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Media & Strategy · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Public Relations and Media Relations

This course explores the symbiotic relationship between PR professionals and the press. Students will learn how to cut through the noise to get their stories told. The curriculum focuses on the practical skills of drafting press releases, building targeted media lists, pitching journalists without annoying them, and managing the flow of information during good times and bad.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Craft professional Press Releases, Media Advisories, and Pitch Emails
  2. Build and maintain "Media Lists" using databases and research
  3. Understand "News Values": What makes a journalist say yes?
  4. Execute a Media Relations strategy: Exclusives, Embargoes, and Press Conferences
  5. Monitor media coverage and measure PR value (Share of Voice)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01PR vs. Advertising: Earned vs. Paid Media
  2. 02Understanding the Journalist's Mindset
  3. 03News Values: Timeliness, Proximity, Prominence
  4. 04Writing the Press Release: AP Style & Structure
  5. 05The Media Kit: Bios, Fact Sheets, & Assets
  6. 06Building a Media List: Segmentation
  7. 07Media Relations Tools (Cision/Meltwater)
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09The Pitch: Customization & Timing
  10. 10Media Training: Prepping the Spokesperson
  11. 11Organizing Press Conferences & Junkets
  12. 12Crisis Media Relations: Holding Statements
  13. 13Influencer Relations: The New Media
  14. 14Media Monitoring & Sentiment Analysis
  15. 15Ethics: Truth, Spin, & Relationships
  16. 16Final Project: The Press Kit & Pitch Simulation

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Press Kit & Pitch Simulation

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott
  2. On Deadline: Managing Media Relations by Carole M. Howard
  3. Writing for Public Relations and Strategic Communication
  4. Trust Me, I'm Lying (Critical perspective) by Ryan Holiday
  5. Associated Press Stylebook (Current Edition)
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