Congratulations! You have the media’s attention! Journalists have RSVPed, and it’s all positive. To ensure they accurately reflect in words and pictures the beauty of all your labor, however, you need to make sure they have access to what they need to tell the story; journalists can’t write about what they don’t see, hear, taste, or experience.

Backing up for a moment, note that any media you do host at your event—that is, any publication representative granted a press pass—should be expected to deliver with coverage. It is completely appropriate, especially with bigger, most costly events, to voice these expectations with press representatives before granting complementary access to your event, and inquire as to when you can expect the coverage to appear.

However, you shouldn’t expect coverage if you don’t offer a press pass to your event, nor should you expect a warm reception from journalists if you offer to let them experience only a portion of the evening’s offerings. “We are clear with events that it’s important for us to [for instance] be seated at dinner,” says Society and Travel Editor for the Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee, Rusty Terry when addressing this topic. “And the press should also be served the same meal as the guests.” Terry’s sentiments about inclusion are echoed by Linda M. Herold—who runs the society blog lindalandaz.com in Scottsdale, Arizona—as well as social writers in various other regions. All note they and their colleagues have refused to cover events where the press was excluded from all (yes, all—it’s happened) or portions of the goings-on. Again, one cannot write about what one does not experience.

A key component to ensuring proper coverage is to make sure that media representatives have the information they need. For starters, make sure that they know where to check in and be sure an event representative is there to receive them when they arrive. Terry notes that the Swan Ball, one of Nashville’s premier annual galas, does this seamlessly. Each publication has an event representative assigned to it; that representative can then point out and introduce the publication’s journalist and/or photographer to key participants at the event, such as sponsors and event chairs; this is critical. The journalists and photographers cover the people they interact with or know or are introduced to.

Of course, most events can’t supply each publication with its own event representative, but it is very important to have at least one person dedicated to greeting and assisting the media at your event. “I don’t think people always understand how important it is to provide a press liaison at an event,” says Terry. He goes on to note that this is especially true of photographers, who are put in charge of photographing key people but may not always know who those people are.

If your event is a seated affair, it’s advisable to incorporate media into the general seating chart, instead of at a media-only table. Would you prefer to have a write-up about conversations with other local press or about your key sponsor’s wonderful hospitality and great sense of humor? If your event does decide to seat media separately, make certain they’re not placed too far from the action and at least have access to the main event.

In sum, treat the media with respect and guide them to the best your event has to offer. They are event supporters, too, just as much as your sponsors or other guests. And as such, relations with them are key for any gala. Give the press something delightful to cover, and they will cover it with delight.

[Photo from Flickr]