What to do when a reporter calls you
Occasionally, college campuses become the focus of various stories in the media. Your first action when contacted by a reporter is to set up a future time to be interviewed, and then call the communications and marketing office.
In general, the following bulleted list is a brief description of how the communications and marketing office works with the media.
- Communications and marketing is the direct link to the media, and all media contact is through the communications and marketing office.
- The college’s news bureau director is the college’s media point person.
- Back-up for the news bureau director is the Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
- Communications and marketing staff will work with appropriate campus resources to gather information on the issue, and talking points will be written.
- Communications and marketing may determine that another campus resource (vice president, president, administrator, faculty member) is needed on a particular issue, in which the communications and marketing staff will brief the person on media interviews and talking points.
- Staff members and faculty should be aware that all media contacts should be forwarded to the news bureau director. In his absence, they should be forwarded to the Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement.
- If you hear of anything that may provoke media interest, let communications and marketing know about this information as soon as possible. It is better that we know the information immediately so we may get talking points in order to not be surprised if the media gets the information before we do.
- If news vans or reporters are seen on campus, please notify communications and marketing immediately.