Decision and Information Sciences -

Research Areas:

   Energy, Environment, and    Economics

   National and Homeland    Security

   Infrastructure Assurance

   Emergency Preparedness

   Social Dynamics

   Policy Analysis

Core Capabilities:

   Systems Analysis

   Modeling, Simulation, and    Visualization

   Complex Adaptive Systems

   Decision and Risk Analysis

   Information Sciences

News Briefings

When properly planned and executed, a news briefing can be a powerful tool to aid you in communicating the messages you want disseminated to the public. A poorly planned and executed news briefing, however, can quickly deteriorate into chaos, causing your message to be lost and speculation and misinformation to prevail, resulting in the loss of public confidence in your ability to handle the crisis.

BRIEFING OR CONFERENCE – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE

News briefings and news conferences are basically handled the same way. The difference is that a news conference deals with multiple topics and is usually more formal. A news briefing deals with one topic and is often less formal. The planning, execution, and follow-through are all the same.

WHOM TO INVITE AND WHEN

Invite all agencies with a stake in the event to attend the briefing. When notifying the media, be sure to invite non-English news outlets and wire services. Make sure there is enough time for the media to arrive and still meet their deadlines. Try to find out if broadcast media will cover it live.

AFTER IT’S DONE

Document what was said during the briefing, including all media questions.

Review the material for any misinformation.

Transcribe comments as soon as possible.

Monitor media coverage to ensure your messages were accurately disseminated.

Follow up on requested information.

NEWS CONFERENCE FACILITY

Whenever possible, hold your news conference indoors for a controlled environment. Outside, wind, rain, insects, bright sunshine, and loud noise can distract you and the media from what you are trying to communicate.

Make sure the room is large enough for all participants, including reporters and camera crews

Have clear ingress and egress for your speakers.

Make allowances for live media coverage. Stations providing live coverage will lay cable from their trucks to the news conference location; most carry from 500 to 1,000 feet of cable.

Make an audio Mult Box available.

Avoid the rear podium reversal-shot area by having a backdrop or wall. If you must hold the news briefing outside, hold it near a building wall or bring in a vehicle (such as a van) to provide a backdrop.

Make sure the physical environment is properly controlled (e.g., check heating and air conditioning ahead of time).

WHAT NOT TO WEAR

What we wear can affect how we are perceived by the public. If your agency has a uniform, wear it. Uniforms convey authority and lend credibility. If you are with a non-uniformed organization, wear clothing appropriate to the situation (i.e., a suit in an office, working clothes at a disaster site, etc.). Never wear sunglasses. If glasses are needed, avoid photo gray lenses. Avoid clothing with high contract colors or “busy” patterns. Avoid large, shiny jewelry.

PREPARE THE PARTICIPANTS

Determine ahead of time who will speak about what, making sure speakers stick to their areas of knowledge.

Rehearse key messages and sound-bite comments.

Rehearse stagecraft and “handoffs” by showing speakers how to leave the microphone and allow another speaker to step up in a smooth fashion.

Remind speakers not to touch the microphones, tap on the podium or hunch if the microphone is low.

Have speakers focus on the person currently speaking; remind them that the camera may be focused on them even if they are not speaking.

Brief elected officials, policy makers and technical experts on their roles.
Let speakers know what media are present and if any of the reporters have prior issues or agendas.

Inform participants of any anticipated issues or questions from the media.