Building Media Relationships
How to Establish, Maintain, and Develop Long-Term Relationships

Publisher:  Oxford University Press
Year Published:  2009  
Pages:  244pp   ISBN:  978-0-19-542695-3
Library of Congress Number:  HD59.S64 2008   Dewey:  659.2'0971

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Sommers wrote this guide to teach how media can be used to raise an organization's public profile and improve its connection with the target market. The book focuses on the positive aspects of the media and
introduces a marketing strategy for businesses of all sizes. It provides understanding of the media for beginners and veterans alike, along with tips and systematic instructions for how to build a strong and long-lasting relationship with the media.

According to Sommers, the media is the most cost-effective way to make an organization successful. The goal of the book is to guide a person who is responsible for the media coverage of their organization to make a media plan that best suits their company. The author claims that any organization should be able to harness the power of the media to build trust with the public, increase profits and generate good publicity.
The book is divided into four parts: Part 1, Understanding Media Relations; Part 2, Developing a Media Relations Program; Part 3, Executing a Media Relations Program and Part 4, Issues Management and Crisis Communications.

Beginning with an explanation of the goals of a good media relationship, it takes the reader through the process of establishing one. Then, maintenance and possible problems are introduced. The sections are further divided into 14 chapters that cover such topics as the role of media relations, conducting research to identify media goals and a target audience, developing a media database, managing media interviews and plans to avoid media crises. Each chapter summarizes what the reader can expect to learn and is full of
sample plans, case studies and even stories from Canada#s most successful companies. Much distrust of the media exists in society and this book aims to show how the media is really a supportive, productive tool as opposed to a competitive, adversarial weapon. Sommers believes that "there is nothing more exciting and rewarding for an organization or company than building solid, on-going relationships with the media. Those are, after all, the only kind that matter."

[Abstract by Mia Manns]


Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Credits
Introduction
About the Author
Part 1 Understanding Media Relations
Chapter 1 The Role of Media Relations
Chapter 2 Understanding the Media
Chapter 3 Media Relations in Practice
Part 2 Developing a Media Relations Program
Chapter 4 Conducting Research
Chapter 5 Analyze: Problems, Goals, and Strategies
Part 3 Executing a Media Relations Program
Chapter 6 Developing a Media Database
Chapter 7 Creating a Media Kit
Chapter 8 Contacting the Media
Chapter 9 Managing Media Interviews
Chapter 10 Staging Media Events
Chapter 11 Monitoring the Media, and Measuring and Evaluating Success
Part 4 Issues Management and Crisis Communications
Chapter 12 Defining Your Issues and Creating a Plan
Chapter 13 Avoiding/Preparing for a Crisis and Creating a Plan
Chapter 14 Crisis Communications and Management(with contributions from Kim Yaylor Galway, Perfect 10 Communications)
Appendix
Media Relations Past and Present
Resources
Media Organizations and Associations
Media Relations Online Resources
PR/Media Relations Blogs
Canadian Public Relations Society Accreditation Reading List
Index

Subject Headings

• Contacts/Media
• Crisis Communications
• Goals
• Interview Skills
• Issue Management
• Media Database Management
• Media Relations
• News Releases