Gaining attention is something most of us strive to achieve in the business world.
Read through and familiarize yourself with the newspapers in your area to learn what is available and determine which ones, as well as which reporters, you should target. To find daily papers and their websites, check out the U.S. Newspaper List website at www.usnpl.com.
MEDIA TIP
Newspapers provide ongoing, up-to-date coverage of national and local stories. Placing your story in a newspaper is a great way to reach potential volunteers, as well as decision makers in your community, such as business leaders, elected officials and experts. The media is always looking for a “good story”, create press releases to sell them on why your story is one they should cover. Be as concise yet impactful as possible to create a story of interest to the reader.
• Who is the story about and whom does it affect?
• What is happening and why is it newsworthy?
• When is the story occurring?
• Where is the story taking place? Is it national or local?
• Why does this story matter? Why should readers care?
• How does this story affect the community? How does it affect the nation?
Before you pitch a story to a newspaper, know how often it is published and
who it reaches. This will help determine your angle, or “news hook,” and
which publication will most likely be interested in what you have to offer.
A GUIDE TO WORKING WITH THE MEDIA
MAGAZINES
Magazines, like newspapers, focus on stories with detailed
and fact-driven information and often report on a particular
angle of the story that will be most interesting to their audience. 
This mean that when you pitch a story to a magazine, you must be sure to tailor it to each magazine’s target audience. Special
interest or community magazines in your area will be especially receptive to what your program has to offer and what you are doing
in the community. Make sure to become familiar with the magazines
published in your city or region and identify those that would be most
receptive to your program and activities. Unlike newspapers, magazines require a much longer lead time for their stories. Often, a story will hit
the newsstands several months after it is pitched. This requires you to
plan far in advance for the types of stories that are well-suited for
magazines, such as an upcoming event or a new innovative marketing initiative started.
TELEVISION
Television is regarded as the media vehicle with the furthest reach, but with a growing number of cable stations, it is important to choose a television outlet or program based on its audience and then tailor your message to fit its scope of coverage.
National network news stations (i.e., ABC, CBS, NBC) often focus on national stories only, featuring in-depth stories that are either high profile or investigative. This is generally the same for cable news stations, such as CNN, FOX News, and MSNBC. On the other hand, the local affiliates of both national and cable news stations spend a large chunk of
airtime focusing on local issues. It is a good idea to contact them about a local event or
initiative you are organizing.
Successful television pitches, more so than print pitches, require a visual element to the story. Hosting an event, hanging a banner, or inviting reporters to witness a volunteer activity are all good ways to provide a visual for television cameras. If your story idea or event reaches beyond your local community, and you believe it could be of interest to people in other cities and/or states, a B-roll distribution or satellite media tour (SMT) can
help spread your message throughout a specific region or the entire country. B-roll is a compilation of video footage of your program in action. The footage can include a special
event, a news conference, or a taped series of sound bites featuring your program’s spokesperson speaking about a particular issue or topic. Stations use the footage to complement their stories. You can create your own B-roll package by shooting footage at specific events, or you can invite news stations to film their own footage at a news event or program activity. An SMT is a series of television interviews with your program’s spokesperson conducted via satellite by stations across the country. They are often produced by a production company. Within a short period of time (usually two to three hours), your spokesperson can deliver your program’s message directly to target audiences all over the country.
Check back as we discuss other forms of media
