WORDS

Speech presentation is required at public functions where the organisation or an individual is called on to address an audience on a specific topic. The speaker provides facts, figures and details in a simple and unambiguous language.

There are two delivery options: extemporaneous and manuscript speeches. An extempore speech, common amongst politicians and academics, is delivered without reading from a paper. On the other hand, policy makers and corporate organisations largely use manuscripts or prepared texts from where they read their speeches. There are occasional situations when impromptu speeches are demanded. It is advisable that speakers aim to express and pass their messages instead of attempting to impress with high-sounding jargons.

The extemporaneous and manuscript speeches require adequate preparation through research and understanding the nature of the occasion. A speech intended for the general public is naturally different from one meant for professional groups. Likewise, a speech for a political gathering may not be suitable for an academic environment.

While making preparations, the speaker should be aware of the need to research and know the theme/topic, the nature of the audience, the environment, and the occasion. It should also be considered if questions would be asked at the end of the speech. Basic principles in communication process, opening, body and conclusion should be adhered to.

The media relations officer may consult relevant departments while drafting a speech, especially where there is a section that handles issues pertaining to the occasion or the topic. If necessary, he may ask the department to make a draft while he recommends areas that would give the speech adequate bite. A dry speech, like a dull press release, does not receive media attention.

While it is easier to impress the audience through extemporaneous speeches, which show one’s mastery of the topic, a scripted speech is preferred for its time consciousness, accuracy of fact, technical proficiency and for record purposes.

The role of a media relations officer is to give the speech adequate publicity. He should make sure elements of newsworthiness are incorporated in the speech and that enough copies are produced for circulation to the press. Some basic tools can also be provided for the occasion, like microphone, projectors, video recording etc.

Press Briefing/ Conference

There are occasions when an organisation may require the presence of media representatives to inform them on its activities and new developments. The press briefing or press conference is organised for this purpose. The forum provides an opportunity for face-to-face interaction between the top management of the organisation and the media. The press briefing is organised to brief members of the press on developments and product launch. The press conference is broader in scope. The journalists are not only addressed but their questions entertained. Other relevant stakeholders may be in attendance at the press conference. The advantage of the press briefing is that it affords the organisation the opportunity to address the media on vital issues of public importance. It is the responsibility of the media relations officer to arrange and coordinate the event. For an adequate preparation, he may also draft a questionnaire containing questions on areas likely to draw media attention and public interest. There is also the need to be cautious of making statements that may injure the organisation’s reputation.

A press conference may not be necessary if the intention is to read a prepared statement without providing further explanation or entertain questions from the media. It is safer to issue a statement signed by the senior officer in the organisation than wasting time and energy to organise a serious press gathering. In preparing for a press conference, a programme is drawn up and adequate preparation made to ensure a hitch-free occasion. It is crucial to make adequate arrangements for the equipment, venue, date and time, which should not coincide with other engagements that could easily overshadow the conference.

Interviews

An authoritative person in the organisation, preferably the chief executive officer, is appropriate for granting interviews to the media. A briefing note on the areas to be covered is made available to the interviewee to get fully prepared for the task. The briefing note may be in the form of questionnaire on likely areas that will interest the media and the public on the organisation or the issue at stake. The interviewee must be trained on interview techniques especially on composure, exuding a friendly mien, emotional control even in the face of provocation, and cautiousness when answering tricky questions.

Media interview can be held between an individual with few media representatives or one-to-one with a single media representation. The media relations officer must discuss the background with the participants on both sides. An interview conducted may not be used immediately but its excerpts may appear in the form of a news story or commentary. A good interview may be used in its entirety, either in question-and-answer format or as profile. Normal media interview is not commercialised; the editor has the final authority on its use. Some interviews may take a long period of time before their use in the media due to some technical and editorial exigencies. It is necessary for the media relations officer to ensure he records the interview for documentation and future reference. While some respected mass media honour “OFF RECORD”, such requests should be minimal and made with caution.

Courtesy call/facility visit

Visits where interaction can be formal and informal are intended to establish and sustain cordial relationships and goodwill with the media and the general public. It is the responsibility of the media relations officer to decide whether a visit to the organisation should be covered by the media or publicised through the issuance of a press release after the occasion. While it is easy to control coverage of visit to the organisation and its facilities, it is difficult to control a visit to other establishments, unless the media officers of the two organisations have agreed on modalities

A courtesy call that is used to make public statements and raise issues of public importance may require media attention. Some breaking news and major headlines in the media came from remarks from well-coordinated courtesy calls. On the other hand, facility visits are recommended to showcase new products, facilities and innovations in the organisation. A visit can also be arranged after a resolution of a crisis. Rehabilitation of destroyed facilities, acquisition of new equipment and launching of new products are good examples of occasions when facility tours can be undertaken. Other visits that may be undertaken to attract media attention include tours of media houses, condolence visits, familiarisation tours and solidarity visits, amongst others. The personalities and institutions involved matter in conferring newsworthiness on the event.

Enquiries

Most media enquiries to organisations are routed through the media relations office. As part of their professional duties to get accurate information, media representatives may pay visits or make phone calls to confirm or clarify information, which they believe are important

An officer who refuses to attend to media enquiries will regret afterwards since one-sided and unfavourable story will most likely be published or broadcast against his organisation. If an organisation refuses to balance a story on the prompting of the media, the editor is not under any obligation to wait endlessly for such response. If there are demands for disclosure of sensitive documents, for instance, which may be inimical to the organisation’s operations, it is necessary to be open to the press by appealing to them to soften their likely hard-line stance because of the security implication of such classified information. If the information is not available at the material time, it is better for the media relations officer to inform the media so, instead of dribbling them with unnecessary excuses. It is mandatory for a good media relations officer to return telephone calls.

The best person to speak to the media is not the press secretary but the boss, who is the representative of the organisation. He must be eloquent, organised and able to read the mood of the occasion and the audience. The media relations officer is to coordinate the session for the relevant officer to speak. It is only in rare situations that the media officer speaks publicly to the press.

Journalists covering the finance and political beats crave for the chairman of the commission to speak with them; though occasions where Engr. Hamman Tukur speaks publicly are rare. They are always fully loaded with undisputable facts and details. If the situation is impromptu, like the usual media ambush at occasions outside the commission’s office, my job is not to deny journalists the opportunity of hearing from the horse’s mouth, but I humbly insist on my terms. “Please only a few questions or minutes,” I usually say. But does the chairman prepare for such onslaughts? If I have reasons to suspect that the situation is dicey, I always stand amongst the journalists for facial contact with the chairman. He is very good at facial communication. I am always honoured when he says, “Ask my press secretary if he can allow me to speak with you.” Only on few occasions, however, have I objected to media requests when he deferred to my judgement.

But on most impromptu occasions where the chairman does not read from prepared texts, I ensure I liaise with the reporters immediately afterwards to put the statements made in proper perspectives. The reason is that no two reporters can interpret proceedings in the same way or write their story in the same words. The spokesperson is mostly to coordinate, clarify and build consensus on areas of interest to the public, the organisation and the media. It is necessary to advise the officer to be cautious of giving out an exclusive story indiscriminately. I was once summoned by a very top public office holder of the Federation to explain the leakage of sensitive information, whose source is known to the media. When some media that thought they had got an exclusive story contacted me, I sought their understanding to drop the harmless news because of thinking in some quarters that it is better to discredit preemptive stories from critical media. While editors of some of the papers were magnanimous to respect my appeal but on condition that no other media should use it, the story was still published by other media weeks after without my consent. You cannot gag the media all the times when they have their facts. That episode further proves to me that the media can go to any length to get their information however sensitive. I appreciate the efforts of Segun Adeniyi, Tunde Rahman (both of Thisday), Yusuf Ali of Punch, Mojeed Jamiu of Daily Independent, Modibbo Kawu of Daily Trust and Abdulahi Debo of Tribune who saved me from unnecessary embarrassment and official reprimand from that incidence. I still wonder who could have raised that false report on me. Is it a mole within or outside or even amongst the media? One must be careful.

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