Strategic Communication & Media Relations Flashcards

A PR practitioner is pitching a story to a journalist on deadline. What is the most effective approach?

Answer: Offer a concise, timely angle with exclusive access if possible

Journalists on deadline respond best to concise pitches that offer clear news value and, ideally, exclusive access to sources or data.

Which concept describes the process of framing a story to emphasize certain aspects over others and shape audience perception?

Answer: Framing theory

Framing theory holds that how information is presented — which aspects are highlighted — influences how audiences interpret events.

A company wants to counter negative media coverage. Which proactive strategy is generally most effective?

Answer: Building ongoing relationships with journalists before a crisis occurs

Established media relationships built before a crisis give organizations credibility and access when they need to counter negative coverage.

What is the primary purpose of a media backgrounder?

Answer: To provide in-depth context and history that helps reporters understand a complex topic

A backgrounder supplies journalists with deeper organizational or issue context so they can report accurately without extensive additional research.

When a reporter asks a question outside your designated message points during an interview, the best technique is to:

Answer: Bridge back to key messages using a transitional phrase

Bridging allows a spokesperson to acknowledge the question and then redirect the conversation to prepared, on-message content.

In strategic communication planning, what does RACE stand for?

Answer: Research, Action, Communication, Evaluation

RACE (Research, Action, Communication, Evaluation) is a foundational PR planning model that guides the lifecycle of a communication campaign.

Which metric best measures the quality of earned media coverage rather than just its volume?

Answer: Share of voice combined with sentiment analysis

Share of voice shows how prominently your organization is covered relative to competitors, while sentiment analysis reveals whether that coverage is favorable.