Your organization has decided that it wants its 15 minutes of fame. You’ve been doing great work and you want the public to know about it. You want your name in the paper and on the 6 o’clock news.
You write a press release, fax it out to your media list, cross your fingers and wait. Nobody calls for more information. You don’t see your story picked up in your paper or on the TV news. You decide that the corporate media machine simply doesn’t care about the stories that are truly important in your community.
After a couple of failed media attempts, it’s natural to feel frustrated; easy to think that only well-connected and well-funded groups get media attention. Rather than giving up, take a step back and look again at the press release you sent out.
- Did it tell a story? Or, did it simply chronicle events leading to an action?
- Was a person the central figure in the release? Or, was an inanimate object, such a report or a building or a government policy the central focus?
- Was the release really about something newsworthy? Or was it an event announcement with the words `news release’ at the top of the page?
Although the media are an easy target for our collective frustrations about non-profit work being ignored by the public, the government and funders, they are not necessarily the right target. Reporters have needs. As a rule, non-profits don’t take the time to identify a reporter’s needs or deliver material that reporters can use. So, before you send out your next press release, then curse the mainstream media for its ignorance, apathy and general lack of values, take some time to get to know what the media need in a press release. The following page will help you get started…
How to make a reporter’s life easier and improve your story’s chance of success
Give a good story. In the world of making the news, a good story contains certain elements and the more of these elements you can include in your story (press release) the better the odds the reporter will call you.
- Your story is about something that is `new’. If you can legitimately say, “first time ever” in your release, you’re off to a good start.
- Your story has a human (or animal) face. Even news about government policies is usually written into a story that includes a human face: those who will be hurt or helped by the policy. If you help the reporter identify a face, she’ll be more likely to pick up your story.
- There is action in your story. Consider the statement that CBC reporters keep in mind when developing their news stories: people taking an action for a compelling reason. Write your headline to this formula and you are more likely to capture a reporter’s interest.
- Your story impacts a lot of people. Reporters and editors want to run stories that will appeal to their readers, viewers and listeners. These audiences are most interested in information that will effect them in some way.
- Your story has a curiosity or celebrity factor. This is not necessary! But, if you’ve got this element, and it won’t detract from your message, flaunt it. Never forget that North America’s best selling weekly newspaper is the National Enquirer…
Following is an example of a press release issued by a fictitious coalition of organizations, unhappy with new government policies that will effect the well-being of senior citizens. The release could have been written about the new policy, the budget cuts, who the member groups of the coalition are, but those details are best communicated in a follow-up document called a backgrounder
Sample Press Release
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Organization letterhead
or Media Release People taking an action for a reason Standard format Always date your release Indicate your city This is ‘new’, first time ever Government = celebrity factor Very visual event. TV and photographers will be interested Impacts a large proportion of the population Alice offers a human face Her quote is engaging and says what a reporter never could: that is, it is not ‘balanced’ but her opinion. Conclude with a fact that emphasizes the severity of the proposed change.
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Reprinted from ‘Activate’, the quarterly journal of IMPACS, the Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society. Winter, 1999. For more information, visit www.impacs.org or call 1-877-232-0122.
Like the old-time circus barker who stood on his soap box, drawing people into the tent to see the show, Donna Barker Communications has been helping not-for-profit organizations draw people to support their causes since 1992. You can reach Donna at donna@donnabarker.com.
