Last week I attended the fantastic Charity Communications Conference 2008. My highlight of the day was listening to the brilliant Polly Toynbee (social and political commentator of the Guardian), interview award winning journalist Nick Davies - one of my idols when I was a student journalist.

Davies began by talking about his latest book Flat Earth News in which he claims the global media output has become full of propaganda, distortion and pseudo events which in part come from the PR industry. He attributed this partly to the fact that many journalists no longer have time to go out and find their stories or check facts.

At the same time, he said, there is in an increasing demand for news whilst staff numbers are cut. This is not a new argument- but what is new is Davies's claim that the shift occurred as corporations took over ownership of the media - as the logic of corporations took over the logic of journalism.

Davies said: "Whilst this is bad for news consumers... I suppose it's good for you (an audience of communicators)."

Davies's argument that the media is weak- allowing PR to influence output is alarming for us as news consumers but must be good news for many of the small charities I speak to through askCHARITY- who believe that it is difficult if not impossible to get their message out there.

Davies went on to tell the audience how they could manipulate the media. He said it was about using the media formula to convert reality into useable stories. His top tips for engaging with the media were:

1) Make it cheap and easy- they have a limited budget and limited time- take the stories to them, give them what they need to make the story suitable for their audience

2) Give them safe facts- the media love stories from official 'credible' sources

Toynbee asked many of the questions that were on my mind...including what makes a good press officer. Davies replied:

"There are two sorts of press officers: the maverick- who knows what they are talking about and is prepared to be a bit brave by giving me off the record information in the hope of exposing something they don't agree with....The second who is loyal- and I want a little bit of courage from them."

When the questions came from the audience Toynbee was asked how to get into the mind of a columnist, she replied:

"Choose a columnist....they have a lot of space to fill and may be interested. It needs to contain an idea or a bigger picture...anyone who comes with new fresh thoughts is extremely welcome."

Another questioner from the audience wanted to know from Davies how to make sure the media would not distort the stories of their case studies. Davies suggested giving an exclusive story to a trusted journalist from a Sunday newspaper- then the Monday papers may pick it up with the same message.

To find out more about the Charity Communications Conference go to: www.charitycommunications.co.uk

Emma Wickenden
CharityComms Coordinator