Communication Channels and Media

Communication Channels and Media



Channels


•Public or private paths for messages


•To and from various publics


Public vs. Private Channels


•Public channels dominated by mass or specialized media available to anyone who subscribes, tunes in


•Private channels more commonly directed to a particular chosen audience


•Frequently categorized as print or electronic, internal or external, controlled or uncontrolled




Choosing the Medium


•Based on objective, audience, message content, timeliness and budget


•Generally a mix of media is used


•Degree of control usually a factor


•Production costs and cost effectiveness also should be considered




Selecting Proper Medium


•What audience am I trying to reach, and how receptive is it to each medium?


•Which medium has the highest credibility with my audience, and at what cost?


Which medium can I count on to deliver the message within the necessary time constraints?


•Should a single medium be used, or multiple?




Advertising vs. Publicity


•Major distinction is economic


•Advertising is paid, purchased space and time in broadcast or print media (now also Web)


•Publicity is news about a client, organization, product or service that appears in the time or space the media use for information, news, programming


Advertising Used for PR Purpose


•House ad


•Public service announcement (PSA)


•Institutional ad (advertorials, infomercials, advocacy ads)

Commercial Advertising by Nonprofits


•Sometimes pay for space rather than just using donated space


•Advantage of paying is greater control over timing, placement and content


Global Advertising Considerations


•Difficult to adapt advertising pitch from local to global


•Language, culture, tone must be tailored for each locale and audience


Controlled vs. Uncontrolled Advertising


•Controlled advertising (paid)


– advertiser has nearly total control over message, context (size, shape, etc.), timing


– advertiser has access to extensive media research re audience


•Uncontrolled advertising (donated, PSA)


– advertiser controls content but not timing


– so audience reach, coverage not certain


Advertising Problems


•Good ideas are imitated


•Free, PSA ads often placed in undesirable locations, time slots


•Myth of “one size fits all” advertising across borders, cultures




Publicity


•Information carried as editorial content in a medium


•Often news, but can be promotional


•News media depend on PR people to provide news they want, need and will use


•“News subsidies” from PR people to journalists

Publicity Tools


•Publications


– organizational


– industry


– trade or association


•Sponsored magazines


•Newsletters (internal or external)


•Handbooks (usually for employees)


•Film/video (sponsored films, corporate videos, internal videos)


•Feature fillers


•Cable and digital media


•Speeches


•Product or logo placement in films, on merchandise


•Corporate books, museums, exhibits




Controlled Publicity


•Controlled media


– company, industry, trade and association publications are under their editors’ control


–if you’re the editor, they’re controlled


–if you’re submitting but are not the editor, they’re uncontrolled


•Magazines, brochures, newsletters, videos you produce for your organization or a client also are controlled




Uncontrolled Publicity


•News releases: you may control until they are in the hands of an editor, but then they’re uncontrolled


•Tip sheets, fact sheets, queries: you lose control once they are in the hands of the media



Direct Publicity


•Prepared for dissemination directly to desired public/audience


•Organizational publications


•Annual report the “signature piece” produced by an organization


•Electronic communication such as Intranet, videos, closed-circuit TV primarily for internal audiences




Bad vs. No Publicity


•Bad publicity: attributed to errors by management, poor planning, bad policies


•No publicity: attributable to ineffective PR staffer




Rules for Publicity


•Make sure the information is appropriate to the medium in content and style, and is timely.


•Check all facts carefully for accuracy, and double-check for missing information.


•Provide name and contact information of PR person for journalists to contact if they have questions.


•Include appropriate photographs, and identify people and the organization with name, address and telephone number.


•Never call to find out why a news story or photo was not used.


•Don’t request clippings if a news story or photo is published.



Media Relations Tips


•Don’t forget alternative media.


•Observe local customs in interacting with journalists.


•Prepare separate, specific materials for broadcast (which takes considerable knowledge of broadcast media).


•In addition to spot news, think documentaries, talk shows and news features for TV.


•Consider the hybrid media of direct mail, e-mail, 1-800 telephone numbers, etc.


•New digital media, from touch-screen kiosks to Web sites to search engines, can be the “right” media for certain audiences.




Interactive/Digital Media


•Publics can be defined and targeted more precisely.


•Digital media lend themselves to reliable monitoring and evaluating.


•But their instantly-global nature makes spreading of rumors and falsehood too easy.


•And organizations are too easily attacked by rogue sites.