Media Relations - Launching the Programme - Assignment Example

Media Relations Launching the programme We are very glad to get a green signal for our TV programme on the best museums in 12 countries. This will be aired on the “Travel & Living” channel. We have come a long way to reach to this point but we need to understand that this is the beginning of our journey. We are very fortunate to have got the leading mobile phones company of the world, Nokia, as our sponsors. This puts us in a very prominent position. With a big sponsor comes in big money and big name. We need to utilize it to the hilt. For this we need the right kick-off of the programme. Why press conference To launch our programme with a bang we need to get everybody’s attention. The most important people we need to reach out to, is the audience. It is the number of people who watch a particular programme on television that determines its commercial success. Apart from our sponsors we would need many more spot advertisements. The bigger is our viewer’s numbers bigger will be the airtime of the commercials. A press conference is the most effective way to get wide media coverage and get people’s attention. This will give the initial boost to the programme. Getting the maximum from the press conference Holding a press conference will please our sponsors also who will also gain the footage, much to their delight. The press conference is meant to give out information regarding our programme in a very effective way to create curiosity about the programme without divulging too much and killing the curiosity. The undercurrent of the programme should be ‘a feel good’ factor for the participants. They should feel really important and honoured to be present at the event and would like to reciprocate it by providing adequate media coverage. There would be a lavish luncheon spread for the participants. It may not sound too sophisticated but the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. We should not miss out on that front. The best day This programme will be held on a Wednesday which a mid-week day. Wednesday is suitable to most of the people from the media. This also gives us opportunity to follow up on the guest list on Monday and Tuesday. Attending the conference on Wednesday, gives them ample time to put in our coverage in the weekend issue which has highest readership. We will be inviting other TV channels also as they can use cross promotion for our programme. This is becoming quite prevalent now and we must go for it. This will help us get the maximum benefit from the press conference. Media Contact list News papers Daily Express News Editor/ Reporter Conservative tabloid Daily mail, Evening Standard News Editor/ Reporter Conservative Tabloid and evening newspaper Guardian, Observer News Editor/ Reporter Top quality Daily & weekly Daily Star News Editor/ Reporter Right-wing tabloid, sensational pictures The Sun, News of the World News Editor/ Reporter Sensational Headline Tabloid Reuters News Editor/ Reporter World news agency Economist News Editor/ Reporter Political & economic news Financial Times News Editor/ Reporter Global Business & politics paper Daily Telegraph News Editor/ Reporter Conservative news paper Sunday People News Editor/ Reporter Celebrity news Private Eye News Editor/ Reporter Gossip and investigative magazine Spectator, weekly News Editor/ Reporter Conservative weekly Times News Editor/ Reporter Slightly conservative national daily Independent News Editor/ Reporter International coverage Liberal News Editor/ Reporter Literary & political Magazine Western Mail News Editor/ Reporter Major Welsh paper Belfast Telegraph News Editor/ Reporter North Ireland paper TV channels BBC 1 Programme Executive Covers entire UK BBC 2 Programme Executive Covers England BBC News Programme Executive Prime News Channel CBBC Programme Executive Children’s entertainment ITV 1 Programme Executive Entertainment TV Channel 4 Programme Executive Entertainment Five Programme Executive Factual & Drama shows ITN Programme Executive British Television News site Sky News Programme Executive News Channel E4 Programme Executive Entertainment More 4 Programme Executive News & drama S4C Programme Executive Covers Cymru/ Wales Event checklist 15 days before the event - Sending invitation letters to the guests 7 days before the event - Following up on phone and extending a personal invitation 2 days before the event – Personal call to get confirmations Day of the event 8.00 am Event management team to reach the venue check the seating arrangement, sound system, security arrangement, tea- coffee- soft drinks- water, catering. 8.30 am Prepare the presentation equipment, get the registration desk ready, put the guest list, hand out brochures and gifts at the registration desk. 10.00 am Guests start arriving, lead them to the registration desk and then to the tea area. Soft music in background. 10.45 am Guests take their seats. 11.00 am Press conference starts. Format of the event Participants – Press and Television journalists, Sponsors – Nokia – Managing Director (?), Marketing Manager, Regional Head, Vice president. Travel& Living Channel Director, Assistant Director, Programme executives. Local Councilor, Member of Parliament, Information and broadcasting Minister Local NGO president, executive body, children A celebrity from the film/television industry who will be the host of the first episode Our Chairman, vice-president, marketing manager (MC/master of ceremonies) Marketing managers of the travel houses and from the hospitality industry Since we will be covering 12 museums, we will target the leading hotels in those places. Once they attend our press conference they will understand why they should advertise on our show. We will also invite the leading travel companies that operate in Europe as we would be covering the entire Europe. The marketing managers of the large stores selling CD’s and DVDs will also be invited as it is part of our business strategy to sell CDs and DVDs of our show later. 11.00 am OSV(off stage voice) introduces the MC MC comes to the dais. Greets the audience. Makes special mention of the VIPs. Introduces the purpose of the event. 11.05 am MC invites the councilor, MP and the minister to take a seat at the stage The guests proceed to the stage 11.10 am Mc requests the chairman to speak Chairman’s welcome speech 11.20 am MC invites the marketing manager Gives information on the TV program 11.50 am MC announces AV of the programme Audio- visual of the programme 12.00 MC invites the Minister Minister’s speech 12.10 MC opens the QA session Question answer session 12.30 pm MC invites the NGO head NGO head’s speech 12.35 pm MC introduces announces programme by the NGO children Children perform 12.50 MC invites the celebrity guest Celebrity guest gives his speech regarding the show 1.00pm MC invites the VP Vp announces company’s offer of a paid trip to the NGO. Invites the hotels and the travel operators participating in it on the stage. And the NGO director.. 1.15 pm MC gives vote of thanks and closes the programme Guests proceed to lunch area. 1.30 pm lunch The event management team to ensure guest comforts and give personal attention. 2.00pm Lunch over The event management team to handover press packs to the journalists and thank them. Next day of the event – Personal calls to the journalists. Thank them and ask when the coverage is going to appear. Personal calls to the VIPs to thank them Thank you letters to all the attendees The Speeches Chairman’s speech The chairman gives the welcome speech. He addresses all the VIPs and sponsors and the journalists present in the conference. He gives the background of choosing the theme of museums. He begins with the history of the European continent, the world wars and how they damaged the nations. The emergence of the EU as a new superpower has created history. But today’s generation also needs to know about the European history and its rich heritage. When the union has come up as a unified territory, it is important to know each other’s individuality. That is what prompted us to come up with this concept. He thanks the Nokia officials for supporting our programme. The marketing manager’s speech He gives the details of the programme. This programme covers 12 museums. He mentions the names of these museums and why we chose them. He tells about the celebrity hosts of all the shows. He brings out the commercial aspect of the show. How it will inspire people to travel and generate business for the travel and hospitality industry. He points out the importance of communication in everyday life and especially while traveling. This brings in our sponsors Nokia. They are the right sponsors for this programme as their slogan – connecting people’ is the theme of our show. Through the museums, it wants to connect the entire EU emotionally. The vice president’s speech He announces the trip for children and tells the audience the heritage these children will experience through the trip. That will help them grow up as responsible citizens. And he hopes that the show will also ultimately do the same. He praises the NGO for doing its social duty and points out various efforts we have taken as a corporate towards making a better society. He takes this opportunity to thank the creative team to conceptualize the show and the production team who has helped in putting it together. He gives special thanks to the celebrity hosts to have agreed for participating despite their busy schedule. He thanks the press for their co-operation and hopes for their further support by spreading the message of the show to the maximum number of the people. What will make this event special and memorable Since this is a press conference for launching a travel show, we will like to get people in the mood to travel. We would have discussion with the travel and hospitality companies before we invite them. We would present our conference and our show as a business opportunity to them. As they will attract more people to travel and stay in those places through advertisement, they can start generating business right from the conference they are being invited for. We would print discount offers from the travel and hospitality industry on our invitation cards. All the recipients of the invitation card will be entitled for utilizing those discount coupons for travel or stay. Since these coupons are not by specific names, they could pas it on to others as well. This is a great incentive for the travel and hospitality industry that they will get without any cost. As a gesture of social welfare, we would present an all expenses paid trip to one of our destinations for the children of the local NGO. To make this a memorable event, we would request the NGO to prepare a program on the European Union. The children could dress up in different national dresses and come up the stage and greet in that country’s language, followed by a folk dance or a skit depicting the social custom of that country. In the end all the children can come together and hold hands together as the united European Union. Visual aspects & maintaining interest levels As our first episode will cover the Louvre Museum, Paris, we will keep it as the theme of the programme. The venue will be decorated as the Louvre. The event management team will be dressed up in white flowing robes, including white face paint. When the guests arrive they should feel as if they have come inside Louvre. The stage will have a screen as the backdrop on which all the four museums covered by the show will keep being projected by turn. The invitation cards will be a double fold card, round in shape with a print of the globe on the cover. The inside spread will have the pictures of some of the museums on the left flap. The invitation will be printed on the right flap. We will use Gothic font for the invitation card. The back of the card will have the discount coupons from the invitees from the travel and hospitality industry. This will ensure that the cards are preserved for a long time and act as a constant reminder of our show. The thank you card will be cut out in the shape of the European Union. It will be a single fold card in the shape of the cutout. The map of EU will be printed on it and the museum locations will be marked with red dots. The back of the card will have the thank you note. It will also remind them to use the discount coupons offered to them in the invitation card. Press packs We will be handing out a write up regarding our show to the press which would come in handy for their media coverage. The write up The European Union came up as lessons from the history of Mankind which was indeed expensive. After the violent and bloody experience of two World Wars the EU was put together. The bitter experience of the wars compelled the leaders of the European nations to think of an idea that could help them retain their separate national identities and at the same time create a common union that serves their broader interests. It is very difficult to let go of the identities. The wars are a violent effort to protect the identities in the face of successive onslaughts. The journey to the formation of the EU has been a long and arduous one. It was conceptualized in 1950, but it took decades to get shape. It was a process of gradual consolidation. All the member countries did not come together at one time. In 2004, only 10 countries joined the Union out of the 27 countries. In 2007 the two more countries got the member status. Finally, the EU has emerged as a powerful force. It has become an example for the regions that are facing continued violence and meaningless strife. The success of the EU can be measured by the strength of its common currency the Euro that has emerged as a challenge to the dollar. With economics dictating the political international status, it is just a matter of time and the EU will become a super-power entity. Just like the currency, it will be challenging the existing unipolar power structure. It only goes to prove that the coming together of countries that were at loggerheads at one time, can be a positive experience. But the consolidation of countries, cultures and peoples can always be incomplete if their pluralities are not respected. The wisdom of integration lies in respecting the individualism of the components. The conceptual strength of this program lies in preserving this individualism while projecting the success of integration. It respects the idea that the world has enough space for all us to grow together while maintaining our individualism. A television program showcasing the best museums in each of these 12 countries would have the virtue of providing a contextual audio-visual narrative for the entire continental audience. It shall bring the people face to face with the diverse characteristics of each of these countries. Taking a look at the various aspects of life and history in each of these 12 countries, the 30-minute program will inform and educate the viewers about each of these nations. This shall serve the purpose of furthering the integration of the EU in a socio-cultural context as well. It will be an anchor-based program on the “Travel and Living” of the Discovery channel. The anchor a European celebrity, shall travel from location to location with the narrative conduct the interviews with the museum curators, visitors and other relevant people. Photography direction The photography will start from the time of registration. The VIPs and celebrity guest must be photographed as they enter the venue. So the photographer should be placed at the entrance. After spending sometime at the entrance the photographer should proceed to the registration counter and click some of the registrations. Once the programme starts, the photographer must catch the moments when the VIPs shake hands with company officials. There should be photographs of the stage, the speakers, the performances. There must be photographs of the audience also. Some of the journalists must be photographed as they stand up for asking their question.     Preparing for the TV programme Body language Check the suit. Although black is considered the power suit, blue appears better on the TV. Select a bright coloured tie. A light color good quality shirt and good cuff links are important. Hair style should be trendy but not too funky. We are representing the company. Clean shave well groomed. Put on some cologne. Although it does not show on the TV but it makes one feel good and that shows. Keep some face powder and handkerchief to wipe off the sweat. Check whether the programme offers a chair or a sofa. Practice sitting in a relaxed but confident manner. Sitting on the edge of the chair indicates eagerness. Sitting back makes one look confident and in control. Cross legs towards the host. Remember not to shift too much, it shows restlessness. Smile, look happy. Presentation skills Ask the host before the programme which camera to look at. When in doubt, look at the host. It is better than looking at the wrong camera. Keep the facts and figures handy on a notepad. Ask the host where to place them to hide them from the camera and still keep it within reach. Take a deep breath before the programme starts and relax. Wait for the host to introduce and respond enthusiastically. Even if the host asks a wrong question, be patient and hear him out. Remember the trick of asking the host to repeat the question. This will give time to respond and the conversation will look smooth. Never raise the voice even if the host changes his tone. Most important:- Rehearse on camera. List of Questions Here is a list of questions that can be given to the host before the show:- 1. We are hearing a lot about the new show that you are going to put up. Can you tell us more about it? 2. Why did you select this? 3. What do you think is unique about your programme? 4. Do you think you will get a good audience? 5. How is it going to contribute to the society? 6. Your message to our viewers? Reference: 1. Wright, J., 1986, Guide to the guides and travel book of Europe. 2. Traylen, C.W., 1970, World Travel 3. Sheehy, E.P., 1986, Guide to reference books 4. Bowman, J.S., 2003, Frommer’s Greece 5. Frommer,A., 1985, Frommer’s Europe 6. Wilson, H.W., 1938, Book Review Digest 7. Masters, T., 2007, Eastern Europe 8. Kavanagh, G., 1994, Museum Provision and professionalism 9. Berkmoes, R.V., Western Europe 10. Rogers, T., 2003, Conferences and conventions: A global Industry 11. Bowdin,G., 2006, Events management 12. Davidson, R. & Rogers T., 2006, Marketing Destinations and venues for conferences, conventions and business 13. Berridge, G., 2007, Event Design and Experience 14. Getz,D., 2007, Event studies 15. Ryan,C., 2002, The tourist Experience 16. Masterman, G. & Wood, E.H.,2006, Innovative marketing communications 17. Yeoman, I., 2004, Festival and Event management 18. Katz, H.E., 2003, The Media handbook 19. McLuhan, M., 2001, Understanding Media 20. Lessig, L., 2004, How Big Media uses Technology and the law to laock down the culture Read More