Working well with Regional Media

There was a great turnout of public relations practitioners and regional media, broadcast, radio and print at ‘The Future of Regional Media’ event at the University of Galway on 28 June.

This event was hosted by Lorna Farren, MPRII, the Greater Galway Forum, an informal network of people working in communications (in-house and agency) and the PRII.

Siobhán Holliman, the first female Editor of the Tuam Herald, chaired the 90-minute discussion and Q&A. On the panel was Dave O'Connell, Group Editor of the Connacht Tribune; Rónán O Domhnaill, Coimisiún na Meán, Media Development Commissioner; Dr Martina Byrne, CEO, PRII, and Alan Esselmont, Director General of TG4.

The discussion ranged from media business models and forthcoming announcements regarding financial support for regional newspapers from Coimisiún na Meán to the need for public relations people to study the regional and local media with the same intensity they do the nationals.

A recording of the event is in post-production and will be made available to PRII members via the website in the coming days.

Here are Martina’s top three take-outs from the discussion:

• Releases for regional/local media must be targeted at their readership. Be explicit in the opening paragraph as to why it is of interest to people/communities in X city/town/county.
• Do invite media to launches, they welcome the opportunity, especially local radio and TG4, to do interviews there. Don’t assume ‘they won’t attend’. There is a perception that launches/events are happening and media are not being invited.
• It’s not always easy for busy journalists to reach PRs. Make sure your contact details (not just email) are on your media materials.
• Support Regional Media in any way you can. We take them for granted at our peril and if they don’t survive, and thrive, we are one step closer to the dystopia of ‘Media Deserts’ and that is in no one’s interest.

You can watch the event back below via University of Galway's YouTube channel: