News Conferences

Hold a news conference when you have something to say that is new and can be enhanced visually or through charismatic spokespersons. An old newspaper adage describes the difference between an item that is newsworthy and one that is not: “Dog bites man is not a story, but man bites dog is.”

Applying this philosophy to your issue can help determine whether or not a news conference is appropriate. Remember, if you hold a news conference and no one comes, you may lose face with those you have recruited as spokespersons, as well as with the press.

Be sure to use good audiovisual materials to enhance your information. Charts, graphs, pictures, banners, and other visual materials should be large enough to be seen from a distance. They should be attractive and designed to effectively deliver the point you want to make.

Examples of reasons to hold a press conference include:

• The opening of a new one-stop center.
• The launching of a new campaign to help solve a particular problem experienced by persons with disabilities.
• Celebration of the International Day of Disabled Persons.

In general, press conferences should be arranged and managed by larger organizations equipped to deal with the media.

Steps For Holding A Press Conference

Getting the word out: Announce the conference with a media advisory or a news release, but hold back the important information for the event itself. The advisory should be sent out three to five days before the event to give the media enough time to schedule a reporter to cover it. Send out a reminder two days before the event, and follow up with a phone call the day before to insure media attendance. This is when your media list and ongoing media relations can be very helpful. Be sure to call reporters who have shown an interest in or covered your issue in the past.

Place and time: Make sure the location you choose will accommodate the media (e.g., has a sufficient number of electrical outlets, good lighting, and enough space for cameras and sound equipment). The news conference should be held early in the day to give the media time to develop and edit their stories. Monday’s through Thursday’s are usually the best days for hard news coverage. If TV and radio reporters attend the conference, plan on the camera and sound crews arriving well before starting time to set up. They may want to tape some brief interviews with your speakers before the news conference begins. Plan extra time to give reporters access to your spokespersons before and after the conference.

Spokespersons: Feature good speakers who are issue experts or community leaders. Always ask, is this person interesting enough to watch on TV or listen to on the radio? Before the news conference, discuss the agenda with your speakers, explain the questions they might be asked, and have them practice the answers they would give. Develop talking points that communicate your main messages. Make sure that each speaker will address a different topic and not repeat information given by another speaker. (Click here for "The messenger is as important as the message" and "Media Interviews".)

Materials: At the event, distribute media kits that include an agenda, background information on the issue being addressed, brief bios of your speakers, and other materials that support your issue. (Click here for additional information on "Developing A Press Kit".)