Media Kits &

Media Kits & Lists

PR 305 Dr. Kelly Winfrey

Media Kit

Collection of communication tactics used to generate news stories

Provides media practitioners with facts, research, perspectives, and context that would be needed to understand and write about your client/issue

It

’

s a reference guide for potential story ideas aimed at media practitioners

Media Kit

What do they do?

Generate news coverage

Answer potential questions before they are asked

Provide new perspectives

Frame the issue

Help reach your target audience

What to Include

Anything and everything that you think a journalist would need to write a story about your client/issue

The easier it is for the journalist, the more likely he/she will consider your client/issue

But..

Don’t waste their time with too much

Identify what the journalists will want and have it ready without making them search

What to Include

Depends on…

Media channel

(print, broadcast, online)

Media outlet

(Des Moines Register, New York Times, KCCI, CNN)

Individual Journalist

(their focus: business, health, politics)

Media List

A compilation of data about the news media that cover certain issues and topics

Used to identify the audience of your media kit and shape the form and content of the kit

Important because sending your finished media kit to the wrong people is the same as never even making it

Types of Media Kits

Promotional Media Kits

Brochures, quotes, reviews about the organization/person

Special Event Media Kits

Explicit details, logistics and backgrounds about the

events

, but not as much about the organization

Apple likely has a media kit for announcement events

Crisis Media Kits

Provides up-to-date info as available. Focus on key figures, facilities, visuals as it pertains to a specific crisis

Delivery

Handed out at a news conference

Timely info, such as during an event or crisis

Handed out at special events, trade shows, conferences

Mailed/faxed/emailed/posted on sites to and for journalists, consumers and audience

Targeted

Shotgun approach

Contents

News releases

Fact sheets

Backgrounders

Biographies

Visuals

(

Note: These are our assignments)

Contents

Shell (folder for hard copy or home page for online)

Holds all of the items

First thing the journalist sees

Presentation is key

Must express style and overall message

Contents

Cover Letter

Letter to recipient of the media kit

Identifies content of the media kit

States why the issue deserves coverage and why it fits with their audience

Explains why they specifically were sent the media kit

Gives names and contacts for more information

Contents

News release

Content written in the form of a news story

Likely the most important part of the kit

Allows PR practitioners to convey a particular message

Frames the issue

Aimed to arouse the curiosity of the journalists

One event or announcement per news release

Contents

Fact Sheet

Information broken down into bulleted form

Purpose is to ease comprehension

Each news release should have a fact sheet

Many different styles of fact sheets

Depends on the strategy and issue

Must be intentional and serve a need

Contents

Visual Materials

Purpose is to amplify news element

Headshots

Product stills

Consumers

Graphics

All visuals need captions

Should all be publication quality

Contents

Biographical Information

Develop for officers, founders, celebrities, experts, or other key players

Straight Bio

factual info in descending order of importance

Narrative Bio

Written in descriptive fashion, pay more attention to personal details

Micro Bio

Short, highlight only info relevant to the kit

Keep bios updated, especially when related to crisis communication

Contents

Backgrounder

Expanded version of history, mission, goals and purpose of client

Should fully define what the organization does

Provides more depth than fact sheets

Contents

Position Paper

Describes client’s stance on some issue

Justification of their opinion

Must be based on facts to support position

Include opposing points of view to maintain credibility

Contents

Feature Story

Human interest story related to the news of the media kit

Organizational Publications

Magazines, brochures or newsletters distributed by the organization

Invitation

Personal invitation to the journalist to attend an event

Contents

News Briefs

Summarize past 24 hours of breaking news, fact based, important for crisis communication

Statement from Spokesperson

Important during crisis

Supplies quotes for reporters to incorporate into their stories

Challenges

Anyone can make a media kit, so journalists get a lot of them

Yours has to cut through the clutter- give them what they want

Newsworthiness

Timely issues

Clear writing

Concise writing

Accurate facts

Unbiased information*

Examples

http://www.weeklystandard.com/advertising/pdf/TWS-media-kit-2013.pdf

https

://thechive.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/thechive_mediakit-4-16-12.

pdf

http://mediakit.fastcompany.com/resources/

FC_MediaKit.pdf

http://www.ellemediakit.com/r5/home.asp