Working with Traditional Media

By Mary P. FelterAssistant Public Image Coordinator

Zone 33Rotary Club of Annapolis

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

What is news?

Information that is newly received or noteworthy, especially about recent or important events.

News is information that is of broad interest to the intended audience.

Something that might be news in your community might not mean anything to a neighboring community.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

What are journalists seeking?

Timeliness – when did this happen?Impact – who does it affect?Proximity – did it happen here?

Controversy – are there people who care about it?Prominence - who is affected?Current value – does the story have “legs” – is it of interest?Oddity – the famous “man bites dog.”

- Source: www.au.af.mil (Air University, U.S. Air Force)

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Your Rotary Story

You are a Rotarian because…

Rotary is important because…

Others might be interested in Rotary because…

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

How to tell that story

First, let’s talk about:

What’s worked for you in the past?

How did you getcoverage for your event?

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Finding traditional media

How do you find the right place for your stories?– Become familiar with area publications

and broadcast media– Read and analyze these types of

publications• Newspapers, regional magazines, trade publications,

church bulletins, chamber of commerce newsletters, government newsletters to community groups for example.

– Use the Internet to research publications and broadcast stations in your area.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Define traditional media• Newspapers• Magazines• Radio• Television

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Don’t believe this headline!

• Daily, weekly, monthly• What types of articles are printed? News? Features?• Photographs – advance, after the fact?• Calendars?• Web page and bloggers?

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Newspapers

MagazinesSame questions as with newspapers

Weekly, monthly, quarterly?Hard news? Features? In depth?Photos?

Do they accept articles you write or must they be assigned to a writer? Do you provide photos or do they take them?

Why does this matter?

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Radio

• Radio has time for short interviews on local news.• Radio stations vary in types of coverage as they

may be specialized – rock, all news, etc.• Radio talk shows may need a spokesperson on

trendy topics or with background on current news.• Radio has time for public service announcements.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Television

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Public and privately owned?

Government cable may cover community events

TV may need an informed spokesperson – so become a resource for stations

Who receives your news?

Know the staff at the media– Newspapers: news editor, community editor,

features editor, business editor, photo editor, calendar editor, even the sports editor

– Magazines: editor in chief, senior editor, article assignment editor, events editor

– Radio and television: desk editor, news editor, video editor, community editor

And they all have web news editors nowadays

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Finding the contacts

• How did YOU find this information?– Use the internet– Use e-mail– Use the ’phone

Tell them you are updating your press release distribution list. They usually are delighted to tell you current information because they want your news. It’s their life blood.

HOWEVER, if they say they are on deadline, ask when it is best to call back – and then call back at that time. Respect them and they will respect you.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Deadlines

• Obey them!• Deadlines vary depending on the media

and type of coverage.• Newspapers can have hourly deadlines,

daily deadlines, weekly if a feature item, etc. Magazines may be monthly or three months or more

• Radio/tv – immediate to weekly.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Why are deadlines important?

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Knowing media deadlines affects when you provide them with your information so they can print/broadcast it in a timely manner.

If you are a reliable source for them, such as meeting their deadlines and providing them with accurate media releases, they will pay more attention to you and your story.

How do they want your news

• When you reach the media for their contact information, ask HOW they want the news.

• E-mail is the usual form. Editors can cut and paste and place the story on their computer pages quickly. It takes minutes to handle this task.

• Web editors can do the same, sometimes even bypassing the news editor’s sending it to them.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Press releases

Key elements• Put it on club’s stationery with address and web

site, Facebook, and Twitter and any other addresses

• Include club’s contact person, numbers, and e-mail

• Provide the release date – when can media use it?• Put a headline on it• Open the first paragraph with place and date

For example, Annapolis, MD (May 30, 2013)

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

(More on press releases)

• Be sure to include the “who, what, where, why and how” in the first paragraph if this is a hard news story.

• If you are writing a feature type story, you may lead with a brief anecdote as a story intro.

• Always end with how the public can respond – a telephone number, a web address, and an e-mail for example.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Attachments

Photos – color? Black and white?Fact sheetsGraphics – Rotary logo in particular

How do editors want to receive this material?Ask them

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Advertising

Ads and news stories are different from each other. The departments don’t talk to each other. (It is a cardinal rule, like separation of church and state!)

Do not ever tell an editor you have purchased an ad and therefore they are obligated to publish a story about your group. Wrong.

Ad representatives can assist you in preparationYou need lead time for ads as you do for news stories

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Variety of ads

• Ads can be a single, one time placement, or multiple times, of various sizes

• Ads can be designed by the media, usually free at newspapers and magazines

• Ads can run as large as a tabloid insert in a community newspaper

• Ads can run as public service announcements on radio and television (Ads can come from Rotary International)

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

“Billboard” ads

Another type of traditional media - billboardsThese include highway billboards as well as subway, bus, airports and train station ads

Must be clean, neat, simple, with contact information – people have only seconds to read them

Ads are available from Rotary International

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Resources

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar

Rotary has a Media Center with resources at www.rotary.org

Humanity in Motion V is the most current information available with four discs on recommendations for public image chairs

Follow up

• Your mother was right!• Call, write, e-mail the editor/writer a thank you

note, and express appreciation for the coverage.• Offer to be a resource for that writer/editor in

the future.

2013 Zone 33 Rotary Public Image Leadership Seminar