Section 8. Arranging a Press Conference

• What is a press conference?

• Why should you hold a press conference?

• When should you hold a press conference?

• How do you hold a press conference?

Holding a press conference can be an effective way to communicate timely, important information to multiple media outlets at once. A successful press conference can generate news about your issue or initiative, give journalists direct access to knowledgeable speakers, and increase public awareness. This section looks at the elements of planning a successful press conference, when to hold one, and how best to communicate with the media and the public.

What is a press conference?

You and your group members have probably seen press conferences on television, online, or through livestreams before or after a major local or national event. A speaker or group of speakers makes an announcement, provides information, and then responds to questions from reporters. So, you may already know what press conferences look like in general.

But what exactly is a press conference? A press conference is an organized media event designed to provide timely, newsworthy information and give journalists an opportunity to ask questions directly. It is especially useful when an announcement is significant, current, relevant to the public, and likely to interest several media outlets.

Imagine reporters from several media outlets coming to an event that you have organized, or joining it remotely. This can be exciting and can provide an important opportunity for your organization. If you've never done it before, holding a press conference can also feel intimidating. But the material in this section will guide you through the process and help you prepare.

Why should you hold a press conference?

Press releases, interviews, statements, and ongoing media relationships are excellent ways of communicating information. They are the bread and butter of media relations and often of a larger outreach effort. A press conference is an additional technique for occasions when several reporters may have questions or when the announcement benefits from being made publicly and interactively. More specifically, why hold a press conference? Because:

• You can provide more information and context than may fit in a press release.
• A press conference is interactive; you can answer questions from reporters, clarify information, and address points that may need additional explanation.
• You can announce an important development and explain its local and wider implications.
• You can correct significant inaccuracies or provide additional context if your group or issue has received misleading or incomplete coverage.
• You may generate earned media coverage across television, radio, newspapers, websites, newsletters, streaming platforms, social media, and other outlets without purchasing advertising.
• You can make several knowledgeable speakers, partners, or community representatives available to reporters at the same time, helping journalists gather information efficiently.
• A successful press conference can generate news and can also help your group recognize that its work and perspective are contributing to a broader public conversation.

When should you hold a press conference?

You and your organization could hold a press conference when there is important, timely information that several media outlets and members of the public may reasonably want to know about. In some cases, you may need to respond to fast-breaking news. For example, if an education funding bill were introduced in the state legislature, you might want to convene a press conference that same day to explain the bill's implications. In such cases, you may have little time for elaborate preparations, so accurate information, clearly identified speakers, and rapid digital communication with reporters become especially important.

Remember, you don't want to hold a press conference too often. It is a special communication tool and should be used when the news warrants bringing reporters together. Here are some cases when a press conference might be a good idea:

• When the event includes a person whose role, expertise, experience, or connection to the issue is genuinely relevant and whom several reporters may want to question.
• When you have a significant announcement to make, such as the launch of a major initiative, an important policy development, or a meaningful community achievement.
• When there is an emergency or crisis centered around your group or the issues it deals with and the public needs timely, accurate information.
• When several organizations or community partners are participating in an effort and their combined perspectives help explain the significance or breadth of the issue.
• When you want to respond to a related event; for example, when a national report relevant to your issue is released.

How do you hold a press conference?

Before the press conference:

As we've discussed, you may sometimes have to schedule a press conference on short notice.  If you do have lead time, however, you and your group will want to begin planning far enough in advance to organize speakers, information, logistics, accessibility, and media outreach. A week or two may be useful for a planned event, while breaking news may require a much shorter timeline. The following steps should help you plan for your press conference:

Define the message.

Define the key message or messages that you and your group are trying to communicate to the community. Your goal may be to introduce or shed more light on an issue, announce a new program or event, respond to a news development or criticism of your effort, correct misinformation, or draw attention to an important achievement.  Whatever the message, summarize it in three to five clear key points.  If a date, time, address, website, phone number, or other specific information is part of the message -- if the purpose of the press conference is to announce an upcoming event, for example -- make sure it is communicated clearly and displayed prominently in your press materials.  Double- or triple-check all factual information before the press conference begins.

Schedule the date and time.

You and your group will need to determine a date and time for the press conference and consider competing events, newsroom deadlines, local time zones, reporter availability, and the urgency of your announcement. If possible, check relevant media calendars or ask reporters or assignment desks about major conflicts. Here are some other tips for scheduling your press conference:

• Weekday mornings or early afternoons may work well for many newsrooms, and Tuesday through Thursday are often useful starting points for planned events. However, there is no single best day for every outlet or community. Base your decision on the local news cycle and the reporters you are trying to reach.
• Schedule the event early enough that reporters have time to gather information, conduct follow-up interviews, edit material, and meet their publication or broadcast deadlines. For digital outlets, deadlines may be continuous rather than tied to a single daily edition or newscast.
• Remember, you are competing with all the other news of the day, and breaking events may change reporters' plans at the last minute. Don't assume low attendance means that your issue lacks importance.

Pick the site.

Make sure you pick a location for the press conference that reporters, speakers, and participants can reach safely and reasonably. Consider transportation, parking, public transit, physical accessibility, and whether remote participation or livestreaming should be available. A site connected to the issue -- such as the state capitol building, city courthouse, community center, clinic, school, or another relevant location -- can provide useful context and visual interest. Other considerations include background noise, lighting, reliable electrical power, internet access, space for cameras and microphones, and any permissions or security arrangements that may be needed.

Select and train your participants.

At this stage of your planning process, choose participants who can contribute useful knowledge, experience, or perspective. They should understand the issue, be able to communicate clearly, and be prepared for questions from reporters. Depending on the topic, effective spokespeople might include organizational leaders, public officials, subject-matter experts, community partners, or people with relevant lived experience. People directly affected by an issue can provide essential context, but their participation should be voluntary and informed. Make sure they understand the public nature of the event, how their comments and images may be used, and any potential privacy or personal consequences of participating.

Here are a few tips for participants:

• Be clear and concise -- avoid unnecessary jargon, exaggerated rhetoric, or inflammatory language. Speak naturally rather than trying to eliminate every pause or hesitation.
• Assume the audience is intelligent -- explain unfamiliar information without sounding patronizing.
• Minimize distracting movements or objects when speaking, but focus more on communicating comfortably and authentically than on appearing perfectly polished.
• Present yourself in a way that is appropriate to the setting and comfortable for you.
• Always tell the truth. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so and offer to provide accurate information afterward when possible. Don't exaggerate, present unsupported figures, state opinions as facts, or make accusations you cannot substantiate.

In addition to the press conference participants, identify a moderator who understands the issue and can manage the event. They will convene the press conference, introduce the issue and participants, explain how questions will be handled, and direct questions to the appropriate speakers. The moderator should also be prepared to keep the discussion orderly and make sure reporters have a reasonable opportunity to ask questions.

If you and your group are new at this, you may want to watch or attend other press conferences to get a feeling for how they work. Even if you are experienced, a rehearsal can be useful. Speakers should prepare concise talking points covering the three to five key messages rather than trying to memorize a script word for word. Keep opening remarks brief enough to leave meaningful time for questions. During rehearsal, practice responding to difficult, skeptical, unexpected, or emotionally charged questions and identify which participant should respond to different topics.

For example, a suitable response to a question that falls outside the event's subject might be, "That's an important question, but it is outside the focus of today's announcement. Our focus today is on..."  If the question is relevant but you don't know the answer, it's okay to call on another participant who may know, or tell the reporter that you will verify the information and follow up later.

Contact the media.

The first step in contacting the media is to create and maintain a current list of reporters, editors, producers, assignment desks, radio and television newsrooms, newspapers, digital news outlets, community publications, newsletters, and other media that cover your issue or community. Include reporters you have worked with before and journalists who have recently covered related topics. Focus on relevance rather than sending the same invitation indiscriminately to every outlet.

If your organization has worked with the media before, you may already have professional relationships with reporters and editors.  If you haven't made those contacts, this is a good time to begin.  Journalists are people doing demanding work on deadlines.  If you can make human contact with those folks, provide accurate information, respond promptly, and make their work easier, you can build a relationship based on trust and usefulness.

You will also want to prepare a media advisory and distribute it far enough in advance to give reporters a reasonable opportunity to plan. For a scheduled press conference, this may be several days to a week in advance, depending on the outlet and event. For breaking news, much less notice may be possible. A media advisory should make the basics easy to find: what is happening, why it matters, who will speak, when and where it will take place, whether remote or livestream access is available, and whom reporters should contact with questions. For an example of a press advisory, see the Tools section.

Follow up with the media.

After distributing your media advisory, follow up selectively with the reporters or outlets most relevant to the story. Email, phone, or another method may be appropriate depending on the journalist's stated preferences. A brief reminder the day before or morning of the event may be useful, particularly when important details have changed. Avoid repeated follow-ups that add no new information or pressure reporters who have already declined.

Develop a press kit.

A press kit provides reporters with the information and materials they may need to understand and cover your issue or program. Today, press kits are often digital and may be shared through an online newsroom, webpage, cloud folder, email, or QR code, although printed copies may still be useful in some settings. Your press kit should contain relevant materials such as:

• A list of press conference participants, including their roles and relevant affiliations.
• A press release or written statement summarizing the announcement, key facts, your group's position when relevant, and useful quotations from participants (for more, see Preparing Press Releases).
• Background information about the issue, such as relevant statistics, historical background, program information, reports, or links to credible sources.
• High-quality photographs, graphics, charts, logos, or video that reporters have permission to use, along with appropriate captions, credits, and accessibility information.
• Short biographies or background information about participants when relevant.
• Links to relevant news coverage, reports, research, official documents, or other credible background sources that help reporters understand the issue.

Putting the kit together: Organize the materials so reporters can quickly find the most important information. For a digital press kit, use clear file names and a simple folder or webpage structure, place the press release or main statement prominently, and make sure links and downloadable files work before distributing them. If you provide printed materials, arrange them in the same clear order.

Prepare the room.

There are a number of things you can do to prepare the room you're holding the press conference in. Here are some tips:

• Check electrical outlets, internet access, microphones, speakers, lighting, livestream equipment, and any other technology you plan to use.
• Arrange the room so that all speakers can be seen and heard clearly, and use name cards or on-screen identifiers where helpful.
• Provide enough accessible seating and working space for reporters and their equipment, including cameras, microphones, laptops, and tripods.
• Display useful visuals as a backdrop or nearby -- such as charts, maps, posters, or organizational identification -- without making the setting unnecessarily promotional or distracting.
• Have a sign-in option for reporters who choose to provide their name, outlet, and contact information, while avoiding the collection of unnecessary personal information.
• Provide a podium, table, or other speaking setup if useful, and make sure microphones and sight lines work for all speakers.
• Provide water and, when appropriate, simple refreshments for speakers and attendees.

At the Press Conference:

When the big day finally arrives, there are a number of things you and your group can do to help your press conference run as smoothly as possible. We will go through these, step by step:

• Welcome members of the press as they arrive or join remotely and help them find the information, access, or technical support they need.
• Offer reporters access to the press kit and, when useful, invite them to provide their affiliation and contact information for follow-up materials.
• Position press conference participants so that they can be seen and heard clearly by reporters attending in person and, if applicable, by people joining or watching remotely.
• Note which media outlets are represented so you know whom to provide follow-up information to afterward. You may also want to make brief personal contact with reporters before or after the press conference when appropriate.
• Start approximately on time -- no later than a few minutes after the scheduled time unless circumstances require a delay.
• Record or livestream the event when useful, and let participants know how the recording will be used. Make transcripts, captions, or other accessible versions available when possible.
• Have the moderator welcome the press and introduce the issue, participants, and basic format for questions.
• Keep each participant's opening remarks brief and focused on the most important information, generally no more than a few minutes, so that reporters have adequate time to ask questions.
• After the presentations, the moderator should invite questions from the press and direct them to the appropriate participants. If remote reporters are participating, establish a clear way for them to submit or ask questions as well.
• Bring the formal conference to an end once the main questions have been addressed, rather than extending the event simply to fill a predetermined amount of time. Thank the participants and media for attending, and let reporters know whether speakers will remain available for brief follow-up interviews.

After the Press Conference

To the extent that you can, be available to reporters who need clarification, additional documents, quotations, photographs, or follow-up interviews.  Building strong media relationships is less about making a personal impression than about being accurate, responsive, transparent, and useful.  When journalists know that your organization provides dependable information and respects their work, they are more likely to contact you when they cover your issue in the future.

Review which relevant media outlets were not represented. Not everyone who intended to attend will be able to do so, particularly when breaking news changes newsroom priorities. You may want to email those reporters the press release and digital press kit, provide a recording or transcript of the event, or offer an interview with an appropriate press conference participant.

You might also review the press conference with others from your organization who attended.  What went well?  What could you have done better?  Did reporters receive the information they needed? Were speakers prepared? Was the event accessible to the people you hoped to reach? How accurate was the resulting coverage?  Use what you learn to improve the next press conference you hold.