SELC is getting more and more requests for comment and feature stories. In general, we should take as many requests as possible, but sometimes it is necessary to say no in order to prioritize other tasks. As an alternative to saying no, you can loop in other staff members, which is Part A of this proposal. If no one else is able or available to comment, you should use a set of factors to weigh media inquiries against each other, and against your other responsibilities -- Part B of this proposal.

Part A: Make it a team effort.

If you simply can't handle another thing, the deadline is coming up too soon for you, or you'd just prefer not to do it, share the press inquiry with other appropriate staff members and ask the journalist if it would be okay to have other SELC brains give input. It's nice to share press inquiries with staff (when relevant) because it gives all SELC staff the opportunity to have their voices heard more often. When sharing inquiries with staff, consider the topic of the interview and each staff member's proficiency/interest in the topic.Also ask if the reporter is able to send a set of questions via email so that staff could send written responses at their convenience -- cutting out significant scheduling time.

Part B: Email it!

If it is a matter of no comment versus some comment, some journalists would be happy to have the written and/or team effort responses instead of none at all.

Part C: Picking your battles.

Take as many press inquiries as you can -- it is important for SELC's continued growth and recognition. Elements to consider when picking and choosing:

• Factor 1: What are they asking you about? Give more attention to topics that are most directly related to SELC's work, mission, vision, and values. If it's tangentially-related, you can feel less bad about declining to comment when overwhelmed with other work.
• Factor 2: What is your sense of the nature and extent of SELC's appearance in the article? Is it going to be a feature story on SELC; are they seeking only to quote SELC in article; or do you feel like they are taking a broad-based approach to interviews and seeking input from a host of sources -- potentially not even quoting us after an [oftentimes extensive] interview? Weigh the former more heavily than the latter.
• Factor 3: What is the reach and reputation of the media outlet? Sometimes, you just know (like LA Times, SF Chronicle, Atlantic, Journal of the American Planning Association), but other times, you need to do some digging. Consider what other articles were written and on what topics. Get a sense for readership by looking at comments or other places on the internet where the media outlet is referenced. Some outlets focus on particular themes or geographic areas, so also take these elements into account when making your decision.

Overall, you want to accept interviews from outlets with the largest readership (both in terms of numbers and geography), best reputation, and potential to make the largest impact.

Remember, if you ever get contacted by a reporter, record the contact of the journalist and media outlet, with any notes in this list. This way, if ever you/SELC has a big event/accomplishment/announcement, create a press release and use the same list to blast it out.

Then, if there is an article, post that to this page.

PART D: Preparing for the interview

Prior to the interview, go into this Talking Points document, read notes about the topic you will talk about and add new notes to prepare yourself for the interview.

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