I’m on the ARRL pr mailing list, and there were two posts today from a couple of PR professionals that I thought were very good. So good, in fact, that I thought I’d share them with you.
From Bryan Jackson, W2RBJ, ARRL ENY PIO
A couple of thoughts as a former journalist and PR professional…
- Weekends are a great opportunity for getting coverage. Luckily, many Amateur Radio Events (like Field Day) take place on weekends when the news cycle is generally slow and media outlets are looking for stories to fill their news holes (I’ve had great luck getting coverage for weekend events). Get an advisory out well ahead of time with the particulars, location, date and time. Also, think about visuals for TV (Hoisting antennas, operators making contacts, etc). Make sure you provide a contact name, phone and email. I prefer giving a cell phone number so you’re less likely to miss a call. Reporters can be lazy, so make their job as easy as possible. A well written news release — no more than two pages — will go far. And, don’t take a reporter’s knowledge for granted. Make sure to use language and explanations that non-Hams can grasp… and don’t use acronyms unless you explain what they mean. If you can, have a non-Ham read your advisory or release and see if they understand what it’s about (they can also check for misspellings and typos).
- Don’t forget weeklies, advertiser papers and community papers! These outlets are usually looking for news to fill their pages to often will even run a well written news release verbatim, as they’re also usually short on editorial staff. Most publish weekly, some monthly, so make sure you get the info out to them plenty of time in advance, especially if it’s an event you’re looking for the public to attend. You can also submit a release that wraps-up the results of an event if you’re looking for coverage after the fact. Many will also publish pictures you submit. However, make sure they’re of decent quality and resolution. Also, make sure you include a “cut line” with any pictures that describes what’s in them, as well as the identity of people being shown. If it’s not someone in your club, you may wish to have people in the photo(s) sign a release. Photography release forms can be readily found on the web with a quick Google search. They are generally not required if they are taken at a public event or in a public area… but it never hurts to err on the side of caution. If you are using pictures of minors, a release from a parent or legal guardian is usually advised.
- Finally, do a little legwork for best results. If you’re doing a story with a particular slant, see if there’s a reporter who has worked on similar stories in the past. This example is not directly applicable but it will give you an idea. Recently, I was asked to get publicity for a memory garden that was being dedicated for a young woman who had been a community leader and who had been killed in an auto accident a few months previously. I found the reporter who covered the original accident, as well as his email address. I sent the news release I had written directly to him, along with some photos of the garden. He ran the story in the paper, as well as online. By the way, this was a major NYC suburban paper, too.
From Howard Price, KA2QPJ
President, Broadcast Employees Amateur Radio Society, Inc.
I am a news assignment editor for a major-market, network-owned television station, a working journalist for nearly 50 years – and an amateur radio operator — so allow me to contribute some tips:
- First and foremost, most news organizations make their coverage decisions based on a combination of considerations: Staffing, geography, the press of major breaking news, the preferences of our audiences, the needs of our platforms (broadcast, web, print, etc.). Which means that to be a PIO today requires you to be aware of other things going on in the world when you pitch. And it requires you to have a sense of the types of stories most likely to be covered by the news organizations that you pitch.
- A good formula for success: Prominence + Proximity + Consequence = Who Cares About Your Story. Is there a news “hook” on which you can hang your story beyond just amateur radio? Has there been a recent disaster in your area which disrupted communications? Has someone launched a cyberattack against your local emergency services – these are just two of the kinds of “hooks” or “angles” you can use to draw attention to the continuing relevance of ham radio in your area. Does your story take place or hit close to home? What’s the “real people” impact of the story you are trying to tell? You need to see your story through the eyes and ears of the viewer, reader or listener in order to determine the likelihood of someone covering it. It continues to shock me how rare it is to see local ham groups pitching media on their reponse to emergent stories like hurricane, tornadoes, winter storms, local power outages. These and similar events are golden opportunities for any ham group with a formalized response plan to get publicity.
- Drop the “ham-ese.” Forgo jargon. Remember that most people wouldn’t know “ham radio” from a “ham sandwich.” People don’t care about your widgets and framuses. They care about WHAT those things can do for THEM.
- Take a more professional approach to being a volunteer. If you’re part of a formal emergency communications response group, look the part. Don’t show up with badges and patches on every square inch of a hat or shirt or jacket. Think about a standard dress code for your team’s response to any organized event. Cliches are born of perception. Let’s remember that in order to convince people that amateur radio is more an geeky hobby, and in fact, remains an essential resource even in the age of the Internet, we need to get people to take us seriously and not fall back on stereotypes.
- For TV, the event should be rich in compelling visuals. For radio, make sure you provide access to people who can explain complex technology in “real people speak” – and do so in soundbites of no more than 15 seconds. Seriously. For print and the web, make sure you have a compelling, resonant story to tell about how ham radio – an old, proven technology – remains relevant today. How it saved a life, provided help in catastrophe, reunited long lost friends in far away places by happenstance, etc.
- Follow the Rule of One: ONE e-mail, ONE follow-up phone call.There’s been some discussion of faxing and snail-mail; trust me, e-mail is now the primary way we field story pitches now, along with news tip applications you’ll find on the websites and apps of most news organizations these days. DON’T call us when we’re on deadline, DON’T call us to pitch features during breaking news. A good rule of thumb is to pitch a week to 10 days in advance, and follow-up a day or two before the scheduled event. FEATURE coverage for a morning newscast is usually locked in the day before; for a midday newscast, by mid-morning; stories for the early evening shows are set around lunch time; and decision-making for late-night newscasts begins about 2pm. Again, these are rough guidelines for FEATURE stories – a newsroom’s typical daily “story budget” changes by the hour as breaking news dictates – which is why there is almost NEVER a guarantee of feature story coverage on any given day.
- Schedule events to start on time, but run long enough to allow for late media arrivals. Yours is not the only event we may need to cover on a given day, or at a given time.
- Pitch the big outlets, of course – but hyperlocal outlets are always looking for, and are focused on, great little community stories. Your community weeklies and online blogs will always be especially receptive to your pitch.
- Start your own media channels: Facebook pages, Twitter and Instagram accounts – and YouTube Channels. All accommodate audio and video posts, and you control them.
- Finally, build relationships. Pitching coverage is always easier and more successful when the people you are pitching know you personally and you know them. Become familiar with the people in each news organization that likely would be most receptive to your pitch: People who cover emergency services, technology, science, hobbies. The better your “personal connections,” the more likely it is you’ll be able to pitch your story to the right people and make sure the pitch is escalated to the ultimate decision-makers in each newsroom.
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