A media enquiry is almost always time-sensitive. This protocol exists so we move fast without making mistakes the client will have to live with for years.
Staff-Only Protocol
This protocol governs how Ace Strategies staff respond to journalists. It does not apply to Invest Australia Alliance (IAA) member communications, which follow a separate IAA-side workflow.
The First Ten Minutes
When a media enquiry lands — phone call, email, DM, anything — the first ten minutes are about triage, not drafting.
- Confirm the basics. Who is the journalist? Which outlet? What is the story? What is their deadline?
- Do not go on the record. Say: "Thanks — let me come back to you shortly." That's it. Never freelance a quote.
- Log the enquiry. Open the media log for the client and record: time received, outlet, journalist, topic, deadline, your name.
- Alert the account lead. Slack
#media-deskwith a one-line summary and@the account lead. If it's out of hours, phone them.
If you cannot reach the account lead within 15 minutes of a same-day deadline, escalate to the duty editor.
Triage Categories
| Category | Typical signal | Default response |
|---|---|---|
| Routine | Background, explainer, non-adversarial | Draft within business hours, peer review, send |
| Sensitive | Client-specific, policy-contested, on-record quote | Account lead drafts, editor clears, client signs off |
| Hostile | Allegation, investigation, "right of reply" | Escalate to partner immediately. Do not engage without legal view. |
| Off-topic | Journalist has the wrong contact | Redirect politely, close the log entry |
When in doubt, assume sensitive. Over-escalation is cheap; under-escalation is not.
Drafting the Response
For routine and sensitive enquiries, responses follow the same shape:
- One-sentence lead. This is the quotable line. Assume the journalist will use nothing else.
- Two to three supporting points. Factual, attributable, on-brand.
- One line of context. Puts the quote in the right frame without making it the story.
- No jokes, no subtext, no hypotheticals. Anything ironic will be read literally in print.
Write in the client's voice, not ours. If you don't know their voice, stop and ask.
Clearance
No media response leaves Ace without clearance. The clearance ladder:
- Drafter writes the response and self-checks against this protocol.
- Peer reads it cold for factual errors and tone.
- Editor or account lead signs off on substance.
- Client signs off on attribution. Get this in writing — email, Slack DM, or text, not verbal.
For hostile enquiries, add a legal check before the client sign-off step.
On, Off, and Background
Staff must know these definitions and use them correctly:
- On the record — fully quotable, fully attributable.
- On background — quotable, but sourcing is described (e.g. "a person familiar with the matter"). Agreed in advance.
- Off the record — not for publication in any form. Agreed in advance.
Default is on the record. Any other arrangement must be agreed with the journalist before you speak. Never assume a prior understanding carries over to a new conversation.
Post-Publication
Once the story runs:
- File the link and a PDF snapshot in the client's media folder
- Update the media log with the publication date and any quoted material
- Note any misquotes or factual errors — the account lead decides whether to request a correction
- In the weekly account review, flag anything that changed the client's posture or exposure
Common Failure Modes
- Going on the record to be helpful. Helpful and on the record are not the same thing. Always pause first.
- Skipping the log. An unlogged enquiry is an enquiry we can't defend against next month.
- Drafting in the client's voice from memory. Pull a recent approved statement first; match it.
- Missing the deadline by minutes. Journalists remember. Confirm the deadline in writing and build a 30-minute buffer.
For anything beyond this protocol, use the Briefing Note Playbook to produce the background document the journalist actually needs.