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Members Key Resources » AAAAI News AAAAI eNews Promoting your Practice Disease Management/ Ask the Expert Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Education and Research Trust (ART) Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Members Only Area Member Resources Online Membership Directory Committee/Interest Section AAAAI Organizational Chart AAAAI Assemblies » Constituencies » Members Contact AAAAI: Professional Home for the Practicing Allergist AAAAI Job Placement Center Grants and Awards Hot Topics Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (JCAAI) ST*AR Program AAAAI Assembly overview Allied Health Federation of the RSLAAI Societies International Military Allergy New Allergist/Immunologist Assembly Program Directors Associates Board of Directors Interest Sections Fellows-In-Training		Allied Health: Articles of Interest   Media Relations Tips By Kevin L. Letz, ND, APRN, CEN, ANP, CS, FNP-C, PNP, BC, AE-C Do you shiver or smile when contacted by the news media? If you shiver, you probably have had a bad experience with the news media or just don’t like public attention. A bad experience is often the result of a misinformed reporter. But, if the reporter has no local expert for information then the chances of misinforming the public goes up. Whether you like it or not, you are that expert with regards to allergies and asthma in your area and the media is not going away. So start smiling and follow these tips. Make contacts We must communicate with local news media. Call them instead of waiting for them to call you. Get to know the local health reporter and, if your daily schedule allows, offer to be a source for articles about health care and related issues. Also consider suggesting some potential story ideas. For example, if an issue is newsworthy, consider writing your own story or opinion piece and submitting it to the newspaper. Speak to reporters When a reporter calls and leaves a message, return the call promptly since deadlines are often tight. A good rule of thumb is the adage, “he who hesitates is lost.” Be quotable when speaking to a reporter, and sprinkle a few facts into your conversation. Over the telephone or in person, you should be able to rattle off some statistics about allergic disease and how allergists positively impact patients. Prepare for interviews ahead of time. Make a list of questions (even the hard ones you hope no one will ask) and craft responses. Take the opportunity to enlighten the public about the allergy profession. We teach patients all day long, so why not teach the media? Listen carefully to the questions you are asked. Think about your response, and then speak slowly and clearly. Do not panic; remain in control of the interview and make your points concisely. If you are asked a question that is based on an incorrect assumption, explain why it is incorrect. By doing this, you will educate the reporter and steer the interview in an appropriate direction. Know your audience It is of utmost importance to know your audience. Remember, you are not talking to your medical colleagues but the lay public. Don’t try to “get all technical” to make yourself look sophisticated, instead pretend your talking one-on-one with a patient. You won’t impress anyone if they don’t understand what you’re saying. Zero in on key messages There are hundreds of opportunities to make news every year. A few examples include over-the-counter antihistamines (and maybe nasal steroids), anti-IgE therapy and indoor molds. Tip sheets A tip sheet is a simple list of 6-12 tips that tell people how to do something—usually how to solve a particular problem. Examples: Tips for allergy-proofing your home Media tip sheet Make contacts Be available Know your audience “Zero in” on key messages Give tips Share your stories Editors love tip sheets because they’re ready-made lists that require no extra work on the part of the reporter. Publications can simply reprint them verbatim. TV stations love them because they provide content for the short, bulleted lists that are flashed on the screen and often accompany stories. Sometimes editorial writers even use the sheets as fodder for their editorials. Share your stories Reach out to the media in your community, and let them know about your work. Consider inviting a reporter to spend the day with you. Allergist/immunologists have many human interest stories to share. Prepare a few examples of how you personally made a difference in the lives of your patients. Sometimes we have to toot our own horns. Who knows? Maybe a national news organization will pick up the story and the entire specialty will benefit from the publicity you helped generate. <back>
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