By: @Kyle Packham
While the news media has changed drastically in recent years, it remains one of the most powerful tools special districts have for telling their stories, keeping a high profile with their elected representatives, and reaching their communities.
If the thought of working with the media triggers anxiety, we promise, it need not be that way. Here are four ways your district can up its media game to develop positive, productive working relationships with your reporters and editors, and make your voices heard.
1. Get to know your reporters. This is the best way to cut through the clutter out there and build trust, and it’s remarkably easy.Some good ideas include:
- Follow them on social media. Virtually every journalist you’ll want to work with is active on X (Twitter). Follow them, click through to their stories, react to their posts, and share information.
- Call and introduce yourself. Let them know who you are and your areas of expertise, and let them know you’re happy to be a resource for them.While you’re at it, find out what other areas they cover. You may be able to feed them story leads or connect them to other sources.
- Take them out for coffee.Few things make a more lasting impression than meeting someone face to face. This is a good chance to find out what kind of stories they’re currently working on, what the top issues are from their perspective, and to share any good information you have that might be useful to them.
- Do all of the above. Bear in mind, in none of these steps do you have to pitch a story or agree to an interview – you’re forging a relationship that helps both of you be more successful.
2. Submit a letter to the Editor or an op-ed/guest column. These are easy (and free) ways to get your message to your community, but of course, they have to get published first. There are right ways and wrong ways to submit these, so check out our Take Action Toolkit for guidelines and sample letters to the editor.
3. Schedule or Attend a “Media Training” seminar. This is a great way to learn how the media works, how to pitch stories, and how you can take some simple steps to deliver your message and control the interview process for the best possible results.You can access CSDA’s “Media Training 101” Webinar or, if you’re interested in a more in-depth session for you, your team and your board members, contact CSDA for a referral.
4. Utilize Social Media.Think of social media platforms as tiny little news outlets that you (mostly) control and operate.It’s a (mostly) unfiltered channel to reach your community of followers, including reporters, and provides an endless canvas to share stories, parlay traditional media coverage, and amplify your messages.
Special districts are addressing California’s biggest challenges every day.They are the backbone of California’s economy and infrastructure, and provide highly specialized services to virtually every Californian. Our elected leaders, our media, and our communities need to hear our story.
Let’s Take Action together!