Managing External Relations - Disaster Management Center ...

Communicating with Journalists
Chapter 4
Journalists want factual information such as the number of refugees, dates of displacement or
return, country or place of origin, names of UNHCR’s partners in the emergency operation, major
needs, appeal figures and sources of funding. Journalists are also looking for human-interest stories
and they like sidebars, fact sheets, or secondary stories that provide background or historical detail.
A well written news release can generate great interest and may even be used verbatim in media
stories. Publishers have to weed out many poorly written releases, however, as it is often not worth
their time to edit those that are weak or don’t look like news. Therefore, ensure that your
information is well written, factual, and newsworthy.
All news releases for the press and broadcast media issued from Headquarters must be authorised
and approved by the High Commissioner and the ‘Spokesperson.’ News releases issued in the field
should be authorised and approved by the Representative.
Timing can be as important as the message you send in your news releases. Press and other
media representatives operate under a deadline system and are interested in the latest developments.
They may have a very limited timeframe for the filing of their reports. Where possible, news releases
should be timed to facilitate their inclusion in daily press runs as well as in larger topical articles on
the emergency situation. Regular (weekly or even daily) release of information to the media is one
proactive aspect of emergency management that can help the manager structure other activities in
a more focused way, without constant intrusions/distractions by members of the media.
Tips for creating news releases
♦ Use plain white paper, clearly marked with date, source, and contact
information for any follow up questions. This is preferred by editors.
♦ Try to fit the press release on one page, which may mean not using
an elaborate letterhead. If you must use two pages, try to end the
first page with a complete paragraph.
♦ Double-space the text to allow for editing. Use 50-60 characters per line.
♦ Put the main news at the top of the release. Keep it short, sharp and simple.
Give sources and direct quotes.
♦ Avoid the use of jargon and bureaucratic language.
♦ Communicate efficiently—use the present tense and active voice
(‘Mr. Doyle announced’ rather than ‘it was announced by Mr. Doyle’).
Avoid using long sentences and too many adjectives.
♦ Re-write the press release for broadcasters. The broadcast news release
should take about 90 seconds to read. Spell out phonetically any names
that are difficult to pronounce.
♦ Follow-up on the news release in a day or so to be sure it was received,
whether it will be used, and if there are any problems to be corrected.
If a press release was printed, obtain a copy.
♦ Always get the UNHCR message across.
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