Media Relations

Hello again,

Media relations is still an area that I need more experience in. I have learnt through my experience as intern the importance of media relations, especially in the setting of a hospital. Media relations at St John of God is very much a strategic function and as result only the Marketing and Public Relations Manager and the Chief Executive Officer are the official media spokespersons.

I have also learnt the value of prompt responses from the media. On day one, my boss, the Marketing and Public Relations Manager, received a call from a representative of “The West Australian”. A journalist was in the process of writing an article on increasing birth rates and was after a photo of a new mum who recently gave birth at St John of God Hospital Murdoch. This request resulted in three returned phone calls and a photo shoot arranged for that afternoon. The outcome of this photo shoot of a new mum who gave birth at St John of God Murdoch, resulted in an article on increasing birth rates and, incidentally, a positive media coverage for the hospital. My boss also explained that this is what is called neutral news story - a story that is not generated by a media release, one that is generated from contact with the media through other means.

Throughout my internship I became familiar with the daily reports from media monitors. On average St John of God Health Care, could receive about 10 articles with the name of the organisation mentioned. These articles could be from any of the 14 hospitals located around Australia and New Zealand. The media monitoring service also included information on health related issues. In this last month the Swine Flu has been very topical along with articles on budget cuts to the health care industry following the recent Federal Budget release. Also reading through the media clippings file and the media file ensured that I was up to date with what was going on - media wise for St John of God Murdoch.

I was eventually able to try my hand a writing my first official radio release. A wrote a public service announcement for Curtin FM calling for volunteers to assist in Murdoch's volunteer program. The announcement was aired the next day, but to my disappointment we only had a few enquiries that resulted from the release.

A few weeks later, I was given the opportunity to write a media release about recent research into breastfeeding. This was an interesting and challenging task. I had to read a research paper and do my own research. The first media release I produced was good but I had taken the wrong angle.. opps I forgot to check the media angle - how silly!! My boss did also confess that she could have given me a little more guidance in the matter. The next media release was of substance, but the order had to be revamped. It turns out what you are taught at uni does not always equal the real life situation.. I guess it depends on writing styles. It is better sometimes to bring in quotes alot earlier to get a good story.

One day my boss printed off a media tracking summary report. This was an interesting read. This report is complied each month by the Group Director of Marketing and Public Relations in Melbourne. It aims to track the quantity and type of media coverage that each hospital attracts. Each hospital statistics are presented in a bar graph and divided into 3 sections. Positive stories– these are media stories that have been generated by a media release. Neutral stories– these are media stories where St John of God Health Care is mentioned in passing and not generated by a media release. Negative stoires– these are media stories where St John of God Health Care is being critised by others. In the April the Murdoch Hospital was ranked 4th. This was good to see how evaluation on corporate reputation and media coverage is carried out.

Anyway enough from me.

I hope everyone is going well with their reports :)