Op-eds—in newspapers, these traditionally run on the page opposite the paper’s own editorials. They convey different perspectives, normally on issues that are in the news, or offer opinions that may themselves be new or controversial. The UN Secretary-General occasionally publishes op-eds, as do senior UNDP staff.

Letters to the Editor—letters run in many print publications; electronic media offer space for different forms of reader feedback as well. These can be a quick way of inserting a UNDP perspective into a public debate.

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Pitching Your Story

Aside from op-eds and letters to the editor, UNDP offices normally do not produce the news and feature stories that run in the media. This is the responsibility of individual journalists and the organizations they work for. UNDP communications staff can, however, provide information that journalists can use. This should be linked to the objectives of your communications strategy, which might include a specific media relations strategy. Both strategies should comprise many of the same elements: objectives, threats and opportunities, target audiences, key messages, a time frame and lines of accountability, a budget and evaluation mechanisms.

Strategic media relations are grounded in regularly monitoring key media outlets. How often do they publish/broadcast and how much space/time do they have? What kinds of stories do they cover? Do they have an obvious political orientation? How much space do they devote to development issues? Don’t interpret this last question too narrowly—a UNDP partnership with the private sector might interest the editor of the business section, for example.

You also need to know which reporters are covering which kinds of stories, or beats. Reporters normally work on specific sets of issues—business, politics, entertainment, local government, crime, etc. Some may have an obvious interest in a particular cause that could be useful in pitching a story—they will be more sympathetic and receptive. Maintaining and regularly updating a database of journalists can help channel press communications in targeted directions.

Once you know who in the media is doing what, you can begin proposing story ideas or other forms of media coverage tailored accordingly. Proposals, or ‘pitches’, can take the form of emails, telephone calls, press releases, press conferences, press trips or interviews. But in all of these formats, some basic principles are the same:

Identify your main message: You may be launching a report that includes hundreds of interesting messages. Take time to figure out which one can be conveyed in less than 10-15 words to a journalist who will spend two seconds glancing at your email or press release to see if he or she should read more. Decide on a maximum of two or three more key messages that can appear within the body of a press release or should be raised in interviews. Key messages should support UNDP’s corporate mission. They should be repeated—prominently—on all communications materials. They should be specific. Not: Report finds trade improves the status of women. Try instead: Report shows shrinking trade gap increases wages for women.

Keep it simple: Journalists are not development specialists, even those who may be development supporters. Avoid jargon, acronyms and opaque explanations. State your main message clearly, concisely and at the beginning of any form of communications (a headline, first sentence, or email subject line, for example).

Make it stand out: Try to draw immediate attention to one or more of the standard motivations behind a journalist’s interest in a story:

Back it up with evidence and examples: Even the most intriguing idea won’t add up to much if a journalist can’t demonstrate its validity. Journalists do this through presenting facts and figures, analysis, quotations and anecdotes. You should have on hand basic, high-quality data that backs up your key messages—including the who, what, when, where, why and how of the issue. Depending on the story, you might prepare some human interest anecdotes—demonstrating how an issue affects people—in advance. Or you can invite journalists to pursue their own stories through UNDP-organized visits to project sites. Prepare UNDP development experts to do on-the-record interviews.

Respect time and space constraints: Journalists are always on deadline—it is only a matter of how near or far away it is. They may be juggling multiple assignments. Consider how you can make a journalist’s job easier—and they will often respond in turn. When do they need the information? In what format? What do they need to produce a better story? How can you help extend their resources? Always return phone calls immediately—even later in the day may be too late. Or call back at a time suggested by the journalist, as he or she may then have more of an opportunity to talk.

Try different approaches: Journalists may have personal preferences about how they want to be reached (by email, phone, press release, etc.). They also face a huge quantity of information—individual pieces can easily fall through the cracks. Until you know a reporter’s style, try multiple means of contact.

Follow up: Reporters are in the business of producing stories. They may be as eager to see your information as you are to provide it. Given competing demands, a lack of response may not indicate a lack of interest. Follow up in a steadfast and courteous way. If a reporter says no to a story, find out why so that you understand what to do differently next time. If a pitch meets consistent objections, revise it.

In reaching out to the media, be fair—don’t favour some journalists over others. This will breed resentment among those left out. In countries where media outlets align themselves with different political factions, favouritism could have potentially serious political implications. Never inform journalists of what the competition is working on—they can find this out themselves.

Don’t expect journalists to repeat what you have said word for word (except in direct quotations). Don’t try to control their activities (such as by asking for questions in advance, asking to review stories before publication and so on). Information can end up distorted, diluted or taken out of context, but be positive and constructive when this happens. An antagonistic relationship not only shuts out future opportunities, but can inspire negative scrutiny.

Culture and history may also factor into your pitches. Journalists in countries with authoritarian or hierarchical traditions will have different skills and needs than those in nations with a firm defense of press freedom. In particular, you may need to exercise care in presenting information seen as controversial or as challenging authority.

Media Events Top Ten List

Green Media Toolshed

 

Several factors should help you determine what media event is most appropriate.  Press breakfasts or luncheons are more appropriate for non-breaking news, whereas a press conference may be more suitable for breaking and urgent news.  You should also consider your financial and human resource constraints when deciding the details of a press event.  Timing is another important factor to consider.  It is important to work with reporter deadlines when deciding the details of a press event.
 
1.  Identify Your Expectations
It is important to ask yourself what you expect to get out of the media event.  Set goals.  How many reporters do you want at your event?  How many stories would you like to have written?  Clear goals will help you appropriately design your media event.

2.  Press Conference
Press Conferences should only be used for breaking news.  Breaking news may include the release of a report, an event, a reaction to another story or event, or other issues of immediate interest to the public.

3.  Press Briefing
The Press Breakfast and Luncheon are types of Press Briefings.  Press Briefings are designed to provide greater background information and question-answer sessions for reporters.

4.  Press Breakfast/Luncheon
Press breakfasts allow for candid presentations as well as question and answer periods.  The purpose of the Press Breakfast is not to break news, but instead to build a relationship with reporters and reach-out to reporters in large media market areas.

5.  Conference Call
A conference call is a much less resource-intensive press event.  Conference calls can be used for breaking news when reporters are outside the local area.

6.  Interview
A phone interview or in-person interview may be an alternative to conference calls if you wish to work with an individual reporter who is locally accessible. 

7.  Preparedness
Whichever press event you select, you should be prepared with in-depth knowledge on the event and the issues.

8.  Press Packets
Press packets are useful for providing background information, such as the history of your organization, staff biographies, and any other background information that a reporter may need for a story.

9.  Plan
Planning your press event will help you determine which event to choose, who your spokesperson should be, timing, and what information you need to firmly backup your position and story.

10.  Follow Up
Keep track of who attended your media event.  Use sign-in sheets.  Follow your coverage and identify what worked and what did not.

 

Media Events Top Ten List from Green Media Toolshed.

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Press Releases and Media Advisories

UNDP Media Advisories and Press Releases

Press releases are short announcements of breaking news or newsworthy events. The important word is ‘news’. Press releases should not be put out just to disseminate information. They need to offer the kind of news ‘peg’ that journalists can use to frame a news story. In country offices, press releases might be written to announce the launch of a major report, the appointment of a new Representative, the conclusion of a major agreement with the government or the debut of an innovative new programme.

Press releases should follow some basic guidelines:

Media advisories are short announcements that alert journalists to upcoming events or official visits. They are sent out a few days before an event, and give the basic information that journalists need to know (where, when, why, etc.) to attend. Please see the Media Advisory Sample to learn more.

For downloadable templates for Press Releases and Media Advisories, click here.

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Press Kits

Press kits offer more detailed and comprehensive information than press releases. They can be used for public information and advocacy, or to brand particular campaigns. You may want to distribute press kits as part of an event. You can also send them out to specific journalists or existing/potential programme partners to build awareness of what you are doing—with an eye on a specific outcome, such as future media coverage or the creation of new coalitions.

Press Kits

If you have a core press kit on hand, you can then adapt it to different events and audiences by adding to the contents. For a country office, core contents might include:

Additional information that could be added as needed might include:

It may be tempting from a cost perspective to print out various documents and combine them in a plain folder. But an attractive design on the cover and a consistent visual identity to the pages inside will draw people in, and indicate that UNDP is professional and serious about its work. Be wary of the tendency to include too much information. Present what is most striking and important to the issue at hand.

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Press Conferences

Press conferences go a step beyond simply issuing a press release. They offer an opportunity to present more detailed information and interact with journalists. Press conferences must have a compelling news angle—significant achievements, a major disaster, a high-level visit—otherwise, journalists will complain that UNDP has wasted their time. They need to be well planned, publicized and moderated. UNDP staff speaking at press conferences should be highly skilled at media interaction, including in responding to potentially hostile questions. Mistakes in a one-on-one interview can be damaging, but those that occur before a roomful of press people can be magnified many times over, especially in instances where journalists are rewarded for aggressively pursuing stories about conflict and problems.

Some basic guidelines for press conferences include:

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Media Trips

Cambodia Media Trip
Journalist Robert Gregory Mallen of the Longbeach Telegraph newspaper interviews a Cambodian garment factory manager during a media trip organized by UNDP with support from the US-based East-West Center.

Media field trips can bring journalists into the heart of what UNDP does—helping people expand their choices and capacities so they can live better lives. Both international and national journalists will welcome the chance to visit project sites because these can yield colourful, on-the-ground, human interest stories. In emergencies, journalists may want first-hand exposure to convey the full impact of a tragedy to the rest of the world.

For UNDP, field visits can yield immediate benefits in the form of media coverage. Longer term gains come through stronger relationships with journalists and their greater familiarity with the scope of UNDP’s work as being more than just reports and press releases.

If you decide to organize a media trip, make sure to visit projects under consideration first. Try to assess how significant they are, and how readily their results can be presented in a short news or feature story. Identify local project personnel or beneficiaries who can be articulate and confident in a press interview. Ask if UNDP’s contribution will be apparent—beyond ‘provider of the funds’.

Some journalists will want to use UNDP as a facilitator of logistical arrangements so they have access to places that would otherwise be out of reach. You cannot tell them what to write, but you can present a clear message about UNDP’s essential role in the project, as well as facts and figures that may not be available at the project site, but will be important to flesh out the story.

Other issues to keep in mind:

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Interviews

Media interviews involve journalists asking a series of questions. They can take place during press conferences or media trips, or can be scheduled one-on-one in person or over the phone. It is generally not advisable to ask for the questions in advance—many journalists will refuse this request, and the request will set a tone of limited trust. If you are very concerned about how your comments will be transmitted, you can tape the interview, with the consent of the journalist.

This kind of issue should be covered as part of ground rules established before the interview begins. Most journalists accept these as part of getting a story. But they should be negotiated rather than imposed, considering the need for protection against the need to get messages out. You may have valid reasons for not wanting officials to be photographed in certain circumstances—for example, next to a military installation. Some governments have their own rules on press coverage, and these need to be explained clearly to international journalists.

As is the case with other forms of communication, a successful interview depends on honing a few key messages in advance—the two or three things that must come through. People who are well trained in interview techniques can then repeatedly draw the focus of the interview back to these messages. They can do this without appearing to be hostile or refusing to answer questions. Training, practice and advance preparation are key. Journalists spend all of their time extracting information from people. They know how to ask questions that will catch the unprepared person off guard, and possibly lead them to divulge information that should not be shared.

One common mistake in interviews with development professionals is the assumption that the reporter wants to hear the story from the beginning. This will result in a long, drawn-out narrative offering much more detail and background than the journalist can possibly use. Journalists want to know what is new or different about a given issue—now. Most will be sold on whether or not the interview is going to be useful within the first minute or so. Some won’t have more time to talk than that. If they want a long explanation, let them ask.

The UNDP interviewee should focus on conveying the key messages in short, clear, pithy quotes that will have a strong likelihood of ending up in the final story. Don’t try to sound like you are reading from a report, packing in lots of complex ideas in long sentences.

It is common practice for journalists and interview subjects to have ‘off-the-record’ conversations. An ethical journalist will never link his or her source to ‘off-the-record’ information, although they may still use it if other sources confirm it. Trusting a journalist to abide by these rules, however, requires knowledge of how that person has behaved in the past. Unless you are completely confident of a reporter’s integrity, it is safer to have only ‘on-the-record’ exchanges. This includes situations outside formal interviews. Reporters are quite happy to vacuum up particles of information wherever they can find them—social events, casual conversations, and so on. Skip off-the-cuff remarks after an interview seems to be over and the camera or tape recorder is off. An interview is not done until the reporter leaves the room or hangs up the phone.


UNDP Libya Resident Representative Brian Gleeson in a television interview with Al Jazeera on mine action work in the country.

The rules for UNDP staff speaking with the press follow guidelines issued by the Secretary-General. All staff may speak on issues related to their specific area of expertise, offering factual information, but not opinions. They should advise the relevant communications officer of interview requests and seek guidance on how to proceed. The same rules apply to media contributions, such as op-ed pieces.

Staff may not speak on issues deemed sensitive—a definition that may sometimes apply to global topics, but which should also be closely tailored to individual national circumstances. If you have any questions, check with your communications officer or the Resident Representative/Deputy Resident Representative or the Office of Communications in New York (please contact the Head of External Communications at communications.toolkit@undp.org). For more details, return to Who Communicates in this toolkit.

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Ethical Principles Governing Media Interaction

Principles for Staff:
Several basic ethical principles should govern interactions with journalists. These have not yet been made into an official UN policy, but they have been discussed and agreed by the UN Communications Group, which includes communications directors of all UN funds, programmes and agencies representatives from all of the major agencies wherever based, and is chaired by the Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information. Thus, the guidelines adopted by the UNCG are official UN policy, for all.

The UN and its agencies should not pay for news coverage. The UN system should set an example of support for a fully free and independent news media. Whatever the original intent, paying for coverage opens UNDP to the charge that it is trying to unduly influence the press or sway public opinion. Financial assistance to journalists and news organizations in developing countries can be extended, provided that the terms and amounts of such support are publicly disclosed, and the journalists who are beneficiaries of such assistance retain full editorial control. This can cover travel and other direct costs, but should not include a daily subsistence allowance, or DSA.

Honoria or other fees for journalists asked to moderate forums or give lectures are appropriate if fully disclosed and in line with the best standard practices of both the journalism profession and the UN itself.

The UN and its agencies should avoid the perception of conflicts of interest when hiring journalists for professional services, such as writing or editing assignments, media training sessions or communications consultations. Such contracts should not be awarded to journalists who routinely cover the UN and/or its agencies for news organizations, including the accredited ‘resident correspondents’ of the UN system in New York, Geneva and Vienna.

Principles for Journalists:
Just as UN staff are expected to uphold the ethical standards detailed above in their dealings with the media, you can expect journalists to adhere to the following basic rules of journalism:  

Truth, accuracy and objectivity should be the driving forces behind any journalist’s reporting efforts. Reporters should be willing to do the necessary ground work (which can and should be facilitated by UN staff where appropriate) to get the story right. Subjects of news stories should be given an opportunity to respond to allegations of wrongdoing.

Journalists are accountable to their readers/viewers and should have an established mechanism for the public to request corrections and air grievances about coverage. Where mistakes exist, corrections should be made promptly and openly.

Journalists should avoid conflicts of interest, including receiving gifts from organizations or individuals on whom they report.

Here is a checklist of accepted professional standards for journalists – the 10 Absolutes of Reuters Journalism:

Go to the Tools and Best Practices for further tips, examples and useful resources related to Working with the Media.

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