Reading Summary 8

Martin de la Cruz

Reference:

Zuk, R. (2013). Social media interviews: connecting with journalists on today’s open Web. Public Relations Tactics,20(5) 9. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.uvu.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=9127a209-e1be-4359-a4cc-48030ab0302f%40sessionmgr111&vid=5&hid=106

Theme:

The theme of this article was to give guidelines for the interview process with journalists of online media outlets.

Summary:

·         Online news has become an increasingly popular news outlet for readers/viewers.

·         With the growth of social media and online news, only a few changes need to be addressed in the interview process.

·         Speaking in sound bites gives an advantage to spokespeople and their causes for controlling what may be used on Twitter or liked on Facebook.

·         Sound bites should be short, concise, memorable, and true to the message.

·         Consider the context of the interactions within the social and digital realms.

·         Understand the procedure used be each individual journalist you interview with.

·         Social media interviews can occur in any setting and without warning, so it is important to stay alert.

·         Do not say anything that would not be said in a formal setting when interviewing with social media journalists.

Application to Lesson Topic:

Understanding the few differences and similarities between online and traditional journalism and the interview process goes a long way in controlling your image.

Application to Emergency Services:

Understanding what to do during interviews and being prepared for them will help you better craft a message that will advance your organization’s causes with the media and connect with the public.