How to plan for the news showing up at your church.

It’s one thing to pitch and schedule a heart-warming story to the news; it’s another story entirely when they show up during a crisis.

Having a pre-developed media plan helps church leaders, internal audiences, and external audiences, including the media, work through the situation in the most positive and encouraging manner possible.

Develop a media plan
Work with your executive leaders to create a plan. Being proactive in developing a media policy for your church helps you avoid those last-minute scrambles when the media contacts you. In the midst of a communications crisis, it’s easy for your leaders to misstep if they are unsure of the process.

If you anticipate you might have a media response related to something happening in your organization, remind your leaders about the overall media policy. You can also develop a short communications toolkit that is customized for the current situation. This document is usually one to two pages in length and designates a representative from your organization who will speak and key messaging points. (For more information, download our crisis communications planning tool.)

What to include
Your media policy should include:

  • Brief purpose statement (Example: Our church’s purpose is to [fill in the blank]. We strive to lead our church in a way that [fill in the blank] by our core values: [fill in the blank]).
  • A “who speaks” list with contact information
  • Process for receiving and processing media inquiries
  • General guidelines on what to do vs. what not to do

If you have a communications leader on staff, request that all media inquiries be sent to him or her. Then, that leader can decide where to route the interview based on your “who speaks” guidelines. Log and respond to all media inquiries.

The media never sleeps
In your plan, include the protocol for weekdays and weekends. It can be easier to plan for weekdays since staff members are more readily available, but what would you do if a reporter and camera crew showed up on a Sunday morning during services? Plan for this scenario and make sure to let key volunteer leaders (e.g., those who oversee the welcome center, greeters, security, etc.) know how to respond. They should be prepared to direct media to one of your church’s representatives who is familiar with the media policy. It’s also important to maintain an environment of worship for those attending services.

Choose and prep the team

  1. Identify several leaders. If someone is ill or out of town, you will need at least one or two backup individuals. In your plan, list their contact information and keep it current. Also, think about who would speak if you had a crisis situation involving one of your organization's main leaders.

  2. Consider the medium. Some of your leaders might do well in a phone interview with the local paper but would become anxious about being on camera. Choose leaders who are good public speakers for live interviews. If a reporter has a few questions about a general topic (e.g.., youth culture), it might be fine for a staff leader to respond via phone or email, even if you wouldn’t normally put them on camera.

  3. Prep for the interview. Take time to meet with the person who will be interviewed by the media. Let them know the background for the story, when/where it will run (if possible), and potential pitfalls they should avoid. Consider worst-case scenario. Where might the reporter try to take the story? This is the time to anticipate the interviewer’s questions and plan your organization’s responses. Decide on your key messaging and supporting points. Encourage the leader to think before speaking and stick to the messaging that has been decided upon. State the most important point first. For any on-camera interviews, consider the speaker’s personal appearance and if it is a good representation of your organization.

  4. Remain friendly but not too friendly. Remind your staff and leaders to refrain from being lulled into off-the-record conversations with reporters. Assume that any conversation with a reporter will be repeated and/or quoted. It’s okay to be friendly and engaging, but remember that he or she is there to do their job.

Train your staff and leaders
We recommend presenting your media policy to your staff in person and then following up with the actual document that includes information and guidelines. It is important for your staff members and leaders to hear your heart when it comes to new policies and/or changes. Let them know that the goal is to help your church communicate intentionally and strategically. Help your staff members understand "the why" before you share the guidelines. Let them know how they can help and who they should contact with questions.

It is especially important to coach your receptionists and any other frontline staff members through these guidelines since they are more likely to encounter the media in person or on the phone. Often, members of the media are working on short deadlines so they may try to contact a ministry department directly to save time. Train your staff on the guidelines and the appropriate process. Let them know to avoid saying things like, "I'm not allowed to speak with you." Instead, ask them to respectfully let the reporter know that they will get him or her to the right place to get an answer in a timely manner.

Remember to share the policy with your key lay leaders like elders, deacons and/or trustees.

On Camera Interviews

Prepare
Before an on-camera interview, spend time thinking through what you want to clearly communicate on camera. Make it clear, simple and direct, yet relational. You will likely not cover everything, so make sure you prioritize what matters most and communicate that first. We also recommend offering to provide the news outlet with photos, charts, videos or quotes that can augment your message even better.

The average length of a soundbite is under 10 seconds. In most live interviews, the ideal length is under 30 seconds. Using short words about complex concepts will help people digest what you're saying.

Professional
Even if/when the interviewer tries to make small talk, joke or put you at ease, remember, this likely isn't casual conversation. He/she is listening for other angles to the story and may be hoping you let something slip. Remember, the reporter is there to get the story/scoop and is not trying to be your friend. Be careful what you say, especially on live TV, where you cannot retract remarks. It might seem that you're saving face, but by answering with "no comment" you seem that you may have something to hide. Instead restate your original message. If you truly don't know the answer, be honest that you don't.

Express yourself
More than your words, your body language, facial expressions and gestures communicate a great deal to others. Keep yourself natural, yet professional, with an even-toned/paced voice. Be sure to dress professionally and conservatively, making sure you communicate that you are confident and prepared!

If you are being interviewed by a person, look at him/her to talk, not to the camera. If you are alone with the camera, with the feed going to the studio/on air, look only at the camera.