Media Relations Policy
Purpose
This plan outlines how departments will coordinate all media activity with the Public Relations Office to ensure accuracy, alignment with PCC policy and standards, and effective promotion of college programs and initiatives.
Guiding principle
All outreach to reporters, editors, and media outlets must be led and coordinated through PCC’s PR Office. Staff and faculty should not independently issue press releases, pitch stories, pay for advertorials, or respond to media on behalf of PCC without PR involvement, or plan and set up media events or events with a media component without PR’s involvement. This also includes any collaborative press releases, outreach with partners or events planned with partners at PCC or at offsite locations.
When to involve PR
- Planning new initiatives or events: If an event, project, or initiative may attract media interest, PR must be involved from the start of planning. This allows time to:
- Shape key messages and talking points
- Decide whether a press release or press conference is appropriate
- Ensure venue, visuals, and logistics meet media needs
- Coordinate with external partners on joint outreach and branding
- Press conferences: All press conference planning must go through PR. PR will:
- Join planning meetings with partners
- Advise on date, time, and location
- Manage media invitations and follow-up
- Review and refine talking points and materials
- Determine the level of PR staffing needed, on- or off-campus
- Press releases: Any press release mentioning PCC must involve PR at the outset. The PR Office will:
- Draft or co-write content
- Add required PCC information and boilerplate language
- Secure necessary approvals
- Provide or approve imagery
- Distribute the release to media
- Media inquiries: Any contact from the media must be forwarded immediately to PR. PR will:
- Serve as the primary media contact
- Involve appropriate leaders, faculty, and staff
- Track questions, responses, and resulting coverage
- Media releases (FERPA compliance): Students quoted in releases or speaking publicly in connection with PCC must sign a media release form, per FERPA and college policy. Staff and leadership do not need to sign. Direct students to the PCC media release to complete the form before participation.