News & Communications
News and Communications is part of UNK’s Communications and Community Relations division. Our office is staffed by professional journalists with extensive experience in dealing with all media - print, broadcast and electronic.
The main goal of News and Communications is identifying and developing stories that strategically promote the university. We handle news coverage for major events, organize press conferences and oversee the university’s overall media relations strategy and needs. A primary responsibility is identifying, writing and distributing stories and news photography to local, state and national media. Our office handles distribution of all university news releases -- with the exception of sports information. News and Communications also fields incoming press queries, assisting reporters and serving as the liaison between media and UNK staff and students.
Visit our news page at unknews.unk.edu
What We Do
The responsibilities are numerous, but our main duties include:
- Identify and develop stories that strategically promote the university
- Generate editorial content and provide news photography services
- Distribute news releases to local, state and national media
- Stage news conferences
- Provide media training
- Develop and execute communication plans
- Position UNK as an important resource on current issues by providing faculty/staff experts who reporters can contact about breaking news
- Fill media requests and provide access to faculty, students and staff for interviews and information
- Pitch stories to news media, and alert them about upcoming events
- Monitor mentions of UNK in the news media
- Assist in editing and placement of personal columns and opinion/editorial pieces
- Manage the media at your event
- Consult administration, faculty and others on media strategies and crisis response to issues that have potential negative impact on UNK’s reputation. We develop strategies to ensure that clear and accurate messages are communicated to the right audiences. Please contact our professionals for guidance on controversial and/or difficult topics.
