Media relations & community management

Teacher(s)

Daxhelet Jean-Yves; Renard Damien; Van Dievoet Lara;

Language

English

Main themes

The course is divided into three parts; The third includes exercises that put into practice the skills acquired in the first two parts.
1) press relations.

•     Principles of relations of organizations with the press. Written, oral, digital press relations. Relations with bloggers. The press section on the company's website. The ethics of press relations. The evaluation of the effects of press relations (in coordination with the course LCOMU2350 Evaluation of the communication of organization).

2) community management.

•    Notions and principles; Definitions of the function. Strategic dimension of the community manager's activity. Animation and management of exchanges. Netiquette, ethical aspects.

3) Practical exercises.

•     Media training workshop. The students will be invited to take part in a situation, by practicing speaking in a situation that simulates the relationship with members of the press (in particular, interview).
•     Exercise of community management. Students will be required to conduct a guided community animation experience.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1.	know the stakes of relations with the press and master the techniques, whether they are in the oral register (interviews, press conferences) or written (press releases) ;
2.	measure the impact of digital communication on press relations ;
3.	know the stakes of the activity of community management ;
4.	be immediately operational at the end of his / her course.

Content

This course focuses on the role and nature of the relationship that organizations develop with members of the media, journalists, bloggers and the public through media relations and community management. It will introduce the students to the interconnected roles of PR and journalism while developing an ethical reflection. What is at stakes ? What is the impact of an increasingly digital context on press relations ? What kind of strategies does it require ? How to measure the effects of press relations and community management ?
The course is divided into two parts : media relations and community management.
1) Media relations : Media landscape. Principles of relations of organizations with the press. Written, oral, digital press relations. The press section on the company's website. The ethics of press relations. The evaluation of the effects of press relations (in coordination with the course LCOMU2350 Evaluation of the communication of organization).
2) Community management : Social media landscape. Notions and principles; Definitions of the function. Strategic dimension of the community manager's activity. Animation and management of exchanges. Netiquette, ethical aspects.

Teaching methods

Active pedagogy methods will be implemented and the students will be encouraged to build a critical reflection about media relations and community management while being involved in an activity based learning process. Students will refine their oral and written skills by writing press releases and by analyzing cases and presenting them.

Faculty or entity

COMU