This just in…
the media is
not the enemy
HOW THINKING OFFENSIVELY
WILL KEEP YOU OFF THE DEFENSIVE
Education leaders
encounter three types
of communication:
offensive, educational
and crisis. Relationship
building before
reporters need you in
a crisis allows you to
drive the conversation
and stay on the
offensive.
12
Leadership
The names, faces and platforms
have changed, but the focus of the news
media remains the same: inform the public.
Decades ago you could f ind the best
journalists delivering critical information
on television, radio and newspapers. Even
back a few years ago, the best reporters were
showcased on every possible communications platform. That was before the seeds of
discontent made their way into the mainstream media.
Now political views and agendas have
created alternative media. It’s difficult to
read or listen to anything labeled “reporting” without considering the source, his or
her political leanings, as well as their ultimate goal.
We’ve reached a point in society where
“credible sources” can be the screaming guy
outside of the store or a blogger, trolling
people online for their own personal satisfaction. We’re left to determine what is actually “reporting,” and that has caused many to
distrust the media.
There is a silver lining to today’s media
landscape: Not every reporter is out to get
you. The majority of media professionals
don’t care about political leanings and agendas. They don’t engage in shock journalism,
and they don’t embody what people hate
most about the media. They are simply doing
their job.
And it’s those members of the media
doing their jobs who can help you grow as a
student advocate and education leader.
Three types of communications
Education leaders will encounter three
unique types of communications:
• Offensive communications.
• Educational communications.
• Crisis communications.
Offensive communication is your opportunity to tell a story, and it’s the type of
communications every county, district and
school leader should strive to be involved in.
This is the time when you can reach out to
a reporter and let them know about the good
By Naj Alikhan