UDiagnosis and relationship strategies between UFRN’S sources and spokespeople with the press

Key words: Relationship with the press. Media Training. Organizational Communication.

In a democratic, globalized and networked society, the relationship with the press is a strategic and key element to organizations. In this context, sources and spokespeople need to be prepared to attend journalist’s demands and provide interviews that contribute to strengthen organizational image and reputation. This research intends to elaborate strategies and guidelines to improve the relationship between UFRN’s sources and spokespeople with the press, in order to avoid mistakes that could generate crisis or damage the organizational image before public opinion. This work is divided in three parts: theoretical survey, field research and preparation of a relationship manual with the press. The theoretical study approaches communication in informational society and the power of the press, communication in organizations, image crises and media training as objects of study, having Castells (1999); Jenkins (2009); Wolf (2005); Assad e Passadori (2009); Kunsch (2003) and Torquato (2002) as its main authors. The descriptive and quantitative study with applied purpose was based on a survey with 74 journalists from two television stations and two printed newspapers with digital versions on the Internet. Data collection resulted in a diagnosis of UFRN’s sources and spokespeople, which served as basis for preparing for a media training guide oriented to all university community’s needs.