Working with the Media

Overview

Class Central Tips

In this course, you will learn about branding and the role of public relations as opposed to adjacent fields like advertising and marketing. You will understand the media and how to leverage storytelling with different outlets and gatekeepers. Foundational mass communication and public relations theories will be discussed in terms of issue and crisis management.

Syllabus

Organizational Mission and Core Values

In this module, you will learn the importance of an organization’s mission and core values in branding and in public relations storytelling.

PR’s Role in Branding

In this module, you will learn about the similarities and differences between public relations and other fields like journalism, advertising, and marketing. You will also understand how public relations works with the related fields in the process of branding.

Issue and Crisis Management

In this module, you will learn the difference between an issue and a crisis situation, including the risk and reward to company reputation. You will also learn the basics of crisis communication and reputation management.

Gatekeeping in Public Relations

In this module, you will learn about different forms of media and how the gatekeeping process works. You will also be introduced to media theory–just enough to be dangerous!

The Art of the Press Release

In this module, you will learn how to work with journalists and build a media contact list specific to your organization’s communication goals. You will understand the basics of the press release and pitch process, and practice writing your own.