Media Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions 2.5. HAVING MEDIA-READY TALENT AND STORIES Journalists need people who can talk clearly and knowledgeably about human rights issues in a way that brings their stories to life. These spokespeople – often described as “talent” – are regularly called upon to provide expert insights, background information and quotes. In addition, journalists often request case studies that they can include in their stories to show the real life dimensions and consequences of different human rights issues. NHRIs can be asked to provide a spokesperson or a case study for a news story at any time. Preparation is the key to being able to respond promptly to these requests and meeting tight deadlines. Good preparation also allows you to take control of the situation, giving your key messages the best possible chance to be featured prominently in the story. Start by creating a “story bank” of case studies and people that can speak to the media on the issues that are important to the NHRI (e.g. gender equality, rights of people with disabilities). You can also include spokespeople from partner organizations, especially if your organizations share similar goals for building community awareness on a particular issue. Your “story bank” (for internal use only) could include the following information: • Name of spokesperson and organization (if relevant) • Contact details (i.e. mobile phone number, email address) • Location • Availability (i.e. days and hours of availability for interviews) • Area of human rights expertise (e.g. rights of women and girls; rights of children) • Case study summary (no more than 50-100 words describing their human rights story/position) • Previous media experience (include dates and links to articles, if possible). This information should be updated on a regular basis. In addition to developing a collection of case studies on different priority human rights issues, it is a good idea to maintain a collection of high resolution images, videos, up-to-date statistics and other material that can be provided to journalists for use in their stories. Journalists work to tight deadlines and usually do not have the time to thoroughly research a story. The more information and materials you can provide at short notice, the more likely it is that your nominated spokesperson or resources will be featured in the story. NHRIs that respond promptly and professionally to media requests quickly become a trusted resource for journalists and they will seek comment from the NHRI on a regular basis. Chapter 2: Engaging with the media: Tools and strategies | 27