A few weeks ago, prior to the release of the 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, ASCE’s Communications department hosted several media training conference calls for local Report Card spokespeople. During one of the calls, a participant referred to his Section’s media protocol. And our faces just lit up when we heard those magic words.

So what is a media protocol you ask? Good question.

A media protocol is a document that explains an organization’s policy for interacting with the media. Having a media protocol helps ensure that all media interactions are coordinated and that reporters receive the most complete and accurate information possible.

Here at ASCE National, all media calls are sent to the Communications department. We’ll talk with the reporter to find out what he’s looking for and what the story is about. Then we determine who the best spokesperson is and coordinate the interview. By doing this, we are able to meet the reporter’s deadline, find an expert source who is able to answer the reporter’s questions and ensure we communicate ASCE’s key messages.

ASCE’s Sections and Branches can also benefit from having a local media protocol, which can help you coordinate your public relations efforts.

Determine who from your Section or Branch will be the main point of contact for reporters. If you have a PR Coordinator, they are the ideal candidate for this job. (But don’t forget to decide on a back up as well. You never know when your main contact might be on vacation or have to travel for work.)

Draft up a document for your Section or Branch leadership and members explaining the purpose of the media protocol, what they should do and who they should contact if they receive a media call related to their ASCE activities.

Having this main contact for your Section or Branch helps you track your media inquiries and allows you to develop and nurture effective relationships with key reporters in your area. Plus, you’ll quickly learn which reporters in your area cover civil engineering-related issues. (Keep a database of those reporters and you’ll have a ready-made media list for when you have to determine which reporters might be interested in your media advisory or news release.)

If you’d like to use ASCE National’s media protocol as a template, email me for a copy.

Does your Section or Branch have a media protocol? How has it worked for you?

Karen Albers
Manager, State Public Relations