To Criticise or Not Criticise, That is the Question

If you take a glimpse at any major media outlet, you’d be forgiven for thinking the news of the day has the appearance of being all doom and gloom.

It’s true that tragic and devastating news will often make the headlines or lead a news bulletin, and political criticism and in-fighting appears all too often, but you need only scratch the surface and you’ll find there’s still plenty of demand for positive, uplifting stories.

Added to this, there’s also demand for positive commentary, offering a new way of thinking or potential solution to an ongoing problem or issue that goes beyond simply criticising the status quo.

It’s why we tell our clients that you don’t have to be negative and/or critical in order to earn media coverage.

In fact, by providing solutions-based commentary you can not only attract the attention of the media, but you can build a strong profile as a leader and problem-solver in your industry, a spokesperson offering fresh ideas and solutions.

To offer a solutions-based approach consider the following;

• Rather than laying blame or being critical of a person and/or group, focus on highlighting how the current issue impacts your industry, and why it’s important to develop a solution.
• How is your way forward different to previous solutions, and what is your compelling argument?
• How will the general public and/or the media outlet’s audience benefit or be impacted by the solution.

Of course, it may be appropriate in certain circumstances to be critical of a decision or organisation, such as when responding to parliamentary decisions or providing commentary around budgets and regulation changes for example.

However, even in these instances, there’s still an opportunity to adopt a solutions-based approach.

You can disagree with a decision made, but by ensuring your solution is the focus of your message and not getting bogged down in criticism, you can still position yourself as a measured, forward-thinking leader trying to seek a positive outcome for your industry.

In a world that can feel dominated by negativity, positivity can and does stand out.