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Working with Your Local Media
Calvin Symposium on Worship
Nathan Bierma and Phil de Haan

The relationship between churches and the news media is too often one of mutual indifference or mistrust. Having the stories of your congregation or organization told in the news media is an important way to communicate your mission and service to a wider audience and to have a public presence in your community. This session explores practical ways of connecting with local reporters and maintaining healthy and beneficial relationships with the media.

• Listen to this presentation (24 MB, 51:15)
• Read comments from pastors on working with the media

1. Why do public relations?

            - definition: "Public relations is the management function that establishes and maintains mutually beneficial relationships between an organization and the publics on whom its success or failure depends."

            - You have different publics. (Examples: regular attenders, non-regular attenders, potential attenders, other pastors, reporters, your denomination or affiliated organization)

            - areas: advertising, marketing, media relations, and public relations

2. Why do media relations?

            - news media exist to tell stories, and your church or organization has stories to tell.

            - news media can communicate the mission and work of your church to a mass audience.

3. How do you do media relations?

            - news releases

            - direct contact

            - relationship building

4. How can we use our congregation's or organization's website?

            - information for visitors/newcomers

            - information for congregation (congregational life and worship statement)

            - information for media: history, pastor's bio, etc.

            - podcast weekly sermons

5. What can we do with limited/unpaid personnel?

            - keep it simple

            - consider a blog format rather than high-maintenance site

6. What should we do in the case of scandal and crisis?

            - get the facts straight

            - decide who will speak for the congregation

            - don't sandbag

            - see an opportunity to speak about grace

Recommended Resources

"Working with the News Media," by Phil de Haan

"Introduction to Media Relations for Churches," Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

Alban Weekly 4-part series on publicity: its first two articles are on advertising and publicity, and it offers a resource list for publicity.

Find a Niche and Scratch It: Marketing Your Congregation, by Robert L. Perry, published by the Alban Institute

Getting the Word Out: The Alban Guide to Church Communications, by Frederick H. Gonnerman, published by the Alban Institute

Effective Public Relations, by Cutlip, Center, and Broom, Prentice-Hall, 9th ed., 2005

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