Holding press conferences and briefings. Briefing is a necessary event to resolve issues

Communication of officials - politicians, businessmen, experts - with the media can be carried out in such formats as a press conference and a briefing. What are their features?

What is a press conference?

A press conference is a relatively large-scale event in terms of the number of participants, involving the presence of a sufficiently large number of media outlets, in which an official gives comments to the press on various events and answers journalists' questions. The duration of the press conference is about 1.5-2 hours.

The main task of the press conference is to ensure the most active dissemination of the points of view voiced by officials in as many media outlets as possible. This contributes, firstly, to the promptness of the impact of this information on certain socio-economic and political processes, and secondly, it ensures its more or less neutral interpretation by the media. Those media outlets that might wish to interpret what officials said in their own way are likely to reject such ideas, as they will understand that a large number of other newspapers and magazines will reproduce the information exactly as it was presented at the press conference.

The considered format of interaction between officials and the media implies that the latter receive information not only at the time of the press conference, but also before it (in the form of announcements) and after (in the form of press releases, transcripts, exchange of additional and clarifying questions).

At press conferences, the main attention is paid to the content, completeness and quality of disclosure of information coming from officials. Therefore, at events of the corresponding type, only a few topics are usually discussed - 1-2. Taking into account the fact that a large number of journalists from different media can ask questions, the level of disclosure of information presented by the speakers is indeed quite high.

Conducting events such as press conferences, as a rule, is associated with significant financial costs. Therefore, it makes sense to organize them only if officials are supposed to present really important information to the community. Or in the event that, for example, a press conference is held by a person who is so famous that the very fact of her appearance in public is more important than what exactly this person will tell the audience.

It often happens that a press conference is supplemented by other events that are not directly related to the communication of officials with journalists, but are suitable for the topics of the events being discussed. These can be, for example, key reports, presentations, discussions with the participation of experts.

What is a briefing?

A briefing is an event that, like a press conference, involves communication between officials and journalists, but is smaller in terms of the number of participants and relatively short. As a rule, the briefing lasts no more than 30-40 minutes.

Unlike a press conference, the main task of a briefing is, in principle, to start the dissemination of any information in the community. It is presented, as a rule, in extremely concise and monosyllabic formulations - so that the representatives of the media cannot, if they so desire, interpret it in their own way. Therefore, a large number of media at the briefing is not the main criterion. But it is important that they can convey information to the general public, and therefore it is welcome if the relevant media has an impressive audience of readers, listeners or viewers.

Unlike a press conference, a briefing allows officials to present information to the community in a variety of thematic categories. Since there is no such task as the maximum disclosure of this information, the facts can be quite superficial, but valuable in themselves due to novelty.

A briefing, as a rule, is only a communication between officials and the press. Any additional events - like those that accompany a press conference - are not held at it.

Comparison

The main difference between a press conference and a briefing is in order to organize the event. In the first case, we are talking about a detailed acquaintance of the community with the points of view of officials, experts, and journalists themselves regarding a more or less well-known event. In the second case, it is mainly informing the community about certain events, providing the audience with basic facts about them.

A press conference rarely acts as an independent information occasion. But the briefing just the same can be it. And subsequently, on the basis of the information that was presented on it by officials, various discussions are often formed, there is a need for detailed information - in turn, at such events as a press conference.

Based on the difference in the purpose of holding the events under consideration, it is quite logical to trace the difference between other aspects of the press conference and the briefing - the number of participants, the range of topics discussed, and the duration.

Having determined the difference between a press conference and a briefing, let's record the conclusions in the table.

Table

Press conference - a specially organized event , a meeting of officials (leaders, politicians, government officials, public relations specialists, businessmen, etc.), with representatives of the press, television, radio in order to inform the public on topical issues ( tell important news, provide important information, or make an important announcement).

Press conferences should be held only when there is a significant informational occasion.

A press conference requires a moderator who will coordinate the issues and ensure that all key topics are covered.

The usual rule of thumb for a press conference is for each participant to speak for 5 minutes or less. Then answers to questions. It is undesirable to involve more than seven participants in a press conference. The host of the press conference brings journalists up to date and introduces each of the participants.

A press conference should never be held just to release a document or information that might as well be conveyed by a press release.

We choose the day of the press conference. It is better if several factors are taken into account. You can not schedule a press conference on the day when major events are taking place in the region (they will distract a lot of journalists). It is necessary to avoid coincidence in time and date with the official press conferences held by the authorities, it is also undesirable to choose Monday or Friday. The optimal time is from 11 am to 3 pm. If we start later, the journalists will not have time to edit the material and put it on the evening TV and radio broadcasts.

Journalists should be invited in writing, approximately 10 days before the press conference. The invitation should contain the theme of the press conference, the names of the news makers, the date and time of the event, as well as the address of the room where the event will take place, with a traffic plan.

The day before the press conference, be sure to call and clarify - which of the journalists will be. By clarifying the personalities, we will be more prepared for the atmosphere of communication.

It is better to choose a room for holding a press conference, taking into account the accommodation of at least 20 people. Too large a hall will create a feeling of "insignificance" of the event: there will be a lot of empty space.

Let's not forget to provide tables for registration of those who came to the press conference. They should stand in front of the entrance to the press conference hall. The list of incoming and registered journalists at the time of the start of the press conference must be promptly handed over to the moderator.

Nameplates with the names of the main invited media, TV channels, placed on the tables, create a sense of hospitality: it is important to show journalists that they were expected here! Signs for radio journalists should be put on the first tables: they usually have a lot of fuss with microphones.

Pack for journalists. It is also called "press package" or "handout". This is a necessary moment for the competent provision of work. It's not just about traditions or the desire to please guests with beautiful folders and, if possible, souvenir-branded pens. Folders may be elementary, pens may not be at all. The so-called handout material is valuable as an addition to the content of the press conference: after all, not all the figures that were heard will be perceived by ear, not all facts will be understood orally. In addition, it is possible to offer journalists photographic materials or photocopies of publications, the results of social research, etc. But this material should not be unnecessarily overloaded with information. The golden mean is important: the package for journalists is an expressive and tasteful material supplementing the press conference.

The functions of the host are as follows: he opens the press conference, informs about the number of journalists present, thanks them for their attention to the organization and reaction to the invitation, announces the topic, introduces those who give the press conference, announces the rules, order of conduct, then - manages the communication of those present in accordance with adopted regulation.

Briefing (from English brief - brief, short) is an analogue of a press conference, which differs from it in that it is usually devoted to one issue, news, event, and lasts no more than half an hour. A briefing is a short operational event during which officials, representatives of state or commercial structures who speak to the press report news, state their attitude and indicate their position on a particular issue. A briefing is usually promptly organized in cases of emergencies - terrorist attacks, accidents, mass poisonings, disruptions in transport, communications, and so on, to explain, as far as possible, what happened, its causes, to prevent panic, possible errors, distortions of facts and exaggerations in the media . The briefing is also the most convenient format for reporting sensational information, designed to obtain the effect of surprise, since with this method the desired informational message or ideological thesis, veiled by sensational news, will be uncritically perceived by an audience under the influence of strong emotions. Also, a briefing can be a working meeting with the participation of invited representatives of the press in government departments, companies or public organizations.

The messages of the speakers at the briefing are one-sided, warning in nature, illustrated by specific facts. If a briefing is arranged in cases where it is necessary to urgently inform the media on a significant issue, the organizers can limit themselves to only a message, without entering into a dialogue with the press. Sometimes a briefing can be completely devoted to answering journalists' quick questions, since there is no presentation part in it. Before communicating with the press, a brief - no more than ten to fifteen minutes - speech by one or two speakers is possible. During the briefing, drinks and sandwiches are usually not served, and sometimes the representatives of the press participating in the briefing are not even seated at the tables - the entire event is held standing.

There are several differences between a briefing and a press conference. In the classic version, a press conference usually ends with a buffet or cocktail, where communication and discussion of the issues raised by the press conference take place. After the briefing, contacts with the press are not desirable - unofficial information may be leaked. It can nullify all the efforts of the briefing. In addition, in addition to journalists, other interested parties (representatives of other organizations and institutions working in the same field, partners, including potential ones, everyone in whom you are interested) are often invited to a press conference, for whom it is also necessary to convey information. At the briefing, information is distributed only among professional journalists.

Press conference and briefing

A press conference is the most effective form of interaction between a company and journalists, as the latter receive first-hand information from the company's PR specialists and its management. It must involve management or people who are as competent as possible in the issue covered at the press conference. A press conference is held, as a rule, in case of a need to clarify controversial issues with the public and draw its attention to solving a problem. Also, press conferences are convened if journalists have a lot of questions to the company's management, on the eve or end of any event (event). The press conference is held with the invitation of representatives of the media. The invitation can be sent to all media or selectively. In order for the press conference to achieve its goals, it is necessary to take into account several, at first glance, minor, but in fact very significant circumstances, when preparing and holding it.

Circumstances of the time of the event:

it is best to hold a press conference in the middle of the week, because Monday is an editorial day in the media and the desired turnout will not work, and Friday is the day before the weekend, the day of cultural programs, and this will also affect the presence of journalists;

since it is known that journalists often work at night (late releases, recordings, editing, tracts, etc.), it is advisable to schedule a press conference between 12:00 and 14:00, since the delivery of materials begins at 15:00 in editorial, recording, studio time.

Circumstances of the form of holding:

the invitation to a press conference must necessarily indicate the topic, which will allow the editorial staff to send journalists competent in this matter to the press conference. It is better to issue an invitation as a nominal one and send it 5-7 days before the opening of the press conference itself;

a press conference should have a clear scenario plan, consisting of two parts - a statement of the company's position on the problem and answers to journalists' questions. The time for each part is determined by the organizer and depends on the position of the management - whether to allocate more time to solve the problem or, on the contrary, to allocate the maximum time for answers;

The press conference may be chaired by a person responsible for public relations or press relations. The host must introduce the participants to the journalists, among whom it is desirable to have a person authorized to make final decisions on the press conference;

it is advisable to register the participants of the press conference from the media, which will allow to analyze the results of the meeting for subsequent publications. When registering, it is very useful to distribute materials that inform the facts and clarify the problem that the press conference is devoted to, which will protect against inaccurate interpretations (wrongly recorded, heard, thought, etc.) and will provide an understanding of the essence of the issue;

Undoubtedly, the organization of refreshments (soft drinks, coffee break, buffet, buffet, etc.) contributes to the goodwill and activity of journalists. Refreshments should be held at the end of the conference, as the organizers at the same time get the opportunity for informal PR communication, establishing closer contacts, trusting relationships, and launching the necessary rumors.

Briefing for the media

A briefing is a short operational speech to the press on the fresh trail of important events. The message at the briefing has a one-sided warning character with a brief illustration of specific facts along the way. The difference between a press conference and a briefing is in the time periods that are allocated to them. The briefing cannot be more than 20-30 minutes. Such a short timeframe suggests that the briefing facilitator can keep the situation in hand. 10 minutes, as a rule, is allotted to the speaker, 10-20 minutes - for quick answers to journalists' questions. The briefing can be held standing up, without seating journalists and speakers at the tables. Briefings are organized in cases of emergencies, public scandals (mass poisonings, disruptions in transport, communications, etc.) in order to explain what happened, its causes, and immediately prevent possible errors and exaggerations about this, distributed through the media.

Rules for holding press conferences and briefings

1. Achieve a clear definition of the topic, goal and appropriate preparedness (statistics, graphs). Content and semantic saturation of the presentation, exhaustive argumentation of any assessment, any conclusion are necessary.

2. Prepare your handout very thoughtfully. It should be composed in such a way as if no one had ever heard anything about everything that was to come. The simpler the terminology and the clearer the essence, the easier it is to achieve reflection on the part of journalists.

3. Think over in great detail the scenario of the press conference, taking into account who will say what, what role and when they will play.

4. Greet journalists kindly, but not obsequiously. It is obligatory to introduce the participants and announce the proposed plan of the conference.

5. Use the shortest possible reports and demonstration of any visual material, as journalists constantly hear new headlines for their articles and messages.

6. Use a logically consistent argument, avoiding internal contradictions in the message.

7. Plan enough time for journalists' questions without creating a situation of frustration, dissatisfaction due to unfulfilled expectations.

8. Track the duration of the press conference - a maximum of 40 minutes, after which ensure the opportunity for journalists to work with individual participants.

9. Remember that journalists do not believe in altruism. Therefore, you should not deny your own business interests, but clearly and confidently present the benefit of the idea or product to third parties; the best option is when the benefits for both parties are clearly visible at the same time.

10. Try to be sincerely, emphatically benevolent towards all journalists. Journalists have such professionally significant personal qualities as a heightened sense of justice and a highly developed self-esteem.

Recently, the word "briefing" has become very fashionable. You probably asked the following question: "Briefing - what is it?". The word comes from the English brief - "short". Therefore, a briefing is a short press conference of officials who solve the main tasks and answer questions from members of the press.

Word in Russian

Briefing - what is it? When did this word appear in Russian? And why is it becoming popular in our country? There may be several main reasons for this. One of them is brevity. This term replaces a lot of words and can have a certain meaning. Secondly, this word was taken from the English language, so it is better in style, more formal, more suitable for describing economic and political news.

A briefing is not a dialogue, but short questions and the same answers, entirely informational. Therefore, most often such an event is held standing. For example, in the lobby of an airport or hotel. In order for the briefing to be successful, it is worth conducting the correct and good preparation for it. This can be done by public relations managers. A few days before the upcoming event, they must notify journalists about the venue. Before the briefing, they may call back a second time to clarify the main issues and plan the order of all speeches. Before this event, the video and audio equipment, as well as the venue, should be checked for operability.

short meeting

The briefing is a short meeting of economic, political and cultural figures. The purpose of the event is to inform the press about their position on various issues with subsequent publications in magazines and newspapers. This is a kind of PR campaign that attracts the attention of society. Most often, it can be collected after some event that has recently occurred. The briefing differs significantly from the press conference in that there are no presentation parts, the meeting time is short. Despite this, very often these concepts are confused.

Features of the

Conducting a briefing may have its own characteristics. A brief summary of the topic should contain thoughtful text. The author must be able to respond quickly and clearly to all questions, to answer them.

The briefing lasts no more than thirty minutes on average. The first ten can be assigned to the introduction of officials present at the meeting, as well as the obligatory familiarization with the personal position. The remaining time is most often devoted to answering questions that may be asked by members of the media. There is no daily briefing. As a rule, the event can be organized no more than twice a week. Briefing preparation:

Selection of a speaker (a responsible person of a firm, company) who will voice information;

Briefing text;

Preparing a press release or press package.

Briefing or press conference?

Press conference and briefing are meetings of officials. They are held to inform the public. A briefing is a short overview of several events, which can last no more than thirty minutes. Press conference - an event for the media, held in cases where there is significant news. It is carried out only in these cases:

The organization has hot news or an important message needs to be made, on which journalists may have many questions;
- a well-known person arrives who wants to speak to the media;
- information contacts with officials.

Conclusion

Based on the foregoing, we can confidently say that a briefing is not an analogue of a press conference, it has many differences.

A press conference is an organized meeting of journalists with representatives of state institutions, socio-political organizations, commercial structures, aimed at providing the media with problematic and commenting information, and is characterized by the possibility of obtaining first-hand information, checking information and clarifying versions with the help of questions. This is the main event for the media.

Several speakers participate, the duration does not exceed an hour. 30-40 minutes for keynote presentations and another 15 minutes for questions and answers. Preparing a press folder, cat. is given to each journalist at the time of registration. (Press folder - a set of PR texts, consists of: background or history of the company; biographies of managers; corporate booklet, annual report, description of products / services, fact sheet, press releases for the last 2-3 months, photo or CD-ROM with a photo of the company's products Optimum time from 11.00 to 16.00.

A briefing is a short operational speech to the press on the fresh trail of important events. The main difference: there is no presentation part. Those. almost immediately there are answers to the questions of journalists. Usually held for post PR events. For example: pre-match press conference and post-match briefing for journalists.

Similarities and differences

In relation to working with the media, a briefing means a press release. A briefing is arranged for operational reasons, when it is necessary to urgently inform journalists on a socially significant issue. (State of emergency, public scandal to explain what happened) Organizers can limit themselves to reporting and not engaging in dialogue with journalists. This is the main difference. This is a short info message for a group of journals, the cat is usually made official. a person representing the government.

They differ in the time periods that are allocated to them. The briefing cannot be longer than 20-30 minutes. The briefing can be held standing up, without seating journalists and speakers at the tables.

PC. gathers a larger number of journalists, is held more officially, only serious problems of broad public concern are affected. The goals of the event are formulated and a list of issues to be avoided is compiled. The media are divided into “their own”, “neutral” and “hostile” The script includes “their” journalists and the questions they will have to ask during the course. Invitations to the media are sent out in a few days or even 1-2 weeks

28. Sources of information from the mass media.

Mass communication is the constant dissemination of information through television, radio, print, film and sound recording to huge audiences in order to inform, ideological, political, economic impact on people's point of view. The main ones are:

Information agencies - organizations that collect and send information (ITAR - TASS, RIA, AR, and so on).

For example: AP is a news agency that has about 80 bureaus in different countries of the world and about 140 bureaus in the USA, it serves more than 15 thousand clients around the world (newspapers, magazines, television and radio companies).

Press - mass periodicals - newspapers and magazines. A person under the means of the newspaper identifies himself with society, it helps to feel like a citizen, a member of some group. Newspaper or magazine, unlike TV and radio information, can be saved. Creating and maintaining publicity through the newspaper is a critical task for company managers.

Radio - its uniqueness lies in the fact that it is everywhere essence and accessibility. Because people listen to the radio almost everywhere. But radio receives information from news agencies.

Journalism is the activity of collecting, processing and disseminating information through print, radio, television.

Documentary sources of information (State-administrative; Industrial-administrative; Socio-political; Scientific; Normative-technical; Reference and informational; Artistic.)

Types of documents: By the method of fixing information (handwritten, printed documents, films and photographic films, magnetic tapes). By the type of authorship (personal and public, for example, a receipt for receiving money and minutes of a team meeting). By the status of the document (official and unofficial, for example , a government decree and an explanatory note). By the degree of proximity to empirical material (primary, for example, completed questionnaires, and secondary - a report written on the results of a survey based on a generalization of these questionnaires). By the method of obtaining a document (naturally functioning in society, for example, statistical reports according to the established model and "targeted", i.e., created by order of a journalist - for example, a certificate on the activities of institutions).