Although things usually go well with the local media for Marti Van Veen, she has experienced the other end of the spectrum. As the spokeswoman for Southwest Regional Medical Center and Gulf Coast Hospital in Lee County, it's her job to work with local reporters, keep tabs on stories about her facilities and make sure the media follow protocol.

Imagine her dismay when she arrived one morning to find reporters roaming the parking lot and photographers aiming their cameras through the hospital's doors. They were trying to capture video of police taking away a suspect who had needed medical treatment. In the, process, the news crews violated all sorts of hospital rules. Van Veen calls it the "easier - to - ask - forgiveness - than - ask - permission" approach. "The media disregarded our company's policy that permission is required to be on our property," says Van Veen. "Innocent visitors were caught on camera."

Despite this incident, Van Veen says she and her counterparts more often have positive media encounters.

But be prepared: At one time or another, the media could come calling, even upon the smallest company or nonprofit. How an organization responds can be critical.

Don't Panic. Despite what many people believe, most reporters are not out to get someone, and most stories are not big, investigative exposes. The journalists are just seeking information about something happening.

"You need to hear them out first and find out what they're calling about," says WINK-TV assignment manager Tony Schall about reporters. "It might just be for a statistic or a quick fact or a phone number."

It's better, in fact, to look at a media call as a golden opportunity. "Public opinion can have as much influence on your company's bottom line as sales performance or productivity," says Cindy Dobyns, president of Abovewater Public Relations in Naples and president of the Public Relations Association of Collier County. "If you realize and respect the media's important role, the relationship does not need to be adversarial."

Control the Message. Public relations specialists say it is crucial to designate a media contact. There's probably nothing worse for your organization's message than having whoever picks up the phone start answering questions and spouting off quotes. In those instances, there's little control over what's being said. "A designated spokesperson ensures that each reporter will hear the same message," says Van Veen.

Ideally, Van Veen says, the representative should be an experienced public relations professional. Otherwise, he or she needs to be a part of the management team or, at least, have access to upper management in order to get questions answered.

"Journalists work on deadlines, so take their telephone calls or call back quickly." - Cindy Dobyns

Avoid "No Comment." Seeing one too many TV characters shout out "No comment!" as they push past a tidal wave of TV cameras has muddied the waters for anyone who speaks to the media. Although you really may have no comment, local journalists say this often is seen as a sign that you have something to hide. "No comment is not going to make the story go away," says Schall. "That will just make the true reporter work harder to find the story."

PR experts recommend giving what could be considered a more detailed "no comment," such as: "Until we have more information about the situation, we are not comfortable answering questions," or "Our company policy does not permit us to discuss ongoing legal issues."

"The result is you are not commenting, but you are explaining why," says Van Veen.

The only time no comment is the better option is when the other option is to lie. Never lie. The minute a reporter catches a spokesperson in a falsehood, trust and credibility are shot.

Off the Record? Even if the interview hasn't formally started, it's best to assume that any conversation with the media is on the record. Too many subjects have mistakenly believed that something they said wouldn't be used, only to hear it that night on the evening news or read it in the morning's newspaper.

While experienced PR professionals and experienced reporters do some- times go off the record, in order to better explain and understand a situation, this is risky ground for the uninitiated. Dobyns suggests it's prudent to live by the mantra "nothing is off the record."

Understand Deadlines. Don't miss an opportunity to clarify a thorny issue. Nothing looks worse to the public than hearing that no one from your business was available for comment or that calls were not returned. On the other hand, don't miss an opportunity to get some positive press for your organization by having it represented as an expert in a newspaper article or TV report. "Journalists work on deadlines, so take their telephone calls or call back quickly," says Dobyns.

If you don't, you can bet one of your competitors will, and they'll get the free publicity. "The early bird gets the coverage," says Dobyns. "A terrific feature might pass you by if the reporter's message is still sitting in your in-box."

Every time a member of the media calls, look at it as a chance to spread the message. If there's a crisis-a fire, a scandal, a lawsuit against the company- approach it as a way to show that your organization, amid the chaos, is handling things, stable and steady.

If the reporter's call is about something potentially negative or controversial, then take it as an opportunity to set the record straight, or at least present another side to the story.

If the call is for a so-called positive news report, run with it. Show the readers or audience that your organization is a leader in the community and knowledgeable about the issue at hand.

Finally, when the call has come and gone, stop and take a look back.

"Evaluate each media encounter and determine what you could have done better to communicate," says Dobyns. "Next time, you will know what to do." GB