Media Working Group Report
SCSCB 16th Regional Meeting, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
19 July 2007

Present at the Working Group meeting of July 19th were:
Andrew Dobson                                     Bonnie Rusk
Herbert Raffaele                                    Sarah Sanders
Nadra Nathai-Gyan                               Mayra Vincenty Pacheco
Floyd Hayes                                           Tony White
Sheylda Diaz-Mendez                        Stephen Durand
Adam Kent                                             Paul Baicich
Lynn Gape                                             Simon Guerrero
Maurice Anselme                                  Lisa Sorenson
Bertrand Jno-Baptiste                           Martin Barriteau
Alleyne Regis                                         Brandon Hay

Summary of Group Purpose:
The Media Working Group was formed based on the identified need to: (1) raise the profile of the Society; (2) provide a mechanism by which the Executive might be provided with a public voice by way of the Media.  Furthermore, there was a desire to (3) train interested members and local partners/collaborating organizations in media skills.

At the July 19th Working Group meeting, attendants:

• Provided a review of recent media activities from their organizations and shared experiences.
• Were provided with copies of two published resources, namely; How to Write a Press Release (from USFWS), and BirdLife Caribbean Program Media Training Workshop handout. 
• Drafted a first paragraph of a possible post-conference media release by way of a practice exercise in press release writing.
• Reviewed one option to deal with negative media attention by discussing, ‘How to Write a Letter to the Editor.’ (Handout provided). 
• Were encouraged to contact the Chair of the Working Group for support should assistance be needed for media activities about birds and the Society.
• Discussed two BirdLife Jamaica releases from 2007 Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival. 

Significant Points from the Meeting:

• Herbert Raffaele offered the use of his illustrations to those conducting media activities on behalf of the Society. 
• It was suggested that the Group submit examples of three (3) effective conference-related media releases to be added to the conference planning folder to better inform conference coordinators on what the Society expects. 
• It was advised that Festival coordinators make more effective use of photos to capture the attention of the reading public (examples were given of the use of signs or animals in photos submitted with news stories).
• It was expected that with the publication of the Society’s new strategic plan that the Group would reassess how best it might support the Society’s objectives as articulated therein. 

Challenges Identified for the Group were:

• The need to capture the ‘unconverted’ by identifying those partner organizations/individuals who were in need of either media capacity development, or encouragement to conduct media related activities in support of the Society’s mission.
• The need to create an effective mechanism to archive media resources from members appearing in the print media, radio and television, and also to share these with the society as a whole in a timely manner.
• Encourage those partner organizations regularly doing media work to assist in raising the profile of the Society by endeavoring to include the Society’s name in their media activities, in particular their writing.  The concern here was that, the Society’s name was not adequately represented at the local level by partner organizations, who were somewhat understandably, prioritizing their own issues.

Two co-chairs have agreed to assist with the leadership of the group, namely: 
1. Alleyne Regis
Technical Director,
RARE Radio
Castries, St. Lucia
aregis@rareconservation.org

2. Simon Guerrero
Deputy Director
National Zoological Park
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
guerrero.simon@gmail.com

Both individuals bring extensive professional experience, in addition to the language skills that will broaden the effectiveness of the Working Group. 

Recommendations for Follow-up Actions and Projects:
It was proposed that; “How to building a relationship with media” & “Dealing with problem/difficult situations with the media,” be used as a title for a workshop for the next conference of the Society. At this meeting, representatives of the media would be invited to provide comment on pitfalls in working with the media and field questions from participants.  

Prepared by:
Leo Douglas
Chair, Media Working Group

Would you like help with your SCSCB media activities such as preparing your media releases? Are you interested in joining the Media Working Group and helping us with our work? Contact Leo Douglas, Chair, at lrd2107@columbia.edu