Press engagement protocol

The diagnostic goal

Use the press engagement protocol to locate the specific conditions behind this question: What should be agreed, prepared, recorded, and followed up when speaking with journalists? The working view makes purpose, reporter context, and terms visible so discussion can move from general opinion to a specific action or decision.

When to run it

Run the press engagement protocol before a consequential review or change in marketing and communications, when symptoms are visible but the underlying condition is still unclear. Repeat it when the evidence for purpose, reporter context, and terms changes, rather than on a calendar alone.

What it tests

The press engagement protocol is an evidence-based review that keeps healthy, watch, gap, and unknown states visibly distinct. Its core working elements are purpose, reporter context, terms, and spokesperson. Those elements belong together because each changes how the others should be interpreted or acted on.

Diagnostic dimensions

Purpose

State the intended contribution in plain language and distinguish the enduring purpose from the current plan. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to reporter context so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Reporter context

Record only the context that changes the work, separating verified facts from interpretations and assumptions. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to terms so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Terms

Capture terms only at the level needed to answer: What should be agreed, prepared, recorded, and followed up when speaking with journalists? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to spokesperson so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Spokesperson

Capture spokesperson only at the level needed to answer: What should be agreed, prepared, recorded, and followed up when speaking with journalists? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to messages so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Messages

Match the message, level of detail, channel, sender, timing, and feedback path to the audience and consequence. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to risks so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Risks

Describe the cause, possible consequence, early warning signal, owner, and proportionate prevention or response. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to factual corrections so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Factual corrections

Capture factual corrections only at the level needed to answer: What should be agreed, prepared, recorded, and followed up when speaking with journalists? Use observable evidence, name any unresolved judgment, and state what action or choice this entry can change. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to follow-up so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.

Follow-up

Write a concrete next action with one owner, a due date or trigger, and a visible completion condition. Within the press engagement protocol, connect this entry to factual corrections so the relationship can be reviewed rather than inferred.