Unit of competency details

Unit descriptor 

This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to work effectively with the media. It identifies the various forms of media and the benefits of working cooperatively with the media, as well as strategies for dealing with both positive and negative publicity.

This unit of competency operates in workplace environments of racing administration, stables, kennels, racecourses and public areas.

Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements may apply to this unit. Check with your State Principal Racing Authority for current license or registration requirements.

Application of the unit 

This unit of competency provides participants with knowledge and skills to prepare and present a media release, and to participate in press conferences and impromptu interviews.

Competencies attained in this unit apply to the greyhound, harness and thoroughbred codes of the industry. Consequently when performance criteria are applied they will relate to either the greyhound code or harness code or the thoroughbred code and statements of attainment will reflect this distinction.

This unit can be contextualised for other industries while also maintaining the integrity of the unit.

Prerequisite units 

Employability skills 

This unit contains employability skills.

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Prepare for interviews.

1. Purpose of interview is clarified.

2. Obligations of racing personnel  to racing authority when participating in media interviews are clarified with supervisor.

3. Obligations and code of conduct  for journalists are considered when agreeing to participate in formal and informal interviews.

4. Topic is clarified and authority to comment is confirmed prior to commencement of interview.

Participate in interviews.

5. Impromptu interviews are managed to provide relevant information, while complying with racing protocols  .

6. Information is prepared  for planned interviews as required.

7. Potential questions are predicted and answers prepared.

8. Information is presented in a relevant and succinct format for media source  and potential audience.

9. Personal presentation and public speaking skills are appropriate for media type and format.

10. Appropriate non -verbal communication skills  are demonstrated during interviews.

11. Strategies to manage direction and purpose of the interview are employed.

Contact media sources.

12. Items of interest are relayed to relevant media sources.

13. Press releases  and articles for racing publications are prepared.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE 

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• applying assertive communication techniques, including appropriate body language, to seek and relay relevant information accurately and succinctly
• applying strategies for deflecting critical remarks or questions
• gathering accurate and relevant evidence to racing incidents that may be of interest to media representatives
• imparting succinct and accurate verbal information related to subject matter at hand
• interpreting and relating personal conduct to rules of racing
• organising thoughts and information in a systematic manner
• personal speaking and presentation skills
• preparing press releases
• reading and interpreting workplace documentation, including rules of racing
• relating to people from a range of social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and with varying physical and mental abilities
• using internet, email and word processing
• written communication skills to complete workplace documentation and reports.

Required knowledge 

• different forms of media
• journalists' obligations and code of practice requirements
• personal grooming and presentation requirements
• protocols and procedures for communicating with racing officials
• racing authority regulations and relevant communication protocols
• range of documentation and records used in the racing industry workplace
• relevant rules of racing
• workplace protocols for dealing with the media.

EVIDENCE GUIDE 

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to workplace operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following:

• knowledge of the requirements, procedures and instructions that are to apply when participating in media interviews
• demonstration of ability to prepare for and participate in media interviews
• implementation of procedures and timely techniques for the safe, effective and efficient participation in media interviews
• preparation of relevant and succinct press releases
• working with others to undertake and complete procedures for dealing with the media that meet required outcomes.

Evidence should be collected over a period of time in a range of workplace-relevant contexts and include dealings with an appropriate range of situations.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Competency must be assessed in a racing workplace that provides access to the required resources or simulated environment approved by the relevant State Principal Racing Authority. Assessment is to occur under standard and authorised work practices, safety requirements and environmental constraints. It is to comply with relevant regulatory requirements or Australian Standards requirements.

Assessment of the practical components of this unit will be by observation of relevant skills.

The following resources must be available:

• materials and equipment relevant to preparing for and participating in media interviews and developing press releases, including:

• examples of enterprise press release formats
• sample media releases

• relevant racing or simulated environments where media interviews are requested and conducted
• work instructions and related documentation.

Method of assessment 

Assessment methods must satisfy the endorsed Assessment Guidelines of the Racing Training Package.

The suggested strategies for the assessment of this unit are:

• written and/or oral assessment of candidate's required knowledge
• observed, documented and firsthand testimonial evidence of candidate's application of practical tasks
• simulation exercises conducted in a State Principal Racing Authority approved simulated environment.

Evidence is required to be demonstrated over a period of time, therefore where performance is not directly observed any evidence should be authenticated by supervisors or other appropriate persons.

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role.

Guidance information for assessment 

Assessment methods should reflect workplace demands (e.g. literacy and numeracy demands) and the needs of particular target groups (e.g. people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, people with a language background other than English, youth and people from low socioeconomic backgrounds).

RANGE STATEMENT 

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording in the performance criteria is detailed below.

The range statement provides details of how this competency can be used in the workplaces of the racing industry to participate in media interviews for racing. Workplaces include greyhound kennels, harness and thoroughbred stables as well as greyhound, harness and thoroughbred racecourses, training tracks, administration buildings and public areas.

Obligations of racing personnel  to the racing authority may include:

• assisting public relations officer with information dissemination
• ensuring comprehensive preparation of subject matter
• familiarity with rules of racing relevant to interview and subject matter
• following procedural requirements in relation to commenting on current cases
• following racing authority protocols
• maintaining loyalty to racing authority.

Journalists' obligations and code of conduct  may include:

• audience, ratings and circulation
• Australian Journalists Association Code of Ethics (under the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance)
• commercial considerations, including:

• advertising
• commercial news services

• ethical conduct guidelines, including:

• bias
• fair play
• independence
• misrepresentation
• off the record comments
• plagiarism
• sensationalism
• truth and accuracy

• government regulators
• media ownership
• non-government organisation lobby groups
• other journalists
• owners of commercial news services
• professional conduct, regardless of personal or professional interests and pressures
• public relations operatives
• technological and time pressures.

Provision of relevant information to the media while complying with racing protocols  may include:

• who is permitted to speak to the media from the respondent's department
• what types of information stewards or other enterprise representatives are authorised to distribute
• what types of information require special clearance from the enterprise chief executive or public relations department.

Scope of information preparation  for planned interviews may include:

• who is involved in story
• what happened
• when it happened
• where it happened
• why it happened
• how it happened
• what the outcome was.

Ways information is presented in relevant and succinct format for media source  may include:

• face to face interview
• press release
• radio interview
• text via internet, email or facsimile
• telephone conversation
• video or television interview.

Appropriate personal presentation and public speaking skills  will include:

• allowing appropriate amount of time and space to consider and respond to media questions
• maintaining patience
• personal presentation in the public eye, similar to standards at race meetings, for example members' area requirements
• presenting information in logical order
• refraining from interrupting
• refraining from swearing, arguing or fighting
• speaking clearly
• using body language and voice that is assertive but not aggressive
• using effective listening and speaking skills
• using language that is not patronising but at suitable level
• using non-discriminatory language
• using strategies to deflect critical remarks, such as:

• clarifying incorrect information before answering a question
• focussing on long-term benefits rather than current impact
• talking in terms of the public interest rather than organisation's

• verifying what has been said or done and why it has been said or done.

Non -verbal communication skills  include:

• appropriate mode of expression, for example:

• assertive
• authoritative
• compassionate

• engaging the audience by looking at them
• ensuring mannerisms are limited, for example:

• fidgeting
• hands in pockets
• moving about
• shifting position

• focusing on the interviewer.

Press releases  are prepared and reviewed:

• avoiding longwinded sentences
• avoiding repetitive phrases
• ensuring controversial topics are treated positively and realistically
• ensuring facts and figures are accurate
• ensuring tone is polite but not too formal or familiar
• including a title that encapsulates main purpose of the release
• providing no more than one fact or idea per paragraph
• providing specific facts rather than generalisations
• stating the purpose
• using illustrations or examples where necessary for clarity.

Unit Sector 

Greyhound, harness and thoroughbred racing codes

Co-requisite units 

Functional Area 

Racing common