Craig Verley

Growing up, we were all taught the importance of manners. This included saying, “please” and “thank you.” Do you remember those manners when working with reporters?

Remembering to say “please” and “thank you” regularly can improve and perhaps even strengthen your working relationship with your local media.

Most of us are probably already doing the “please” part. Basically, that entails pitching your story ideas to reporters. Go beyond sending mass emails to your local reporters on stories. If you know a particular topic might be of interest to a particular reporter and would likely get overlooked in mass emails, reach out to just that one reporter first. Let them know that you have this idea that seems to fit well in their wheelhouse or has been an area of interest to them, and you wanted to give them first crack at it before approaching others with the story idea. Or perhaps you have sent out a news release to multiple reporters. Give one or two of them a quick call or follow-up message indicating you just wanted to make sure it didn’t get lost in the shuffle because you felt it was important or would be a good fit for their interests or beat.

Now, how many of you are saying “thank you” on a regular basis? If it is not being done regularly, you are missing an opportunity to grow your working relationship with those reporters and news outlets. Go beyond a quick text or email saying, “thank you.”  Taking your appreciation public can mean a lot to the reporter or news outlet. Use your social media to publicly share a post of gratitude for the coverage and include a link to the story when possible. That not only gives the news folks a public pat on the back that they don’t often get, but it can also draw more attention to the story, which, depending upon the topic, could bring positive attention to your students, school(s), or district.

If you really want to blow a reporter’s mind, thank them for fair coverage of a tough topic. We may not always like the angle of a particular story. But if the reporter did a balanced job of covering the facts and was fair in any conclusions drawn, acknowledge that with a quick email, call, or text directly to the reporter. The school accountability system, school finance system, and so much of our operations are very complex and a challenge for even the experts to fully understand and explain. If a reporter takes a complex issue like that and boils it down into something the average reader/viewer/listener can understand, let the reporter know.

So, don’t forget to say “please” and “thank you” as a regular part of your media relations. Remembering these two basics of manners we were taught as children can make a positive difference in the coverage your district receives as well as strengthen your working relationships with news folks.