Media Relations

The most important aspect of media relations is the relations, It's not just who you know. It's how you can build valuable relationships with mutual trust and respect in the meda.

I've been teaching that to students in the UW PR Certificate program for almost a quarter of a century. Even in today's lightning fast news media landscape, building those relationships is still the key.

When I saw Ed White from KING-TV at his retirement party recently, we realized that our relationship virtually spanned his entire career. For 32 years, Ed has been sitting in the middle of police and emergency scanners and ringing telephones while he made decisions about which stories would be covered that day and who would cover them. Suffice it to say that is not an easy task...but Ed made it all work.

There is no one better at running a broadcast newsdesk than Ed White. His skills and work ethic are legendary. When word got out that he was stepping down from his role, it wasn't just KING-TV that took notice. It was the entire broadcast community. Every anchor, every reporter, every news producer and camera person in town came out to congratulate Ed.

When you;re good, very good, at your job, people notice. And when that job is planning manager (read Chief Assignment Editor), not only those on the news side of the game but those of us who are sources for news know when we've found a competent ally, as well. Every PR person around has spoken with Ed at some time or other. We're used to receiving curt "No Way!" responses and to suddenly only hearing a dial tone on the other end of our media calls.  But Ed White could make you feel good about the "no" because he;'d tell you why. He would even take the few minutes he had to try to help you make it a better story. That has a very special meaning to a PR person.

Because of his exceptional skills, I've regularly asked Ed to speak to my UW Class on a panel of broadcast news professionals. No matter what was going on, he would always find a way to show up...and, usually with a stack of really poorly written or misdirected news releases in hand to wave in our faces as he chided us. It was no holds barred for Ed. He'd give the students the straight answers whether they wanted to hear them or not. He's come to my class for so long, I think he could teach it. I do not look forward to replacing him on the panel..those are.tough shoes to fill. One of our friends joked, "Who could ever replace Ed White...Ed Black?"

I've been building relationships with the media my entire career. Since my college friend Jane Pauley went to work in local television, I've known the value of those connections. The relationships I've nurtured make me better at my job. I'm constantly learning about what makes news today and what doesn't. It's an art not a science.

Ed White has brought one of the most important jobs in the newsroom to a new level. Because of Ed, the bar is very high now. No matter what is said about the relationship between journalists and PR people, Ed White made it work. And made it work well. I'm actually going to miss those midnight calls when only the two of us knew that the other one would still be at the desk working. I consider it a great privilege to have worked with him and to call him my friend. Now, go have some fun, Ed.  You deserve it.