Marketing Skills: Public Relations (PR): Successful PR and the regional media

Audience

This programme has been designed for all those who have - or plan to have - regular contact with the regional media, including:

• PR managers and executives
• Account executives
• Marketing managers
• Press officers
• Public affairs staff and communications advisers

Skills Gained

This seminar will help you to:

• Understand and use to your advantage, the differences between regional and national media
• Clarify the campaign planning process and establish its effectiveness
• Examine the distinct tools and language approaches you need to communicate at the local level
• Develop and enhance your relationship with the picture desk
• Disentangle the variety of local print media available and decide which is right for your campaign
• Understand the significance of local and regional television
• Identify the contrast between commercial radio and the BBC and what they can offer

Course Outline

How the regional media operate

• The regional media reach parts of the population the national media never touch
• Regional newspapers are read by 84% of all adults, a third of whome do not read a national
• Over 300 local commercial radio stations reach 27 million listeners or 56% of all adults
• Regional TV news programmes also reach huge audiences
• Regional websites are growing all the time
• They are all crying out for words and pictures, and yet millions of pounds are wasted on sending them inappropriate PR material
• What make journalists tick? Find out the right buttons to press to get coverage from Penzance to Perth, from Brighton to Belfast

Getting your pictures in

• Why pictures?
• Defining a good news picture
• Targeting the customer
• Keeping in touch with the picture desk
• Supporting your idea
• Who takes your pictures - you, or the newspaper?
• Doing it yourself
• Presenting your material
• Special events

The future is local

• In an increasingly global market, is the future of local identity doomed?
• Far from it - many believe local and regional communities are set to grow in influence
• The Government has revealed its plan for up to eight new regional assemblies
• What does this mean to the mix of national/regional/local public relations programmes?
• To communicate and market effectively, we must first understand our audience and what makes it tick - its language, culture and local agendas
• Then we must speak through a medium it trusts

Handling the local media in a crisis

• How to get your story over
• Getting fair play from your local media
• Why forward planning is vital
• Strategies for turning public opinion in your favour

Regional media - the editor's perspective

• What the editor would like from the PR professional
• How to establish rapport with the regional media
• How to target regional newspaper PR platforms
• How to save a press release from the spike
• Popular angles and hot tips
• Why free newspapers are worth targeting

PR and local television

• The value of regional television
• Regional - not local
• News angles
• Visual appeal
• VNRS
• Release timing

A view from the public sector

• Local authorities - key players in local communities
• Public sector bodies as a source of news
• You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
• The up and down relationship between the public sector and the media
• Being realistic - it's not all good news
• Making the most of your coverage

PR and local radio

• The shape of regional and local radio, BBC and commercial
• Why use radio?
• The popularity of radio
• The diversity of radio
• How to use radio
• Practical tips for interviewing
• The future of radio
• Useful contacts

Marketing Skills: Public Relations (PR): Successful PR and the regional media / MA-PR-S