A media availability -- journalists will say "media avail" as shorthand -- is a much simpler affair than a press conference.
Reporters don't expect a big production, and don't want one. Media avails are meant to get right to questions. No speeches beforehand. No dog-and-pony show. No PowerPoint slideshows.
There are two basic types of media avails: standing and impromptu.
1) Standing media avails
You see these every night on ESPN, with coaches and players dressed up in suits instead of jerseys and taking questions from reporters after the game.
Public officials often have weekly media avails in their office. President Teddy Roosevelt used to invite reporters to chat with him at the White House while a barber gave him his morning shave.
Other public figures have standing weekly chats with reporters, no cameras allowed. Some are off the record or on background; others are full media avails with TV cameras and radio microphones allowed.
2) Impromptu
When there's breaking news and there's little time to prepare, a media avail is a much better option than a full press conference.
Think of it this way: if you're announcing something, you're doing it on your own timeline, and you can pick when and where and what to say.
If you're responding to news, you don't really have a choice of when. It has to be immediately; if you wait too long, you'll miss the news cycle.
Tips for a media availability:
Have your experts there -- With a press conference or other events, you've got time to get briefed by your experts and have the answers in hand. With breaking news and a media avail, there's usually not time for that. Reporters don't want to hear, "Let me get back to you on that."
Set the ground rules -- Is this an off-the-record chat, or can reporters pull out their notebooks and turn on their microphones? Or is it on background? How long will it last? Are all topics fair game?
