Unlike news releases, news conferences offer opportunities for interaction between journalists and representatives of your organization. If you have prominent, articulate, and charismatic spokespeople, they will help attract the interest of the news media (69). In Indonesia, for example, the Equatorial Trilogy, a series of three televised social dramas, was announced at a news conference rather than through a news release because the country's top film directors were involved. The news conference at which they appeared generated more than 100 stories (32).

To hold a successful news conference usually requires planning, with particular attention to assuring that journalists attend and that the event itself is newsworthy. Of course, it is not always possible to plan a news conference well in advance, particularly if it is called in response to a controversy (see Chapter 9.3, Turning Adversity to Advantage).

Planning. The three most important elements to consider in planning a news conference are who the presenters will be, where the conference will be held, and its timing (19, 26, 69).

• Presenters. Only articulate, poised experts or leaders who know the topic well and who can respond to questions clearly and accurately should appear as spokespersons. A general guideline is that each speaker should make no more than five key points and speak for no more than five minutes. Ideally, presenters should not read from scripts but instead can use notes or an outline to appear more spontaneous and natural. A news conference also requires a moderator who is knowledgeable about the issues and experienced in working with reporters. The moderator convenes the conference, introduces the participants, defines the issues, directs journalists' questions to the speakers, and keeps the event on track.
• Location. Select a convenient site, close to where most reporters work. Make sure that the room can accommodate lighting and sound equipment, that microphones are available, and that the room is the right size and adequately furnished.
• Timing. Timing is everything to a reporter. Typically, morning hours are best for a news conference because most deadlines for television and radio news and for morning daily newspapers are in late afternoon. If you hold a news conference in the afternoon, you may miss the evening television and radio news.

Check with government offices, security officials, and others who control access to the conference site to make sure that all reporters can enter the building. If journalists are excluded, it may result in negative publicity, and your efforts will have backfired. In Bangladesh, for example, when security officials refused to admit a reporter to a news conference, the offended newspaper carried a story headlined "Star Reporter Barred," criticizing the organizers for "obstacles to the performance of professional duties by journalists" (Bangladesh Daily Star, May 29, 1994). Journalists usually have the last word.

Conducting the news conference. On the morning of the news conference, have enough copies of press kits, news releases, and other materials on hand. Make sure the room is ready for use, that all microphones and electric outlets work. When journalists arrive, greet them and ask them to sign in so that you have a record of who attends. You will use this list later to follow up. If possible, talk with the journalists before they leave and offer your further assistance. Immediately after the news conference, determine who did not attend. There may still be time to interest them in the story (14).

How will you know if the news conference was a success? The results will appear almost immediately on the air or in print. If the press conference was poorly attended and few stories resulted, determine the reasons. Do not blame the news media if your news conference does not result in coverage. Perhaps your arrangements were inadequate or your story simply was not newsworthy enough. Another, more important event may have bumped your story. Whatever the reasons, evaluation will help you to do better in the future (14).