Working with the Media How to choose the right stories, tell them the best way, and send them to the right people. Angela Baldridge

GET YOUR STORY OUT THERE! On time Be clear on what kind of coverage you want Have thorough, concise info for the media Stories for their readers, not PR for you

On time

Be clear on what kind of coverage you want

Have thorough, concise info for the media

Stories for their readers, not PR for you

Considerations Why are you wanting media attention? Publicity? Free advertising? Community-building? To make people aware of resources? Because this affects the community?

Why are you wanting media attention?

Publicity?

Free advertising?

Community-building?

To make people aware of resources?

Because this affects the community?

Develop an idea An idea is not a topic. “ Reading” An idea has a point. “ Children’s reading scores have increased because of reading tutors’ involvement” An idea should be timely. “ Children’s reading scores are important right now because state test scores will be coming out next weekend.”

An idea is not a topic.

“ Reading”

An idea has a point.

“ Children’s reading scores have increased because of reading tutors’ involvement”

An idea should be timely.

“ Children’s reading scores are important right now because state test scores will be coming out next weekend.”

Newsworthiness The #1 problem I see with PR stories falling flat is that they aren’t newsworthy. There’s no reason to tell the community the information right now. For whom is this important? Why is this important? Why is it important now?

The #1 problem I see with PR stories falling flat is that they aren’t newsworthy. There’s no reason to tell the community the information right now.

For whom is this important? Why is this important? Why is it important now?

Think like a reporter Don’t send promotional info Deliver professionally SPELL CHECK Proofread Eliminate fluffy adjectives (i.e. the biggest, the best). Instead, use fact-based info (i.e. the largest reading event in three counties, attended by 3500 people each year). Make sure your info is important to the community, not just to you.

Don’t send promotional info

Deliver professionally

SPELL CHECK

Proofread

Eliminate fluffy adjectives (i.e. the biggest, the best). Instead, use fact-based info (i.e. the largest reading event in three counties, attended by 3500 people each year).

Make sure your info is important to the community, not just to you.

Remember: Reporters are not paid to provide you free advertisement Media has obligations and duties, and those may trump your story Journalists are overworked and underpaid, just like you Newsrooms get hundreds of story offers a day – but not good ones. Make yours stand out!

Reporters are not paid to provide you free advertisement

Media has obligations and duties, and those may trump your story

Journalists are overworked and underpaid, just like you

Newsrooms get hundreds of story offers a day – but not good ones. Make yours stand out!

Importance What makes your story important? Effects Is it interesting? Will an audience care? Who thinks this is important? Audience Why is it important now? Timely

What makes your story important?

Effects

Is it interesting?

Will an audience care?

Who thinks this is important?

Audience

Why is it important now?

Timely

Who cares? Ask yourself who wants to hear your idea. Who is your audience? Who is your community? Who is affected by your story? Who could be affected by your story? Determining who cares about your story will help you figure out where to take your story and how to represent its importance.

Ask yourself who wants to hear your idea.

Who is your audience?

Who is your community?

Who is affected by your story?

Who could be affected by your story?

Determining who cares about your story will help you figure out where to take your story and how to represent its importance.

Where is this important?

Local Local personalities Local events Regional politics

National Related to national issues Broader politics Visiting speakers/performers

International

The BIGGER the issue, the more newsworthy it is If you can tie your story into a nationally relevant topic, your story is immediately more newsworthy.

Choosing a venue Where does your audience gather? Newspapers Magazines Television Radio Internet

Where does your audience gather?

Newspapers

Magazines

Television

Radio

Internet

Broaden your horizons… If your story isn’t newsworthy for a newspaper, think about new ways to look at the story, or new places to take the story. Trade magazines Local publications TV Radio Online venues

If your story isn’t newsworthy for a newspaper, think about new ways to look at the story, or new places to take the story.

Trade magazines

Local publications

TV

Radio

Online venues

Audience Once you’ve chosen your venue, consider their audience. Readership/viewership/listening audience

Once you’ve chosen your venue, consider their audience.

Readership/viewership/listening audience

Medium How is this story best told?

How is this story best told?

Audio

Visual

Video

Narrative

The best format = the best story

Placement Calendar News brief Feature photo Column Full-story Pre-story Event coverage Issue-oriented

Calendar

News brief

Feature photo

Column

Full-story

Pre-story

Event coverage

Issue-oriented

Where in the publication should your story appear?

Contact Larger Newspapers National issue Local Specialized story Smaller Newspapers Personal contact TV Story hotline

Larger Newspapers

National issue

Local

Specialized story

Smaller Newspapers

Personal contact

TV

Story hotline

Order Call first. Offer to send more info. Before 10 Introduce yourself, who you are, and that you have a possible story idea. Ask if they have time to hear about it. Be courteous Send info (try email) Again, professional, spell-checked, story-oriented (not an advertisement) Send anything they asked for, and if you have more, send it as an extra attachment.

Call first. Offer to send more info.

Before 10

Introduce yourself, who you are, and that you have a possible story idea.

Ask if they have time to hear about it.

Be courteous

Send info (try email)

Again, professional, spell-checked, story-oriented (not an advertisement)

Send anything they asked for, and if you have more, send it as an extra attachment.

Assist them Background info Contacts Resources Data

Background info

Contacts

Resources

Data

Follow up Send everything they request Don’t harass them Be available Be thankful

Send everything they request

Don’t harass them

Be available

Be thankful

DO NOT Harass your contacts Expect them to use your pictures, quotes, or text DO NOT POSE PICTURES Misconstrue ANYTHING

Harass your contacts

Expect them to use your pictures, quotes, or text

DO NOT POSE PICTURES

Misconstrue ANYTHING

Share Make sure people see your coverage!

Make sure people see your coverage!

Tada. My resources: www.media-awareness.ca www.publicityinsider.com www.freep.com [email_address] 502-564-4986 x4037

My resources:

www.media-awareness.ca

www.publicityinsider.com

www.freep.com

[email_address]

502-564-4986 x4037