Public affairs officers maintain public trust through timely, accurate and transparent communication. They can gain public support by informing the public. They enable their units and commanders to inform the public by keeping them up-to-date on current public affairs guidance, higher echelon messaging and desired communication end states. A big part of that task is answering questions from media representatives. That way, when media representatives tell the story they want to share, they have accurate information.
A media query involves more than simply answering the questions the reporter prepares. Answering media inquiries requires thorough knowledge of how to field and document questions, research a proposed response, staff a proposed response and respond to questions. The resources in this collection are designed to keep the media query process organized and appropriately aligned with the commander's intent every step of the way.
Even if you don't have an immediate response, always acknowledge a media query promptly. Don't leave people wondering if you've seen their question(s). Gather the appropriate information, staff and validate the response and consider the appropriate level of the response (e.g., for HQ, Office of Secretary of Defense or interagency). Consider whether the response should be attributed to the commander, a director, an action officer, a subject matter expert or the PAO. Always ask, "Who else needs to know?" before responding; don't catch the commander or other echelons/offices by surprise. Use the template in Media Query Response Guide to ensure nothing is missed when a media query comes in.
It is important to document each step of the query. Documentation will help you facilitate your interaction with the media. It will also help you pick up on trends in local media coverage and the types of stories they routinely show interest in covering. To help you field responses to questions from the media, refer to How to Respond to a Media Query. This step-by-step guide will help you respond to mundane questions and stories and, most importantly, how to respond to the media during a crisis.
Use the template in Response to Media Query to help you document each part of a media query, should any questions, comments or concerns arise.
Log, track and report essential information to command with the Media Query Tracker template.