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A well-managed online media centre can provide so much more than a list of recent news releases. It can include a whole range of background information, reports, images, statistics, press packs, case studies, feature leads, biogs, forward planning dates, issues briefing papers, quotes and contact information. These are all the same tools a ‘real’ press officer would have to hand when speaking to a reporter. Just as in any other form of media contact, the PR skill lies in assembling the information to help the journalist write the story and to guide them through the facts so you get fair, balanced (and hopefully positive) media coverage.

Online media centres such as those provided by Actuality Media can work pro-actively too. They encourage regular visits by key journalists – and those who register their interests can be sent automatic alerts whenever a new and relevant story appears.

The great thing about online media centres is that they are constantly available. Of course not all press offices get calls in the middle of the night, but if you have an evening newspaper or local radio station needing information at 7.30am and a morning paper with a 9.30pm deadline that can be hard for a small press office to cover. Then there are times when PR staff are in meetings, lunch breaks or on other calls. At busy periods (or in a crisis situation) an online media centre can handle any number of media enquiries at the same time – and give them all the same high level of service.