Tame the beast

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Pre-conference seminar tackles 'Mastering the Media: How to get good news coverage even when things are going bad'

Getting good press is not easy when the media is looking for scandals and sensational headlines, but it can be done.

Mark Weaver

In conjunction with the N.C. League of Municipalities, the Association is hosting a pre-conference seminar on media relations on Thursday, Aug. 26. Taught by acclaimed media relations strategist and consultant Mark Weaver of Communications Counsel, Inc., this dynamic and interactive seminar will teach you the media strategies that Fortune 500 companies and U.S. Senators turn to when a crisis hits. The seminar will change the way you deal with the media for the better.

Registration for the seminar is $95 and is separate from the Annual Conference registration fee. The seminar is also open to municipal officials through the Local Elected Leaders Academy, a three-level recognition program designed to help the Association achieve one of its strategic goals, "strengthen county leadership and board development."

The agenda is as follows:

10 a.m., Understanding the media: Before you can master the media, you need to fully understand how it works. We'll cover the important things you need to know about each branch of the media, and how the public thinks and reacts to things they hear in the media.

11 a.m., Getting attention with the right message: Getting "good" media coverage is almost always the result of proper messaging. We'll go over what you should say and what you shouldn't say to come out ahead in the press. We'll also discuss how to earn the media's attention by getting creative.

1:30 p.m., Crisis communications: Turning bad news around: Things don't always go right. For that reason, you'll learn how to get favorable media coverage out of a bad situation. We'll also cover how (and how not) to effectively respond to criticism and negative press from citizens and the press.

2:45 p.m., Social media: Blogs, tweets, Facebook and more. Social media, or new media, is quickly revolutionizing both how the media reports the news and how the public hears about it. Learn how to respond to blogs that attack you and learn the difference between Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

3:45 p.m., 15 ideas in 15 minutes.