MEDIATRAINING

The Communication process

In the field, the Head of mission is the first representative of the association and is, therefore, responsible for communication. This function is listed in his job description. When there is a position to take for the Association towards the media, the communication is usually made by the Head of mission.

Procedure :

-at Headquarters, if we receive requests from media wishing, for example, to interview someone in the field, we inform the Head of mission first. Similarly, if a communication action is considered necessary by the field, it is the Head of mission who calls the Headquarters.

-On the field, you met a journalist who would like to interview you: Are you the best person regarding the subject of the interview? If yes, set an appointment with the journalist; don’t answer directly to his question. Call the head of mission to get the green light and discuss of the main messages to pass during the interview. Confirm with the journalist and if possible inform the communication service.

But, beyond these first rules guaranteeing a certain coherence and allowing to avoid shambles, loss of information or double circuits, you are all totally concerned by communication; you can all, at any moment, be called to testify, answer an interview, give information to a journalist, because of

  • your qualification/function – as nutritionist, hydraulics engineer, logistician or administrator, …you dispose of specific information
  • your work site or base : you are a privileged observer-actor and your testimony will be of particular interest to the media. The Head of mission asks you to take over as you are in the best position to answer the journalist.

What type of speech?

The speech : a reflection / structured and locked communication to pass a clear message

  • You are not speaking for yourself but for ACF, as volunteer of the Association (basic principles of the Chart : neutrality, independence…)
  • You are on the victim’s side
  • Make public the expertise in the field acquired by ACF : competence, professionalism recognised by experts but not known by the general public. Analysis capacity, positioning’ recognition (hunger in the world; countries’ geopolitical reality).

You must show a “humanised” information : describe the refugee populations, their psychological state, their living conditions … Generally, testify is to make people who are not in the field feel a situation : be concrete, describe. You can quickly restore the context: number of displaced persons, living conditions of these populations. Globally, describe the case of a few persons, their history, without naming them to protect their security…

What to say or not to say to the journalists ? One may distinguish three levels in communication

  1. Without problems : action in the field

What are the priority needs, the intervention logic, what you are doing, where ; how many people are concerned. Try to privilege the core of the action : fight against “hunger”, in order to well identify ACF’s field of action (talk about the combined actions on several fronts, introducing the FS action logic, water…)

  1. Questions on the context :

What happened ?

Process : war, flight…; you can testify on the state of displaced persons or refugees; where are they coming from – zones – since when ? How do they survive ? Supplying or no supplying to the markets, stocks available, prices, loss of personal belongings….humanitarian consequences of the conflict/context.

  1. Questions on the origin of the conflict, analysis of political facts…

Dangerous  expulsion risks for the team. How far can we go in the speech ? See Head of mission for the locking.

The journalist can attempt to lead you into that direction; you yourself must take him on the humanitarian field; you manage the humanitarian consequences of the political conflicts. You may underline the access problems to the populations, recall their necessary protection, the possible dangers/risks if they do not receive any assistance… In short, to remind them of the humanitarian problematic for which you are there, your mission – without going into a political information which has not yet been decided, locked and which could endanger the entire team.

Some basic rules to optimise an interview

If we approach you for an interview, most of the time on radio, we try to prepare it together, repeat the messages and most important information to be communicated.

What to know before the interview :

  • identity of the media (its public) for adapting your speech : very sharp or not ?
  • duration (very different depending on whether 2-3 minutes or 8-10 minutes – not frequent); most often: about 3 minutes.
  • What will be the main topics of the interview (in general, you can’t ask for the specific questions)
  • Is it live or recorded?
Interview preparation
  • speak with the Head of mission
  • define your main messages
  • fond examples, data, to illustrate your points
  • a few notes on a piece of paper (figures, key ideas…). Never take down a text you could not follow: you can jot down some key words in order to remember the main messages or data to communicate.

During the interview:

  • do not panic because of floundering, hesitations : in the field, you will not be interviewed live very often (journalist editing work): remain calm and speak simply
  • Remember you speak in the name of ACF, not yours.
  • Be careful with the use of technical jargon not understood by the non-initiated persons : TFC, SFC, “dry ration”, “bladder” : use simple words/a simple language or else explain rapidly !
  • do not always say “we” or “one”, but Action Against Hunger/Action Contre la Faim from time to time (and not AAH/ACF) to allow the auditor to memorise, identify the source of information
  • Concentrate yourself on your points: stick to the messages you defined earlier and pass them several times even if the questions of the journalist are not totally linked to them
  • Be positive and dynamic… and promote ACF
  • Try to organize your speech with 1 idea and 1 example to illustrate this idea; and then another idea and another example, etc.
  • Give examples; tell stories, concrete data, etc.
  • Don’t answer “yes” or “no” to one question: take up the question of the journalist in your answer: hos question will be cut during the editing.
  • careful : you are also the spokesman/woman for the Action Against Hunger network and should, therefore, adapt to the media – speak of Action Contre la Faim, Accion Contre el

Hambre…

For a TV interview :

  • before, make sure the ACF’s logo is visible (t-shirts, stickers)
  • Control your posture, expression/glance (look at the journalist and not at the camera’s eye); be natural if you are working. Try to forget the camera… Speak with conviction.

For the press :

- The journalist often has more time. He already has a few subjects in mind – which can or cannot concern the ACF activities -. If he contacts you – or should you meet a journalist in your daily activities! it is up to you to bring him on the ACF activities and to show him their logic, their pertinence/relevance. You can make him share some moments of your activities – depending on your availability and on the media interest , evaluation of its objectives : great national daily paper which could edit a in-depth article... Do not neglect a request.

- Be careful with the “off the record” and the “on the record” with the written press: clearly precise to the journalist when what you’re going to tell is “off the record”. In general, if you’re not used to the “off”, avoid it and assume everything you san can be quoted.

If you are contacted by a journalist, or if you have given information to an identified journalist, do let us have the information.

Pitfalls

  • Be careful of questions which start `So what you are saying is .... ' Answer in your own words
  • Beware of the multiple question only answer your point
  • Be careful of using statistics: say "one out of three" or "half' rather than 30% or 50%
  • Stick to ACF policy and charter and avoid giving your personal opinions
  • Don't attack other organisations
  • Beware irrelevant questions; they may be leading
  • Never say "no comment"

A word too many ?

If you are in doubt, if you fear some lack of control in your speeches : the best is to immediately advise the Head of mission who will contact us, or advise us directly if this circuit is not possible or takes too long. Usually the journalists understand very well the ‘team security’ argument. In reacting quickly, no irremediable damage : one can stop the information.

This can happen to anybody, during crises, in times of stress, under heavy media pressure…It is better to retain an information when one cannot measure its consequences in the field.

The humanitarian workers have to be in permanent equilibrium/balance : weigh what can be said, evaluate the testimony which will be given, without endangering the mission (balance “action” / “testimony”: main rule).

Basic media training rules

Action contre la Faim – 2011

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