What is a press conference?

During your career as a journalist you will probably get to attend a press or news conference.

The police, public authorities, sports teams and business organisations often use press conferences as a way of gathering all the press together in one place to deliver important information of public interest.

For instance, the police might use press conferences to call for witnesses when someone has gone missing or been found murdered.

A press conference does not include members of the public but can include print news reporters, TV and radio broadcast journalists and photographers.

It is usually announced in advance by way of a press release to media newsrooms and often includes one or more speakers who will make a statement before inviting journalists to ask questions.

For instance, a press conference about a missing person or murder is likely to include the police officers dealing with the case and the family members of the missing person or murder victim.

However some news conferences, such as the passing of government legislation, might be solely to make a press statement with no questioning permitted.

These news conferences are normally referred to as a picture opportunity where a written statement or media pack of information containing a press statement and related background information is often also available for the press.

Although press conferences are a good way of getting the media together in one place to divulge important information of news interest, the obvious drawback for journalists is that nothing is done in private.

Therefore, at press conferences where questioning is permitted, you ask a question and every journalist in the room gets the answer!

Now although this can work in your favour the other way round too, it does reduce the chances of getting an exclusive spin on the subject.

However, it is up to you as a journalist to make a judgement on whether to hold off asking a question or two and gathering those answers in private from the appropriate press office or press body once the news conference has concluded.

Sometimes this is possible but as I've said, it is up to you to make an educated judgement because if it isn't possible, you could have missed your opportunity to ask the question and get the answer. 

The obvious upside to a press conference is that you will get equal access to all the information and picture opportunities as all the gathered media on the day.