Communication Essentials using a Journalism Framework

In fifth grade, one homework assignment challenged the class to analyze newspaper articles: find a story in which the first two paragraphs did not answer the following questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? How? It’s no surprise that each article conformed to this structure. The remainder of each article then elaborated on the details behind the answers to those six questions.

Fast-forward to today. News and PR releases are no longer just published in print – they are also published online, through Websites, blogs, podcasts, social media…. the list goes on and on. And while the opening line is often an anecdote to draw in a reader, the core content answering those six questions is still placed at the beginning of news and PR pieces.

Let’s take a step back to see what those core questions, which are at the heart of journalism, teach us to communicate our message more effectively to audiences both inside and outside the Toastmasters organization. Each of these questions should be answered in order to most effectively structure your communications.

• Who – Identify your target audience. Are they members or non-members of Toastmasters? Is it an individual or a group?
• What – Define your message. Is it to inform, is it a call to action – and is it relevant to the audience?
• When – Determine the timing for disseminating the message. Is there enough advanced notice for a call to action, or is it sent too early or too late?
• Where – Define the medium to be used to publicize the message. Print or electronic or both?
• Why – Give the audience a reason to care. What is in it for them?
• How – Execute the broadcasting of your message – this is the bag of tips-and-tricks that will ensure you are heard. It also involves choosing the types of public relations you will use – active, passive, and social PR.

In subsequent posts, I will look at each of these topics in detail.