Winning with the News Media: A Self-Defense Manual When You're the Story

The new, updated edition of a classic guidebook. Reviewers have called it the "bible" for news media relations. Written by Clarence Jones, one of the nation's most honored investigative reporters, who left reporting to become a news media consultant and on-camera coach when this book was first published. Jones helps you understand how the news media operate and how to cope with them. A former investigative reporter in both newspapers and television, the author shares his candid, critical assessment of where the media are, and where they're going. The book is divided into three sections -- Media Strategy, Media Skills, and Inside the Media. It includes basic public relations guidelines, as well as extensive, step-by-step recommendations when you've been targeted by the media, or need to get your story out. Interview and news conference tips, crisis management, libel and privacy law are all explored in great detail. How to safely talk to reporters off-the-record. Explanations of how they'll edit you and what you can do to make the editing more accurate. Full text of the code of ethics reporters and editors claim to live by, and what you can do when they break their own rules. Four chapters cover on-camera skills and performance. How to deal with stage fright, how to sit, getting your mind in the right space for the interview. What to wear. How to craft a quote they'll use, and use exactly as you said it. How to judge media advice from your lawyer. The battle for money and power that is now raging between print, television, and the Internet. The book includes extensive case studies of people and corporations who were caught in the media spotlight. How and why they succeeded or failed in defending themselves. Lessons that can be applied to your next crisis. How to become the "expert on call" by creating an inexpensive webcam studio so you're available 24/7 for instant interviews networks and local stations can include in their stories.