Technique

Question 1

‘Firebreaking’

Answer 1

A deliberately constructed diversion to take journalists off the scent of an embarrassing story.

Question 2

‘Stoking the fire’

Answer 2

Finding materials to keep an opponent’s awkward story running.

Question 3

Building up a personality

Answer 3

Creating a media star or a big politician.

Question 4

‘Pre-empting’

Answer 4

Breaking the story out in advance of the media reports.

Question 5

‘Kite-flying’

Answer 5

Governments/parties use the media to float proposals in order to test reaction.

Question 6

Raising or lowing expectations

Answer 6

To change people’s perspective on the result of an issue.

Question 7

‘Milking a story’

Answer 7

Extracting as much positive media coverage out of a given situation as possible.

Question 8

‘Throwing out the bones’

Answer 8

Dealing with items of bad news by putting out a press release either at a very busy time or at a very quite time.

Question 9

‘Laundering’

Answer 9

Usually used as the last resort to deal with items of extremely bad news. Including a piece of good news that can be released at the same time as bad news to minimise its impact.

Question 10

The ‘white commonwealth’

Answer 10

The creation of a favoured group of correspondents who receive special treatment and access.

Question 11

Bullying and intimidation

Answer 11

Reporters ‘out of the loop’ can find themselves not just excluded from sources of information but also openly bullied.

Question 12

‘Planting a story’

Answer 12

Involves a government or political party supplying a newspaper or magazine with a major article with a senior politician’s by-line. But actually written by a member of media teams.

Question 13

Driving the news agenda

Answer 13

A sustained campaign of drive the news in a particular direction over a period of time. Can be achieved by feeding selected journalists with a string of related stories.

Question 14

Setting the news agenda

Answer 14

“Timing is all.” Too little notice of a breaking story can leave journalists scrambling to catch up and consequently unable or unwilling to give the story maximum impact. However, too much notice gives time to both journalists to seek out and opposition politicians to provide substantial ‘rebuttal material’.

Question 15

Re and pre-buttal

Answer 15

Instant rebuttal or even pre-buttal is crucial in managing the story.

Question 16

‘Staying on message’

Answer 16

Maintaining a consistency in line between the different spokesmen and women in a party/government.

Question 17

Reacting to breaking news events

Answer 17

Must be kept informed of both the story itself and their party’s own line.

Question 18

Reacting to Government/Party announcements

Answer 18

Usually putting the case directly (talking with journalists in the lobby/seeking out a broadcast interview *usually who can give instantly put it out)

Question 19

Publicizing speeches, interviews and articles

Answer 19

‘Speech’ looks like a report of an event, but in fact, it is a report of press releases being written.

Question 20

‘Creating a virtual dialogue’

Answer 20

By reacting to interviews or speeches, it can develop into a virtual political dialogue, with the media acting as intermediaries. Thus, setting the news agenda by dominating the news cycle.

Question 21

Sound bites and Photo-opportunities

Answer 21

Intended to appear in regular news broadcasts, and as such acquire the legitimacy and veracity of news as distinct from propaganda.

Question 22

Interviews

Answer 22

For the media, a cheap method of filling space while providing some prospect of excitement. For the politician, an opportunity to articulate a view or to promote a policy initiative.