Customer Reviews

Winning with the News Media : A Self-Defense Manual When You're the Story (2001 Edition)

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I must admit, as a Public Information professional I at first found Jones' writing style and key points for working with the media rather simplistic. But as I continued reading, I found myself marking and underlining passage after passage. As a spokeman and media relations officer within NATO, and having just returned as a spokesman for NATO operations in Macedonia during a major deployment of troops, I wished I had read this book before I went there. I was doing as many as 20 interviews per day ranging from live stand-ups with CNN and BBC, to radio call-ins and newspaper interviews representing media world-wide. This book reinforced everything I learned leading up to and during that experience, stating clearly what's important and why, as well as many tips and techiques that seem rather minor but are really quite important when push comes to shove and you find yourself face-to-face with a reporter. I will use many points from this book to further refine my own training program for senior leaders within NATO and to prepare them for interviews. A great resource that has found a prominent place among my professional books.

Now in it's 2001 edition, this continues to be the best book ever written on media relations. Clarence Jones, an award-winning investigative reporter in both print and television, has again updated and enhanced what for many of us has become the definitive text on the subject. In clear, conversational, and easy-to-read prose, Jones explains the inner workings of the news business and offers sage, commonsense advice on how to build positive relations with the news media, get your organization's activities covered, and manage the inevitable "bad news" situation that can befall any institution.

The world of media relations is constantly changing and, as befits the "Bible" of this field, Jones has again updated his book with analysis of current trends, court decisions, and case studies. As mass communications has entered the Age of the Internet, so too does this book offer "up to the minute" guidance on communicating in the 21st Century.

As a PR practitioner with 22 years experience in local government, law enforcement and emergency services, I haven't found a text that comes close to providing the practical, up to date advice found here. If I were reduced to having only one media relations tect on my bookshelf, this would be it.

Best of all, in a time when America has became cynical and jaded about "spin doctoring," Clarence Jones makes clear, well-supported arguments for practicing the craft of PR in an honest and ethical manner.

The words I wrote about the last edition continue to hold true...whether you're a corporate PR staffer, a community activist trying to write your first news release, or someone trying to cope with the 15 minutes of fame Andy Warhol promised each of us, you'll want to read this book and keep it on your shelf as a ready reference.

Clarence Jones has a real winner here and has for years. My only regret is that I only recently became aware of his publication. It is easily the most comprehensive, yet practical guide to dealing with the media that I have run across on the market. Jones' work is very readable and well organized so that you can quickly find information relevant to your particular need.

Of equal importance, he has kept the book current over the years. He has successfully adapted to the constantly changing dynamics and practices of the industry.

Quite simply, I believe that this book is a "must read" for anyone who interacts with the media on a regular basis. Having recently aquired an MA in communication studies, I have read my share of books on similar topics; "Winning with the News Media" simply has no peer.

It is the most practical, informative and user friendly book on the news media I have come across. The format is excellent and the style is conversational and direct - very refreshing! Clarence Jones just gives the reader firm practical advice on understanding the news media. Whether you are a scientist, engineer or a seasoned human dimentions/public relations specialist, this book has superb advice and help for you. The information is pertinent and to the point. Clarence Jones justifiably sounds like a true authority on the topic.

Whether you're a public relations professional, a journalism junkie, or simply someone who wants to learn more about how news is made, you'll want to read this book. Clarence Jones, an award-winning investigative reporter in both print and television, has created this latest edition of what has become a classic text. In clear, easy-to-read prose, Jones explains the inner workings of the news business and offers sage, commonsense advice on how to build relations with the news media, get your organization's activities covered, and manage the inevitable "bad news" situations that can happen to any institution.

This is the latest edition of a book that many folks consider the "Bible" of media relations, and one of its strongest features is the author's "up to the minute" analysis of media trends, court decisions, and case studies.

After 19 years of experience in media relations in local government, law enforcement, and emergency services, I still learned a lot from this book (and I've read previous editions).

Best of all, in a time when many of us have grown jaded and cynical by the machinations of lawyers and "spin doctors," Jones makes clear, well-supported arguments for telling the truth and doing the right thing...restoring honor and decency in an arena that needs it.

Whether you're a corporate PR staffer, a community activist trying to write your first news release, or someone on the verge of experiencing the 15 minutes of fame Andy Warhol promised everyone, you'll want to read this book...then keep it on your shelf as a ready reference.

If I had to pick only one book of the hundreds written on how to deal with the media, this would be the one I'd recommend. In fact, when I reviewed an earlier edition of this book several years ago for my newsletter, The Publicity Hound, I said that this was the book I wish I had written. As a former newspaper editor who worked in the business 22 years, I thought I knew it all, and more. I didn't, particularly when it came to TV. I couldn't put the book down.

Clarence Jones, a former award-winning investigative reporter in both newspapers and TV, knows his stuff, including all the tricks reporters use to loosen your lips. The book is pithy, with easy-to-read chapters broken down into numerous sub-heads--making it easy to find exactly what you're looking for in a hurry.

Jones takes you inside the heads and brains of working journalists. He explains how they think, how they react, and what they have the power to do to you if you don't play by their rules.

I read an earlier edition from cover to cover and referred to it so often in my consulting practice that the book literally fell apart from use. When I scanned this 8th edition, I got lost in it AGAIN, long past my bedtime. Reading it will make you much smarter, much savvier and much better prepared to meet the media when bad news strikes. Even if all the stories about you are good (yeah, right), please don't do another interivew unless you read this book first.

Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound
http://www.PublicityHound.com

I work as a Public Infomation Officer and Paramedic for EVAC Ambulance in Volusia County, FL (Daytona Beach / Metro Area). This book is is quite simply the BEST how to guide to any one who works with the media. Clarence Jones continues his tradition of excellence with the new and revised 2001 edition. Don't hesitate just buy it, you'll love it.

Winning with the News Media by Clarence Jones is, as he has properly subtitled: "A self-defense manual when you're the story." The book is for anyone who interacts with the media and for anyone who may deal with the media ... and let's face it, as law enforcement professionals if you haven't been thrust into the camera's unforgiving eye yet, you will be soon. The media and law enforcement have a long and storied history together - we need them, they need us, we don't trust them, they don't trust us, we avoid them, they chase us ... you get the idea.

You can make that relationship better (or at least less nerve-wracking for you) through preparation and knowledge. Jones offers knowledge of media relations from the insider's point of view - as a former newspaper and broadcast journalist, Jones offers insight on not only how things work, by why the media do the things they do. And then to tie it up with a pretty bow, he tells you how and why you should do an interview, a press release, a press conference, deal with a crisis, pick a PIO, do damage control, and make heads or tails of media law.

While the book covers many, many topics, Jones does a good job breaking it down simplistically and with bold-faced subheads generously placed throughout the book so it can truly be used as a manual on the fly. He divides Winning with the News Media into three sections: Strategy, Skills and Inside the Media. The Skills Section will be most valuable to chiefs, sheriffs and PIOs as it offers instruction on how to give good un-misquotable quotes in interviews as well as how to look and sounds one's best during an interview. He offers guidelines in the form of Ten Commandments and also addresses such hot topics as "off the record."

This book is used as a textbook in many media relations classes, ranging from government agencies to corporations. Therefore, it is broad-based. This is not a manual exclusive to law enforcement, although Jones does throw in some references and offers some examples using law enforcement agents. There are certain sections that you'll need to tweak-as-you-read, for example, crisis management. While the book suggests how a corporation would react and respond to certain crises, it's not too far off from how a chief or sheriff should handle such a situation. But because topics like evidence preservation and investigative integrity are not included in the sample plan, one should just mentally add those and like components in.

Jones also offers a section on privacy laws, briefly summarizing some cases that established the rights of journalists and their cameras. The topic is important, as undoubtedly at some point in your career a reporter will tell you that he or she is entitled to gain entry or to access some information based on such-and-such a case ruling. Be prepared and know what they have access to and what they don't have access to - again, you can use this book as a reference guide for quick look-up.

Winning with the News Media would be most beneficial to command staff level officers as well as those who deal frequently with the media, like persons crimes detectives. The ones to get the most use from this book would be PIOs and agency heads. One should definitely read this book prior to assuming a PIO position not only for the practical tips on dealing with the media but also for the insider's view on how the media work. Jones provides a sort of organizational chart of newsrooms which will make it so much easier to figure out not only who to talk to about what type of story, but also to figure out who has got the authority to deal with your complaints. Agency heads might also want to pick this book up so that when the time comes to deal with that inevitable crisis, you'll have the knowledge to know what you'll be up against. And then when you're facing the crisis (and the cameras), using the book as a reference manual will be that much easier.

One "keep an open mind warning": the writing structure is very basic and very simple which some seasoned PIOs and media-savvy chiefs might find a little condescending. However, if you look at it as a how-to manual then you will see why that simplicity is so important - the wording is clear and concise and the directions are easy to follow. Think of any complex piece of furniture or children's toy you've ever tried to put together - how many times have you wished for simple directions? This manual will help you get the job done and you won't have any of those "extra" pieces lying around.

Jones does a great job of teaching people how to "win" with the media as opposed to "surviving" or "defeating" the media. That mindset change is key for most people. I learned many new tricks of the trade from reading his book.

If you deal with the media then you should have read this book already. I read Michael Levine's Guerrilla PR Wired, a brilliant book on PR, and then read Winning With The News Media. Both were influential in my career.