Филологические науки/ 7.Язык, речь, речевая коммуникация

Bulatova M.B.

Kostanay State University named after A. Baitursynov, Kazakhstan

Technological aspects of training press release as a tool of media relations

In this publication, we intend to highlight the main requirements for the technological sequence of actions in preparing the press release as one of the most important instruments of interaction with the media (media relations). Recommendations for the preparation and execution of press releases are listed in almost every textbook and workbook for public relations. However, the question, about the fact how effectively specialists can use it, is still open. Many years of practice allows the author with a fairly high degree of confidence to assert that a huge amount of press releases are sent out by the PR-specialists and they remain unclaimed in journalist’s sphere, or (what's even sadder) they work to reduce the capital base of the subject of public PR. The requirements are kept formally to the design, to the style, to the composition, and to the deadline for submission of messages, etc. In our opinion, the problem lies in the absence of technological approach to training. Mandatory element of any technology is the presence of an ordered sequence of procedures and operations. The process should not begin with the manufacturing of a product from the middle of the process, bypassing the earlier stages and steps. We believe that this weakness is common to the modern approach to the preparation of press releases. Young neophytes take the pen (or keyboard that most accurately reflects the situation) in a passionate desire to tell about the events without determining first situation, interaction problems, target audiences and features of their perception, in the most beautiful way. These considerations lead us to the necessity of identifying a number of the whole technological process of preparation of the press release. In our opinion, it may look in the following way.

The first step can be considered as the basic definition of the subject and formulating PR news occasion. Under the reason for news in this case means any aspect of a past event or fact relating to the activities of the underlying subject PR. In relation to this event / fact situational analysis is designed to identify: what positive characteristics of the basic subject can be illustrated by this event, which target audience might be interested in this event, how the event contributes to the solution of topical socially important problems. Thus, we see the same fact at three perspectives: as a basic subject of PR, as a separate reader and society as a whole. That segment of information that meets the interests of all three sides, and the news will be an occasion for the press release. This allows the PR-specialist to select from a number of possibilities a truly topical news occasion that is able to interest journalists.

The second step is the formulation of a number of technological challenges of this communication act. At this stage, PR-specialist determines the positions where the publicity should be illuminated in the press release from the viewpoint of the basic subject PR.

The third step is the determination of features of perception of target audiences, which this press release is for. In view of these features there can be selected the forms of submission, certain vocabulary, and what is more important there are information accents. The effective communication is the goal, so the consumer of information should learn, what concerns his interests and what he is now necessary for, from the press release.

The fourth step involves the identification of specific media which may be interested in this press release with the preferences of their readers, spectators, and listenership. This step also influences the choice of the form and content of the press release, considering the characteristics of individual media types and preferences of individual journalists and editors.

The fifth step, therefore, is in the drafting of the text of the press release considering the interests of all sides identified above: the customer, the reader and the media. Indispensable condition of this stage is to comply with the standard requirements for the content, composition and design of the press release.

The sixth step can be considered as matching the press release with the customer.

The seventh step is the sending out a press release and getting a feedback from journalists.

The final step is the monitoring of mass media in order to determine how effective there was the sending out of press releases.

The sequence of actions, proposed above, in some ways, can be called the next technological process of preparation of the press release.

We believe that the implementation of all of these steps increases the likelihood that the press release will be in demand of media, and what is more important, the work of its preparation will pay off the public growth of capital base of subject PR.