While listening to our January program guests who spoke about the Aurora bus crash tragedy last November, I was reminded of how complicated the relationships can be between the media and the communities they serve. The representatives from Metro, Seattle Police Dept., Seattle Fire Dept., and Harborview Medical Center all gave the media high marks for respecting the boundaries that were created in the aftermath of the accident.

But they also agreed there’s a built-in conflict between the media’s need for information and the public’s right to know versus the need to protect privacy and the requirement to preserve the integrity of accident and crime scenes. As communications professionals, there’s a lot we can do to minimize tension and maintain good relationships with the media, so that when a major story breaks, a foundation of mutual respect and cooperation remains in place.

By its very nature the media is aggressive. Good reporters and news room staffs are supposed develop stories, be there first, and bring as much information as possible to the public. For better or worse, the news business has become faster and more immediate with the advent of the Internet and satellite communications. But to satisfy its voracious appetite, the media still needs credible and responsive sources for its content. That’s our opportunity to shape the outcome.

If media exposure is part of your strategy or, as it happens in some cases, it is thrust upon you, then it is important to be ready. The key ingredient is to know your message inside and out and make sure you give the most important information first. Who or what are you representing? What do you want the public to know or understand? Do you want your audience to take some action or support a particular cause? And, don’t lie or mislead the media; it will always come back to haunt you!

Remember to keep it simple, clear, and concise. Don’t talk down to your audience, but make sure you’ve given concrete examples to reinforce your points. It’s also a good idea to have good background information available to provide some context for the story.

For professionals in the media, it’s difficult to resist the pack mentality that often surrounds a major story. As a producer for almost 13 years, the most difficult calls for me to make were to parents or family of missing and murdered children to ask if they were willing to talk on-air. What made it possible, even though it was my job, was the belief that the media could help find the child or apprehend those responsible. I always tried to put myself in their position. When the answer was no, I stopped calling, but if they were receptive, I stayed in touch, respecting their feelings, and usually we would get the interview first.

It is also essential to be straightforward with people who agree to speak to the media. If they ask, it is appropriate to let them know what the focus of an interview will be. On my programs, we never gave out questions in advance, but we were always willing to talk about the areas to be covered, and we never shied away from controversy. When a controversial story breaks, the people who act as spokespeople can usually anticipate most questions the media will ask. The challenge for reporters is to get them to talk in the first place!

The public and our communities as a whole benefit when relationships with the media are built on trust and mutual respect. As we saw with the Aurora bus accident, it is possible to cover an important story aggressively, respecting the boundaries and still scooping the competition!