Media Monitor and Media Release writing

The power of Media Monitor!

Throughout my placement I have been able to use Media Monitor on a few occasions.

I’m not sure how many other bloggers have had the opportunity to use Media Monitor but I thoroughly recommend it, in fact I have been overjoyed with it!

If you haven’t used it I’ll give you a little information about what it is. Media Monitors provides over 5,000 corporate, government and non-for-profit organisations customised access to media intelligence services and innovative tools to enable effective communications. Please find a link below to the website to find more information: http://mediamonitors.com.au/about-us

Basically you can enter a key word such as – V8 Supercars; it will then produce all the print media coverage whether it is radio, television or newspaper. You then have the option to generate a PDF report to capture all the coverage into one report or to generate an excel sheet. The excel sheet provides information on how many people have been reached through one media outlet and how much the coverage is worth dollar wise.

I’m no expert with calculating coverage, but with Media Monitor assists with calculating the coverage in dollar value.

Media monitor is not only beneficial to monitor the effects of positive news it can also monitor the effects on any negative news.

I have so far used Media Monitor to compile media coverage for the Red Bull Air Race Cancellation as well as the announcement of the V8 Super cars returning to Perth.

Unfortunately Media Monitor doesn’t capture online coverage such as Perth Now or WA Today. However Google News can be set up to email any news picked up online to your email address. I set up alerts for the One Movement Festival. When an alert would come through to my email account, I would check firstly and make sure the news is relevant then save as a PDF.

Media releases I have completed

Wild flower media release

It was time to now over come another fear…… the Media Release. I had completed eight days without having to complete a media release all by myself. I had contributed to some and helped with editing but not doing my own from scratch.

My initial thoughts are deep breaths you’ll be ok Stacey, now let’s relax and look at some examples and work out the style of media release writing at Tourism WA.

The media release I was writing about was about WA’s wildflower season. Firstly I had to research where wild flowers grow and what are the most scenic places to visit. I had been given a few places to write about however needed a few more of my own selection to contribute to make the media release complete.

I managed to get the media release together there is an approval process so I passed it onto to be edited and approved. I have received the final media release today and not much has changed so I’m happy with my first attempt.

Peggy Guggenheim: A Collection in Venice media release

The next media release I was able to assist with was regarding the exhibition of the ‘Great Collections of the World’ series ‘Peggy Guggenheim: A Collection in Venice’.

The main points that needed to be addressed within the media release were:

- The exhibition had travelled from Venice, Italy.
- The Exhibition is exclusive to the Art Gallery of Western Australia.

I was given a speech and a previous media release to work off. The previous release allowed me to gauge the style of how I should write a ministerial media release. The speech gave me the opportunity to use quotes spoken by the minister to include.

Being a ministerial media release, it is essential to include quotes from Tourism Minister Liz Constable. An example being:

“Cultural events, like this exhibition, provide interstate and international visitors with another extraordinary Western Australian experience.

I understand the importance of selecting quotes that will show that Tourism WA is actively engaging and supporting events in WA that encourage interstate and international visitors, which is valuable for the WA economy.

This particular event provides an exclusive event for local Perth residents to enjoy. In the release I also included quotes from Culture and the Arts Minister John Day that support the excitement of having the special opportunity to have an exciting exhibition in Perth for residents to visit and enjoy.

“For Western Australia to have access to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, featuring works by great twentieth century modern artists such as Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Piet Mondrian and Jackson Pollock is a rare and wonderful opportunity”.

After writing two media release’s I understand the importance of maintaining the desired style of Tourism WA writing and the significance of making reference to the important parities.

This will be my final blog. I hope you have enjoyed my journey. I have completed my internship over a couple of months which has worked in with my uni timetable and part-time job hours.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Tourism WA, and have taken so much from the experience. I feel more confident in my writing skills, I still have room to improve and I’m sure this will develop when I graduate and start working full time.

I wish all fellow bloggers well in concluding their placements, the final report and future endeavours.

Signing out.

Stacey Tweddle
Media and PR intern