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Being a Media Resource

Jackson State Community College has a good relationship with the local media (WBBJ TV 7, The Jackson Sun, and NewsTalk 101.5 FM). We have fostered this relationship by being available to reporters to help them get the accurate information they need for their stories quickly.

From time to time, reporters from these agencies will call the Communication office to find a source for a story. Usually they are trying to put a local angle on a national story. For example, if we went to war with Mexico, they might call and ask to speak with someone with a background in Mexican history or someone who teaches Spanish, or someone who has spent a lot of time in Mexico.

Answering these requests from the media accomplish several things for Jackson State Community College.

  • It gives us a chance to shine a spotlight on our faculty and staff.
  • It gives the community a chance to see Jackson State Community College's name in the media.
  • It helps us help the reporter, which strengthens our relationships with media.

One of the unfortunate things about these requests is that they are usually immediate. The reporters get their assignments in the morning and need to have the story prepared by 3 p.m. If we are called by a reporter, we usually have two hours to contact a faculty member and set up an interview. The time frame is usually between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. for TV and late afternoon for print.
If you are contacted by a reporter directly about a non-emergency matter, feel free to schedule an interview and then report to the Communication office so we will have a record of the contact.

If you are called to speak to a media representative, we hope you will choose to do it. A Communication’s staff member will be available to "coach" you through it or will let you do it alone if you prefer.

The Communication office will maintain a Media Resource Guide to promote to local reporters looking for resources for their stories. If you would like to be a part of the guide, please e-mail John McCommon in the Communications Office at jmccommon@jscc.edu.