A session at the 21st EFC AGA and Conference on 4 June in Brussels provided those attending much insight into how the world of journalism operates and what foundations can do to better deal with the media. Moderated by Norine MacDonald, Global Media Centre, the session heard from Robert Holloway of the AFP Foundation, Mandy Pursey of the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) Jean-Paul Collette of the King Baudouin Foundation, who provided some useful hints and tips for participants to take home:

- Media make up the rules. Foundations should not try to call the shots.

- Media is changing rapidly. 24 hour news networks means that journalists concentrate on the short-term and are short focused. However, with so many media channels, journalists are under increasing pressure to find new sources of news. 

- When compiling press releases, it is important to think like a journalist. Put the human element at the top and avoid giving detailed background about your organisation.

- Get acquainted with the nuts and bolts of the media, such as knowing media deadlines and understanding how to handle embargoed news in different time zones

- Never go into an interview passively answering questions. 50% of a successful interview is in the preparation. A good interview should be a dialogue between interested parties.

- It is important to develop relationships with the media. This is a long-term objective but it can mean that when a press release comes in from your foundation, journalists know that it is a trusted source of a good press release. Think about organising editorial briefings, breakfast briefings and offering journalists opportunities to travel to see your work in practice.

- Think laterally when putting out your story – is there a way to piggy back on some recent news headline which would grab journalists’ attention? Make a link between what is going on in the news and the projects you are supporting. See the example of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

- Respond to journalists’ requests, whether it is to say yes you wish to have an interview or no that you do not have a statement to make.

- Never invite a journalist to a press conference to hear information that they could have read at their desks.

- The media can sometimes be bypassed to get the message across directly to policymakers by developing journalistic communication material.