Powerful allies

Ask many public information officers what they think about members of the media, and you will get a variety of responses. Some may envision this:

Now that's scary!

Others may pause for a few moments, then admit they think of this:

Oh, how sneaky...

It's a real shame that these are the images we have when it comes to members of the media, because they are some of the best allies we could ever ask for. From simple stories that give people a general idea of what our organizations do to conveying critical life-or-death information in the middle of a disaster, the media's broad reach and credibility can be critical to the success of your message.

Build those media relations!

Now, how do you get started building that relationship? That's what Melissa Agnes of Agnes + Day spoke about recently during a podcast about building relationships with your local media. Some of the topics we covered included:

• Building relationships with reporters and the media
• The benefits of good media relations during a crisis
• The three words that mean a lot to a reporter
• How social media helps - and potentially hinders - opportunities for building these relationships

Simply click here to listen to the podcast, and hopefully, you will find it entertaining and educational.

Tom Iovino, Public Information Specialist
Pinellas County, Florida
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomiovino