The relationship between institutions and journalists has changed. The organisations that adapt earn coverage; the rest buy it and are believed less.
Newsrooms are smaller, deadlines are shorter, and audiences are more sceptical of institutional voices than at any point in recent memory. The old model — a press release, a launch event, a hopeful follow-up — is no longer a strategy.
Be useful before you are needed
The most valuable position an organisation can hold is that of a reliable source: quick to respond, accurate, willing to speak on difficult subjects and honest about what it does not know. That standing cannot be built during the week you need coverage.
Bring a story, not an announcement
Journalists are not in the business of publicising organisations. Offer what they can actually use: original data, access to people who make decisions, and context that makes a complex story reportable.
Prepare spokespeople properly
A well-briefed spokesperson who can speak plainly is worth more than a perfectly worded statement. Media training is not about avoiding questions; it is about being able to answer them.
Correct accurately, not aggressively
Where coverage is wrong, correction should be precise, evidenced and proportionate. Escalation rarely improves the record and frequently extends the story.