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June 21, 2007
By Roger Bloom
There’s nothing quite like a phone call from a reporter to get the attention of a firm’s management.
What should we say? Should we say anything at all? What does she want? Who’s going to call him back? What if they ask about that messy managing partner change back in ’03?!?
It’s showtime!
Now, if your firm is one of the big ones that have PR consultants on retainer, you’re probably already fairly used to dealing with the press or have been well prepared to do so.
If you’re among the other 98%, however, there are things you can learn and do beginning right now so that you too will be prepared when Mike Wallace comes calling.
The first thing to know is that reporters generally are not Mike Wallace, looking only for a “gotcha.” Most reporters say, and believe, that their job is to compile as complete, fair and accurate a report as possible under deadline pressure.
So, what a reporter wants and needs most of all is good information – that is, information on the firm’s or the firm client’s position on an issue, or information he can use to better understand a given issue before he starts writing.
The best thing to do is answer questions clearly and concisely and make every effort to help the reporter understand the issues involved and the firm’s position on those issues.
“No comment,” is not a good answer. What that says to readers is, “What they’re saying about us, that isn’t the half of it!” Similarly, “We can’t comment because we haven’t seen the lawsuit yet,” is an obvious dodge with much the same message to readers. If you or your client is being sued, you darn well know why, and you should be able to tell your side of the story.
If you can’t comment directly, because of attorney-client privilege or some other good reason, tell the reporter the reason and try to direct her to court documents or other public information that helps explain the issues and, if possible, includes the firm’s or client’s side of the story.
The second thing to keep in mind is the reporter probably needs the information quickly. Calls should be returned promptly. But that doesn’t mean you need to take an incoming call and start answering questions immediately.
When a reporter calls out of the blue, find out what he wants to know and what his deadline is. Tell him that you or an appropriate partner will get back to him soon. Take a little time to think about your response and discuss it with the managing partner or affected partners. Then someone from the firm can call him back.
These pointers are, of course, reactive. That is, they explain what to do when a reporter calls in a breaking-news situation. But there are several things a firm can and should do proactively, both when news is breaking and on an ongoing basis, to establish good relations with the media.
Your main proactive tool is the press release. A press release should be clear and concise, with a first sentence that tells the reporter what the news is and why she should care. If you know an event is pending that you’ll need or want to comment on (e.g. a verdict, a deal signing, a court filing), prepare a draft release in advance and get the necessary reviews and approvals done. You also can decide on who will be the firm’s spokesperson on the issue and prepare him or her. And if you know the reporters who will be doing the story, you can start feeding them information before the event so they are prepared as well.
When the event does occur, distribute the release immediately. The first comments a reporter gets can heavily influence the direction her story will take. And be sure that the firm spokesperson is available that day to respond to reporters’ calls for more info.
A firm that already has a relationship with a reporter will tend to fare better in a breaking-news situation than one the reporter is unfamiliar with. Building those relationships is an ongoing effort that can have several facets:
• Sending out regular (i.e. once or twice a month) press releases about firm activities and news. New attorneys, favorable verdicts or settlements (with clients’ permission), and firm community activities are all good press release material. They won’t always be picked up and run, but they keep the firm name top-of-mind among the reporters and editors.
• Offer firm partners as third-party experts on stories they’re not directly involved in. Niches like intellectual property, privacy and civil rights, SEC compliance and litigation are often in the news and reporters need “unbiased” sources of both background and quotable information. When a big story like a Supreme Court decision breaks, distribute a quotable statement to the press right away.
• Invite reporters and editors to a lunch meeting with key partners you want to establish as firm spokespeople or topic experts. Free food is a big attractor for the press, and the attention is flattering.
• Remember that morning is the best time to contact reporters on daily papers or at broadcast outlets. This is when they’re planning their day. They are more likely to be out in the field or facing a deadline later in the day.
In summary, there are plenty of nuances involved in dealing with the press, but the basic thing to keep in mind is that reporters are doing the best they can to be fair, are on a deadline, and need good information. If you respect them and their needs, you will get respect and fair treatment 99% of the time.
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