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NIF Media Relations Toolkit
In addition to planning, executing and evaluating your SAR NIF project,
another important aspect to consider is how to gain public attention and
support. This toolkit has been assembled to assist your project in getting
the word out about the activities, needs and goals of your project. It
also contains resource materials you can incorporate in a variety of ways
into your communications plan.
The toolkit includes:
Media Relationships Planning - Eight Steps to Success
Through carefully planned media relations, local media can be an effective
"silent partner" in your SAR NIF project. Local radio and television,
along with daily and community newspapers, want to report on what is happening
in their communities. If your story is told properly, media relations
will serve several purposes: it will help you get necessary volunteer
assistance for the work to be done, it will give other people ideas for
projects to improve search and rescue in Canada, and it will help foster
pride in the community, helping to ensure your efforts are carried on
and maintained after your initial work is complete.
Communicating with media can be done in a variety of ways. Samples are
included in this Tool Kit, along with some general information about planning
a media relations campaign.
When planning any kind of media relations, it is wise to consider the
following:
- The media relations goal
- Are you looking for publicity that will bring more volunteers,
raise funds or help foster community pride?
- Are you hoping others will get involved in your project?
- Are you trying to educate the public about SAR issues?
- The method: news release or an event?
- A news release invites media coverage of the news it contains.
You could use a news release for:
- announcing your project is getting underway;
- announcing an important milestone has been reached, or accomplishment
has been made;
- drawing attention to an issue in which your project is involved.
- You may get calls for interviews or more information. Spokespersons
should be available to answer these calls.
- An event invites media coverage of people in action. Spokespersons
should be on hand to answer questions and give interviews. They
should seek out reporters attending and ask if they could be of
assistance. Your local member of parliament could be invited to
participate. Let's use an example. Your group is involved in improving
their communications system by buying new radios and installing
several repeaters. You could:
- invite reporters for a before and after demonstration;
- invite media to cover the volunteers in action;
- stage an event at the conclusion of the project to invite
coverage of the hard work involved.
- News release or event, it all depends on your goals. Try to tailor
your plans with those goals in mind.
- The news
- You need to have something newsworthy to say. For instance:
- an announcement about your project getting started;
- an event your project is conducting (e.g. a Bobbie the Safety
Boat presentation);
- public education (you want to get the word out that safe boating
is fundamental in Canadian waterways).
- The preparation
- While media relations planning can be an integral part of any project,
don't start making phone calls or issuing news releases until all
details have been nailed down... Time, place, spokespeople, etc.
- The spokespersons
- Designate one or two people as spokespersons. These people should
know as much as possible about your event, project or announcement,
and speak about it in an animated way. They should be prepared to
answer a range of questions, including those about funding, expected
results, and why the project is being undertaken. It is also important
that these spokespersons be available to reporters, answer phone calls
for information promptly, and answer the questions asked.
- The approach
- Before meeting with members of the media, it's important that all
aspects of your announcement or event are ready. Plan ahead, try to
anticipate what questions might be asked, and have answers ready.
If you can't answer a question, indicate you will get the answer and
phone later before the reporter's deadline. Be sure to follow up.
- The words
- Your messages should be short and simple. Speak in words that everyone
can understand.
- The credit
- Good relationships with your project partners will be enhanced
by acknowledging them in public at every opportunity. Specific guidelines
regarding Credit and Visibility in SAR NIF projects can be found
in the Program Guide.
- In summary,
- Doing your homework will produce better results. Call local
media outlets and ask the following questions:
- To whom should I send a press release containing local
news? A media advisory about an event? A community bulletin
board announcement?
- Do you prefer the news release be delivered by fax, mail
or in person?
- What deadlines do you have for news and community bulletin
board events?
- When do you make your decisions about covering news events?
- What needs do you have for television cameras, sound,
photo opportunities, etc.?
The 6 Fundamental Questions
Here are some questions and tips to consider before embarking on your
media relations efforts. We are borrowing from the essential elements
of good journalism.
Who?
Your community will have one, some or all of the following: radio station,
television station, cable outlet, daily newspaper, community newspaper.
You can choose any or all of these outlets, depending on the audience
you are trying to reach. Remember many of these media outlets have community
bulletin boards. If you're promoting an event, make sure you know the
deadlines for submitting information.
What?
You can use a press release, media advisory or media tipsheet. Examples
of each are in this Tool Kit. Remember, you need to have all the pertinent
details and reliable spokespersons. Make sure you have a story to tell,
photo opportunities, etc. Is fax or mail preferable?
Where?
Aim for a place with an interesting backdrop for photographers and television
cameras. If possible, stage an event at your project site. If you are
inviting reporters, make sure the time and location are clear, and the
location is easily accessible. START YOUR EVENT ON TIME. Reporters are
busy people... try to have them in and out within half an hour.
When?
Most media outlets plan about a week ahead. The general rule of thumb
is to have information out about two weeks before an event. This should
be followed up with a phone call one or two days before the event as a
reminder.
BE AWARE of what's going on in your community. If your news event coincides
with the mayor's announcement of a re-election campaign, you'll likely
be pushed to the back pages or not covered at all. Try to plan your announcement
or event for a "slow news day," when not much else is going
on.
A word about community newspapers: Deadlines for community newspapers
vary, and they have limited staff. Faxes are not effective, but personal
contact with editors is a good way to find out about timing and the best
method of conveying information and staff availability.
Why?
Think about what you hope to gain from all this attention. Do you want
a story about your project? Are you trying to educate the public about
the SAR issues attached to your project? Are you hoping for more volunteers?
Try to match your desired results to the type of media relations tool
and the media you target.
How?
How was this project developed and implemented and what factors made it
a success. What elements of the project where particularly interesting
or difficult and how where they handled to achieve success.
Sample Media Relations Tools
There are a variety of media relations tools, and each has a special
use. In this section, you will find descriptions and samples of each tool,
as well as some tips on how to decide which tool would be most effective
for meeting your goals.
News releases
Are used to announce news. They can be used to announce that your project
is getting underway, has reached an important milestone, has accomplished
its goals or is embarking on a new phase. Remember: a news release should
have something to say. News releases are ideally accompanied by a backgrounder.
This gives more detailed information. A press release always contains
the name(s) and phone number(s) of contact(s) who can give an interview
and/or answer questions. The style should be catchy, written in plain
language and include quotes from spokespersons.
See sample
News Release
Press release template
Media advisories
Are used to alert media to an event. They are used to invite coverage,
interviews or photo opportunities. They are short and to the point. .
An advisory should simply catch a reporter's attention and explain why
an editor should assign a reporter to cover an event. Include enough information
to enable someone to write a short article in advance without "scooping"
your story. Information on any technical arrangements made to accommodate
new coverage should be included.
See sample
Media advisory
Tipsheets
Can be used to give media ideas for stories, based on the experiences
and successes connected to your project, encouraging reporters to call
for an interview or to develop a feature news item. Other tipsheet stories
can be designed to be re-printed or used in their entirety. Coverage stemming
from tipsheets can come at any time... The day they are published or months
later. Try for a catchy title for your tipsheet and all your other media
relation tools. Make sure the stories are short (roughly 100 to 150 words)
and written in popular language. Names and phone numbers should be included,
in case reporters have any questions.
See sample
Tipsheets
Community bulletin board announcements
Usually no more than a paragraph in length, community bulletin board announcements
are used to alert the public to an upcoming event and invite their participation.
Local radio and television stations, community newspapers, local cable
channels and many daily newspapers have a section for these announcements.
See sample
Community bulletin board announcements
Backgrounder
A backgrounder explains as aspect of the news release in greater detail.
You may want to include backgrounders on your organization, the key personnel,
the area of SAR that the project addresses, a timeline on the project
or some other details that are not essential to the main message in the
news release. A backgrounder sheds lights on the information and provides
context.
See sample
Backgrounder
Questions and Answers (Qs and As)
These are useful for media because they clarify the information. Think
of questions that a person who knowns nothing or very little about your
project might ask. It is often useful to add statistical and background
information in the Qs and As.
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