The conversation will happen anyway...be a part of it

Research has shown the undeniable power (whether we like it or not) of the news media to set the agenda locally and nationally for what issues the public thinks are important.  This in turn can impact foundation interest, donations, volunteerism, larger social movements, and even candidate platforms.

Here’s another reality: news reporters rarely get any training on the issues that they are reporting on, so when there are inaccuracies, it’s likely not out of malevolence but an information gap. Reporters want to get the story right as part of their job and need resource experts to do it.

And another:  Crisis communication (dealing with the media when something bad happens either internally at your organization or externally when a disaster occurs) unfortunately is on the rise as a needed skill, but is an area those in the nonprofit sector rarely receive instruction or training.

There is no need to feel at the mercy of the news media as a result of any of these realities.  You can learn to anticipate questions (and formulate your answers), control the messages and sound bites likely to be used in the story -- and do it in a way that does not oversimplify social issues or your work.  Moreover, you can become the needed expert resource in your area that many reporters really need.

Dr. Loflin spent years working with the local news media, serving as an expert resource and clearinghouse for reporters on social issues, regularly appearing on-air and working with reporters behind the scenes in creating social issue news stories.  She also researched the agenda-setting role of the press in communities during her doctoral program.  She translated those learnings to media relations and messaging seminars that she taught to nonprofit leaders at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University.