What are the most effective ways to build media trust and ensure accurate coverage of your organization?

As a public administrator, you know how important it is to communicate effectively with the media and the public. The media can be a powerful ally or a formidable adversary, depending on how you manage your relationship with them. How can you build media trust and ensure accurate coverage of your organization? Here are some tips to help you achieve this goal.

1 Be transparent and proactive

One of the best ways to build media trust is to be transparent and proactive in sharing information about your organization. Don't wait for the media to ask you questions or to report on issues that affect your work. Instead, provide them with timely, relevant, and accurate information that showcases your achievements, challenges, and solutions. Use various channels, such as press releases, newsletters, social media, podcasts, webinars, and events, to reach out to different audiences and media outlets. Be honest and open about your successes and failures, and explain how you learn from them and improve your performance.

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Andrew Graham 🤜 👈

Fractional PR and comms executive. Former (2021) president of PRSA-NY.
This advice is a little bit off. I wouldn't recommend that a company put genuine, organic news anywhere public (a newswire, social media, etc.) without first shopping it as exclusive to a high-value press outlet. Only two techniques really work right now for obtaining on-message earned media: you have to either embrace conflict or lean into media's appetite for exclusivity. Broad dissemination actually reduces the news value. It's the reason why reporters really dislike embargoes: Nobody really gets to scoop anyone else. This view pertains only to real-news news, and I suppose that's a pretty big caveat because lots of execs want friendly coverage of stuff that it's genuine, organic corporate news. How to pursue that is another matter.
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2 Establish and maintain relationships

Another key factor in building media trust is to establish and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, producers, and influencers who cover your field of work. Don't treat them as adversaries or strangers, but as partners and stakeholders. Get to know them personally, understand their interests and needs, and respect their deadlines and preferences. Offer them exclusive access, interviews, stories, and insights that can help them create engaging and relevant content for their audiences. Respond to their inquiries promptly and courteously, and correct any errors or misunderstandings as soon as possible.

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Andrew Graham 🤜 👈

Fractional PR and comms executive. Former (2021) president of PRSA-NY.
"Don't treat them as adversaries or strangers, but as partners and stakeholders." This is, I guess, fine advice, but absolutely do not tell a journalist you view them as a "partner," or that you want to "partner" with them on a story. Journalists do not view the reporter-source relationship as a partnership. Stay far, far away from that language in any comms to media.
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3 Provide expertise and value

A third way to build media trust is to provide expertise and value to the media and the public. Demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and experience in your field of work, and position yourself and your organization as credible and reliable sources of information. Provide data, facts, figures, and examples that support your claims and arguments, and cite reputable and authoritative sources when appropriate. Provide context, background, and analysis that can help the media and the public understand complex and controversial issues. Provide solutions, recommendations, and best practices that can help the media and the public address challenges and opportunities.

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Andrew Graham 🤜 👈

Fractional PR and comms executive. Former (2021) president of PRSA-NY.
A couple additional pieces of advice: -- Do leave press alone when you don't have news to shop exclusively or compelling, honest views on things in the news cycle. -- Do achieve the standing to comment on the news in your industry. This is NOT easy. Only a small fraction of all companies truly have the standing to command press attention. -- Do pay for news. Put dollars into the pockets of independent publications and writers by subscribing to their work. Pay for trade magazine subscriptions.
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4 Monitor and measure

A fourth way to build media trust is to monitor and measure the impact and effectiveness of your communication efforts. Track and analyze the media coverage of your organization, both positive and negative, and evaluate how it aligns with your goals and messages. Use tools, such as media monitoring services, social media analytics, surveys, and feedback forms, to collect and assess data on the reach, engagement, sentiment, and influence of your communication activities. Use this data to identify gaps, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities for improvement, and adjust your communication strategies and tactics accordingly.

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5 Learn and adapt

A fifth way to build media trust is to learn and adapt to the changing media landscape and public expectations. Stay updated on the latest trends, developments, and innovations in the media industry, and explore new ways to communicate with the media and the public. Learn from your peers, mentors, experts, and best practices in your field of work, and seek feedback and advice from the media and the public. Adapt your communication style, tone, format, and content to suit different media platforms, audiences, and situations. Be flexible, creative, and responsive to the changing needs and demands of the media and the public.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What are the most effective ways to build media trust and ensure accurate coverage of your organization?

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1 Be transparent and proactive

2 Establish and maintain relationships

3 Provide expertise and value

4 Monitor and measure

5 Learn and adapt

6 Here’s what else to consider

Public Administration

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