Chapter 4 Results
4.2 Journalists
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Last year, there was a two weeks reporting trip to Ghana for journalists from Visegrad countries (Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia). Three journalists from each country participated in it.
4.2 Journalists
Journalists facilitate the communication between the NGO and the media house. Therefore, the relations with journalists are very important for every NGO. This category is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on the attitudes of NPO representatives towards journalists and the second section provides journalistic insight.
View of NPO
Representatives of People in Need are satisfied with their communication with journalists in general. One of the obstacles is the descending number of journalists. NPOs noticed the trend of foreign news departments in Czech that are being reduced in size. Foreign news departments in Czech printed media are becoming smaller. Less journalists but from point of view of NGOs, means less time to cover the stories.
"Some of the journalists that used to answer us, when we wrote them, are not replying now.
Compared with the situation five years ago, the number of journalists we are in touch is just fifty per cent of them, or even one third. The journalists are now more just working with the news that they receive from news agencies and do not have time to work on their own topics. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
In October 2012, two Czech major newspapers under media house Mafra merged their foreign news section (as well as sports and photography section) in order to reduce costs. In April 2014, after a year and a half of the new system, the management announced that the departments will split again. Possibly, there might be more journalists covering the foreign agenda in the upcoming months.
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One of the criticisms from the NGO towards journalists, connected rather to reporting in general, not just reposting on NPOs, is connected to stereotypes. According to respondents, journalists utilize stereotypes and contribute to their dissemination to society. In particular, many stereotypes are connected especially to the topic of Roma minority28 in Czech Republic.
"It is well known fact that if you include the word ’Roma’ in the headline, the readership for the article is higher than if you do not. The journalists know it and they work with it. The journalists use stereotypes in their story, they do not think much about their work and they are just trying to ingratiate themselves by readers. They fail to realize that they have the responsibility in shaping the world view of the public. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
There are also areas in media communication that NGO would like to improve from their side. One of the obstacles that NGO employees identify at their side is the lack of time and lack of creativity to promote each mission or project, as there are many around the world. The more time that is taken for the preparation of the press release, including the data and statistics which make it possible to compare it with Czech Republic or another country, the more journalists are likely to proceed and publish it.
"Let’s say we have project that is helping mothers in Cambodia. Now everybody is interested in it, since it is taking place on the other side of the world. One has to be really creative to promote each of 30 or 40 small projects."
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
Respondents aim to provide journalists with good service and noted that the goal is to write press releases in such a way, that it is easy to take over the information and create news.
28 There is about 300,000 Roma living in Czech Republic, making it 2-3 % of total population. In recent years, the situation of Roma in Czech Republic has worsened. Basically, many towns follow policies to move members of the Roma population outside the main towns. The Roma people have to face social exclusion, which brings additional problems such as low mobility of children – often they are not encouraged to attend school. Although there are several NGOs trying to help, this trend in the major population leads towards radicalization of ultranationalist movements.
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Mrs. Rejchova, who has eight years’ journalist experience and focused on the topic of NPO’s, appreciates that PIN and Czech nonprofits in general are quite open and that they let journalists speak with various people in the department. This is one of the strengths of communication of nonprofits and for example governmental institutions do not do so and journalists only get access to the spokesperson. This is not ideal, as according to Ms Rejchova, spokesperson does have the sufficient knowledge to answer her questions.
"Earlier, when I was in touch with People in Need, there were no staff just for PR. Now, although there is Tomas, I am still being directed to relevant sections.. Some organizations don’t do that. In this way: nonprofits do that, but others don’t: governmental offices and private companies neither. I don’t understand why, it is quite suspicious for me. "
(Zuzana Rejchova, journalist)
When being asked about stereotypes, Mrs. Rejchova recognized the problem but at the same time she clearly pointed that she does not consider herself as one of the journalists who uses stereotypes. . .
"I am example of journalists, who was avoiding stereotypes and I think I never used any. It is so thanks to fact that I was since many years cooperating with NGO who fought against it, and we discussed the entire topic a lot. How to cover topic on Roma and how not to do it…Second thing is that I have attended several courses for that (Roma), I think three of them…"
(Zuzana Rejchova, journalist)
Mrs. Rejchova recognizes two issues that are misrepresented in the media – it is the topic of Roma and the topic of gender. She points out it is important to educate journalists and that all members of the newsroom should attend the course on these two topics. Nevertheless, the management neglects it.
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Mass media play various roles in society. The respondents identified informing the public as one of the main roles of the media in the public sphere. For PIN is very important so that the public including their supporters is aware about their activities and projects and media provide them with an opportunity to deliver messages to many people at the same time.
"For me the mass media are basically the only partner that makes it possible to deliver the information to the target groups that are not attending our events. That makes media an important member of public discussion, since they are able to make the public aware of information that would normally not get to them. Although their messages tend to be simplified or different from what we wanted to say, it is still much better than no messages at all. "
(Tereza Hronova, Media Coordinator)
Media coverage has an influence on the amount of donations. In case of SOS collection, for example collection that aims to help victims of natural disaster, it is crucial for NPOs to have the announcement of the collection covered in the news as soon as possible, even within a few hours. Usually, they aim to get the notice of charitable collection by positioning their account number into the TV news, in newspapers or into advertisements.
"We can see the results of it immediately – as soon as it is covered in the TV news, the number of donations grows rapidly."
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
The respondents also see the media and the journalists as the opinion makers that have the ability to influence their audience. Although taking into account the development from 1989, the CEO of the organization notes that the media are nowadays are rather losing some part of their authority.
"Twenty years ago, the media used to be much more independent that now in the sense of their role in the society, which is the role of opinion maker – in other words, someone, who is responsible for what the society think "
(Simon Panek, CEO)
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According to respondents, media are nowadays more interested in crisis and conflict.
Therefore, it is easy to get coverage when some disaster, conflict or other negative issue bursts out. Although they help the NPO to collect the funds when the crisis starts, later they are less willing to report on the results on the help or intervention.
"The biggest obstacle is that media want to report on sensational things, not on the things that are in order."
(Simon Panek, CEO)
Although respondents point out the simplification of the topic, and focus on negativity rather than results, media/journalists are still regarded as important partners on the way to achieve the organizational goals.
"We need the media, use the media and work with the media."
(Tereza Hronova, Media Coordinator) Media image
Respondents regard media image of their organization as important. They note that various NPOs might place various levels of importance on the media image, depending whether budget is financed from private donors.
"When you observe the annual report of the no profit organization and realize, that 99 per cent of their funding comes from the European Union Funds. In that situation, they do not need a Media department. On the other hand, nonprofits that are paid from the private funding, they really need to “be seen”/get an exposure. Therefore, they also need someone to take care of the media. "
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
The image that any NPO would like to have is based in the shared values of its members.
According to respondents, the communication strategy of the NPO as a whole is based on intuition and values shared among its employees.
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The respondents note that a big part of the image is also the tradition: the fact that the NPO has been functioning for more than the two decades. The Head of Media department notes that the way how the NPO is recognized among the public has changed slightly:
"Earlier, PIN used to create an impression of serious organization that brings deadly important topics. This is changing partially, and it is also changing in the visual aspects of the NPO (such as website). "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
Although People in Need has been gradually more involved in topics such as education or social inclusion, respondents point out that it is mainly the humanitarian and development projects that play one of the most important roles when the public recognizes the organization.
Public discussion
The media, especially the ones of public service, profile themselves (and are designed as) space for public discussion of various actors, including the minorities. The respondents of this study consider (at least partly) media as space of public discussion. The biggest contribution of the media to public discussion is the fact that they are able to inform a large part of the population.
More critical to the respondents is the media and their role in the opinion formation of the public.
One obstacle the respondents list is the fact that the journalists do not go deeply into the topic, but rather stay on its surface.
"There is the “wavy” tendency of the media. When you have look through the political spectrum and try to cut out the extreme left and extreme right, there is just new journalists that would be trying to find some new perspectives on the same topic. Journalists, that would re really going deeply into it. Most of them just lets the wave to drive them. "
(Simon Panek, CEO)
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Although the respondents note that media provide public discussion in general, the respondents criticize the contribution of the media to the topic of social segregation that Czech Republic is mainly connected to the Roma minority as discussed in previous chapter.
The respondents can also identify the difference in approach of the media institutions.
The Head of Media department divided the media not into private and those of public service, but rather he can see differences between the approach of serious media and the tabloids. While People In Need is mainly covered in the serious media and hardly ever in the tabloids.
"There is difference between the serious, quality and the entertainment media. The serious/quality media are taking care of resources and verifying, they take more time to prepare the news and they utilize journalism criteria, etc. The media of public service definitely belong to the category of serious media. In the other, entertainment ones, PIN is covered hardly ever. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
Also, the respondents perceive as NPO People in Need being accepted by Czech mainstream media, although they note criticism from the media that are in the extreme right or extreme left on the political spectrum29.
Campaigns
One of the specific situations when NGOs seek the support and cooperation with media, is during the campaign. The campaigns of PIN can be divided into two kinds: One are more long-term campaign, another kind is SOS campaigns, which as for donations shortly after some event such as a natural disaster. In SOS campaign, it is important to deliver information about the campaign to the public as soon as possible.
29 Examples of their critique can be found for example on Briste listy or Denik referendum. Both online newspaper are considered to be on the left side of the political spectrum
http://denikreferendum.cz/clanek/15282-pomoc-nebo-solidarita-clovek-v-tisni-tercem-kritiky http://blisty.cz/art/45820.html
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"When we have campaign, we are pushing it through 50 000 supporters of the PIN Club of Friends and also though the media. For getting the new donors, media play the key role indeed."
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
Respondents identified TV as the most efficient medium for reaching the public. Most often, PIN cooperates with the Czech TV, public service TV that has had traditionally good relations. To some extent, there is also cooperation with TV Prima and TV Nova, two private channels.
"We cooperate a lot with Czech TV, it often has the role of the main media partner for many event. TV Prima is sometimes able to help us out as long as we have an interesting topic. "
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
4.5 Communication with public
Apart from informing through the mass media, the NGO is utilizing other means of communication in order to inform the public about their activities and topics and gain more supporters.
"We are active on the website, social sites and some of colleagues are also write blog. We advertise through Google, through TV and also radio. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department) Public events
By far the largest event organized by PIN for the broad public is the film festival One world, which is the biggest human rights film festival in Europe. It takes place in Prague and also in 34 other cities in Czech Republic. One world received honorable reference for its work on education of human rights by UNESCO in 2007. It has 16 years tradition.
"We have 100 000 people coming to the festival this year. This means we influence large group, and those people go for coffee with their friends where they discuss what they have seen.
So this is how we are bringing topic to the public sphere. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
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Apart from One world, there are annual events organized by the People in Need Centre
’Langhans house’ in Prague. Usually, there are video projections, public discussions or lectures.
The center opened in June 2012. There are some events that are in the second largest city (Brno) among other cities, but they are not as regular as the events in Prague.
The websites
People in Need is operating a large number of websites – in total, there are 24 websites. This situation according to respondents reflects the reality in PIN – there is a broad variety of activities and topics covered by the organization.
"Actually, we are quite unhappy for the fact that we have so many websites – that the organization has such a broad portfolio that also communication is quite complicated. If there is a person who things we do humanitarian aid and he or she visits our website, they can see one article about human rights, one about social care in Czech republic, and one another about some campaign… There is space for improvement here, but this situation reflect the reality when there is several section who complete about which is going to be the most important one. "
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
The presence of 24 websites under one organization can have some negative aspects.
Respondents showed concern that this can have a negative impact on the current donors as well as on people considering to donate, as they might not be able to imagine where the money would go.
"If there is some donor, who had good business and therefore decides to give 5 000 US Dollars to PIN, and he comes to our website, he might not be clear about what exactly will happen with his/ her money. If we were organization Light for World, he/she would know, that the money goes for eye operation of blind people and only for that. But if he gives the money to us, he does not know exactly, where the money would go. "
(Tomas Vyhnalek, Head of Fundraising Department)
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The main website (as well as the main Facebook site) is administrated by Matous Hrdina, employee of Media department. The head of Media departments identifies that it would be beneficial to include the news to websites more often.
"I think that news on our website should be updated more often and better displayed. For example the title article could have larger image. People check daily news websites and perhaps also their favorite travelling site, but there are not many people who would check our site in similar way. We would like to change that. "
(Tomas Urban, Head of Information and Media Department)
The traffic of the website has grown rapidly (from 900 unique visitors daily in 2013 it would increase to 1800 visitors in 2014). Part of the traffic is lead to the website from advertisement Google search. PIN, as recipient of Google Grant30, must not pay for this advertisement.
Social sites
Social networking sites provide an opportunity for NPOs to communicate with their supporters directly. PIN is aiming to reach the public on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube and Facebook. The communication with the last one is prioritized.
"It is a way for us to communicate with the most people with the least effort. We already have community surrounding us. "
(Tereza Hronova, Media Coordinator)
Although the number of supporters is growing31 the number of people who display its contents is sinking. The Head of Media department is ready to respond to this trend if continued:
30 Google grant provides NPOs with budget of 329 $ daily (approximately 10 000 $ per month). Google grant is
30 Google grant provides NPOs with budget of 329 $ daily (approximately 10 000 $ per month). Google grant is