Hit by the Headlines: communicating with the media in a time of crisis
Media Strategy Development: Issues Any Organisation Must Consider
Deciding where things stand: the Communications Audit
Organisations conduct a Communications Audit to assess their current strengths and weaknesses
and media impact, and determine whether they are effective in using the media to reach their
foundations' goals.
This document outlines topline issues to consider when developing a media strategy.
Much as any organisation determines a budget for the year, foundations and non-profits should
determine a media strategy, regardless of how extensive it may be. This is particularly important
for foundations who must decide early on whether or not their funded projects will use media as a
tool to advance their causes.
A. Foundations can take any one of 3 approaches to media:
1. No media: The foundation decides to conduct no media outreach, and they discourage their grantees from pursuing media coverage as well.
2. Project Media Only: Foundations keep a low profile in the media, yet allow and/or encourage and fund the promotion of their projects in the media.
3. Double Media Strategy: Foundations plan and implement media strategies for both themselves and their grantees, in an effort to affect policy change and support their work.
B. Strategic Decisions Upstream Affect Downstream Tactics
The way a foundation decides to approach the use of media will affect the overall strategy upstream, and the strategy will guide tactics and tools used by the organisation downstream.
An integrated media strategy will help guide the human and financial resources dedicated to communications planning, including setting tangible goals and measures of success. A comprehensive communications plan will address issues such as whether an organization should consider hiring PR consultants, developing a more complete communications department in-house, the extent of the organisation's web strategy, and/or other tools to be used in any broader issue campaigns.
Upstream strategic decisions include:
- Define objectives: what message to which target audiences?
- Define target audience and target media
- Determine measures of success
- Build communications architecture in house, or outsource some, or all of the communications work
Downstream decisions include determining PR tactics such as:
- Media outreach and contact and database development
- Press release and newsletter development
- Event strategy
- Digital and social media tactics and strategy, including web strategy
C. Determining a Media Strategy: Questions Any Foundation Must Ask
The following are fundamental questions that foundations must answer as it determines its media strategy:
- Do we want to work with the media to communicate our organisation's values, projects, and grantees?
- What are our goals and our measures of success in working towards those goals? Do we aim to seek change in public opinion or policy?
- Do we plan to hire an in-house communications team, hire a for-profit or non-profit PR agency, or do we do a combination of both?
- What is our audience, and who are we trying to engage? The media? Public? And/or policy-makers? Or none of the above?
- Do we have a backup plan for handling a crisis?
Once a foundation answers questions like these, it can begin to develop a clear communications strategy. The strategy involves determining the organisation's key messages and ensuring all facets of an organisation's communications apparatus, including its own employees, projects, and grantees, understand and communicate these key messages.
D. Why foundations should define media strategy
The foundation and non-profit community can fill wide gaps at the intersection of media, technology and civil society - in policy debates, issue advocacy, and public education and awareness.
Put simply, a well-defined media strategy will guide a foundation's approach to all communications and help focus the organisation's resources its core objectives.
Communications efforts through a variety of media channels have been proven to enhance the work carried out by non-profits within the policy-making community.
Well managed media outreach is an oftneglected element in the toolbox of those committed to engaging in the critical crises currently before the foundation community.
Crisis Communications Management: Introduction to 5 Key Principles to Consider When Planning