Securing Coverage

You have a plan. Now it is time to implement it by engaging the media.

• Build relationships with the media
• Issue media advisories and news releases
• Write letters to the editor and opinion pieces
• Visit editorial boards
• Participate in TV and radio interviews
• Stage a news conference or media event
• Use paid media
• Monitor and evaluate your media efforts

Building relationships with the media back to top

Make an effort to get to know the reporters who report on your issues, even when you’re not trying to pitch a story; it can make a significant difference later when you are trying to get your issue covered. Also, when reporters are covering a story, they tend to reach out first to the people they know.

• Write a note or send an e-mail to a reporter about an article she or he wrote that you found particularly interesting, informative, or useful.
• Serve as a resource. Reporters will keep coming back to people who have provided them with insightful, accurate information and good leads to other sources.
• Take the time to educate reporters about your issues. Host a media briefing with an individual or a group of reporters; send over new reports about major developments in their areas of interest; prepare clear and succinct background materials.
• Be accessible. Sources who are easily available and quickly return calls are invaluable to reporters under tight deadlines. It’s worth repeating: Always return phone calls, the sooner, the better.
• Look for opportunities to connect your issue with the stories reporters are covering.
• Respect and be sensitive to reporters’ time constraints. Ask whether you are calling at a good time, and avoid calling just before a deadline.
• Be patient and persistent. Do not write off reporters just because they did not quote you or frame the issue exactly the way you wanted. Stay in touch and try again; you may have success the second or third time around.

Issuing media advisories and news releases back to top

A media advisory is a one-page announcement about an event you want the media to cover. It is generally issued a few days in advance of the event to alert reporters about the logistics (where, when) and what they can expect (who, what, why). Include a brief description of any photo opportunities or visuals in your media advisory; it will increase your chances of getting covered. Always include your contact information.

A news release (also called a press release) is the most frequently used tool for getting media attention. It should frame the issue and state the actions you think should be taken. Although it is formatted differently and usually contains more information than an advisory, your news release should also give the who, what, where, when, why of your issue or event. Be sure to review it for accuracy and completeness before releasing it. Again: Always include your contact information.

There are several resources online with tips and samples for writing effective media advisories and news releases. Take a look at the “Create a Better Press Release” section of the Community Media Workshop website a http://www.newstips.org/interior.php?main_id=141&section=PR+Tips&topic=. It includes a Guided Press Release Creator, which will allow you to construct your news release online. Another resource is the “How to write a good press release” chapter in How to tell and sell your story: A Guide to Media for Community Groups and Other Nonprofits, published by the Center for Community Change, available at http://www.communitychange.org/publications/CCCNews18.pdf.
A few tips to keep in mind about news releases:

• Put your most compelling information up front. Otherwise, you’re not likely to grab a reporter’s attention. Reporters receive dozens of releases daily and hardly glance at most of them. Make yours an attention-getter.
• Find a news hook to make your release newsworthy. The SPIN Project website has a list of possible hooks, such as putting a new slant on an old story, including a celebrity in your news conference, showing the human interest. The Center for Community Change media guide queries: Is it timely? Is there a conflict? Is it visual? Look at CCC’s chapter on “What’s news??” at http://www.communitychange.org/publications/CCCNews18.pdf, and visit http://www.spinproject.org/resources/news_hooks/index.html for more ideas.
• Write a catchy heading for your release that includes your hook and lets the media know what your release is about.
• Include a couple of quotes from key spokespersons. Just remember that reporters may want to talk to the people quoted in the release, so make sure they are available, prepared, and aware of what was said in any publicly distributed quotes.
• Keep it short, preferably one page, not more than two. If you really need to include additional information, attach a background fact sheet to your release.
• Make sure you have clearly identified the contacts for reporters to follow up with, along with phone numbers where you will be available all day on the day you issued the release.
• Distribute your release widely and do follow-up calls to make sure it was received and to gauge reporters’ interest.

Writing letters to the editor and opinion pieces back to top

Letters to the editor and opinion pieces-often called op-eds because they are generally published opposite the editorial page of a newspaper-are great ways to use your own words to convey your message to a wide audience. There is a lot of competition to get letters and opinions published. These tips can increase the chances that yours will be chosen.

• Always check the newspaper’s guidelines for submission; they vary from paper to paper. You can usually find this information on its website, or you can call the newspaper directly. Find out the maximum word limit (generally fewer than 300 words for letters and 750 words for op-eds), methods and deadlines for submission, and other relevant information.
• Do not cloud your message with too many points. Good letters usually emphasize one key point; op-eds no more than three. Each point should be clear, compelling, and persuasive.
• Be sure to provide your contact information in case the newspaper wants to follow up.
• Letters to the editor that refer to recent stories or editorials usually have a better chance of publication.
• Ask your allies to write letters as well. The more letters submitted, the more likely any one will be published.
• Follow up op-ed submissions with a phone call to make sure it was received and to ask if more information is needed.
• Scan your local newspaper for examples of letters to the editor and op-eds that have been published. Another resource is http://www.opinion-pages.org, which provides links to the opinion and editorial pages of over 600 publications. For additional writing tips online, read “How to write an effective ‘op-ed’” and “Writing effective letters-to-the-editor” in How to tell and sell your story: A Guide to Media for Community Groups and Other Nonprofits, published by the Center for Community Change, available at http://www.communitychange.org/publications/CCCNews18.pdf.

Visiting editorial boards back to top

Try to meet with your local newspaper editorial board: the editors of the newspaper who express its point of view through editorials. Why? It’s an opportunity to educate and persuade them about your issue, pitch stories, serve as a resource, correct errors and assumptions in previous coverage, and seek the paper’s endorsement of your position. It can result in favorable and possibly expanded coverage of your issue. And, significantly, editorials carry influence with the broader public and policy makers who have the ability to act on your issue.

• Send a letter to the attention of the newspaper’s editor requesting a meeting and stating the issue you want to discuss. Include any additional materials-facts, data, reports-about your issue.
• Select up to three or four spokespersons to attend the meeting. They should be knowledgeable about the issue and message. Give each person a specific role in the meeting, such as providing introductions of participants and an overview of the issue; sharing a personal experience that demonstrates the extent of the problem; being the expert on the technical aspects of the issue and the proposed solution.
• Do your homework. Know how the newspaper has covered your issue in the past and any positions it has taken. Review past editorials. Make sure to read the newspaper during the week leading up to your meeting so you don’t miss anything recently published on your issue. Be aware that reporters who cover your issue may also participate in the editorial board meeting.
• Prepare for the meeting. Anticipate the questions you are likely to be asked, and think through the responses you will give. Compile any additional materials you want to leave with them to supplement the information provided during the meeting.
• Make your case. During the meeting, you are usually provided with time up front (about 5 to 10 minutes) to present your point of view. Use it wisely. State your main points up front. Editors may interrupt you to ask questions; stay focused so you can return to your next point once you have answered the question. If there are any questions you cannot answer, offer to follow up with a response after the meeting.
• Wait a few days after the meeting to see if the newspaper prints a favorable editorial or a reporter writes a story covering your issue. If nothing happens, call the editor to find out whether the paper is planning to take a position. If the newspaper does not intend to write anything (or if it takes a position against your issue), ask the editor if she or he will consider an op-ed so that both sides are represented. You can also submit a letter to the editor.

Participating in TV and radio interviews back to top

You may be invited to appear on a television or radio show to discuss your issue. More likely than not you will have to make these opportunities happen.

• Determine the shows you would like to appear on, and call or write the producer to request an interview. Clearly state what your issue is and why their viewers or listeners would be interested in what you have to say.
• Have your talking points ready and your facts, data, and research at hand. Think of at least one personal story to share.
• Anticipate questions you will likely be asked and practice your answers.
• Do your homework. Research the format and audience of the show. Find out how long the interview will be, whether it will be live or taped, and if there is a call-in component. Know how your issue or similar issues have been covered in the past. Listen to or watch a segment of the show during the week before your interview.
• Request a copy of your interview. You may have to pay a fee, but it’s good to have a copy to help you critique your interview and improve your skills, as well as to have historical documentation of your advocacy campaign. The more often you do interviews, the better you will become.

Staging a news conference or media event back to top

News conferences (also called press conferences) can be an effective way of attracting media attention to your issue. However, they can also be time-consuming and costly to plan, and they may fall short of your desired outcomes. News conferences are most successful when you have something newsworthy to share: announcements of new initiatives, incidents, high-profile or nontraditional endorsers, important milestones. You can also stage a media event; a rally, town hall, speak-out, or public protest.

• Find a good location (in terms of convenience and your message), and plan to have visuals (such as signs, banners, and provocative images), if possible; you are more likely to generate interest if it is a good photo opportunity.
• Scheduling matters. Given reporters’ typical work flow, the best time to schedule a press conference is usually before noon on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
• Send out your media advisory a few days in advance and your news release on the day of the news conference. More on this above in Issuing media advisories and news releases. Follow up with phone calls a day or two in advance to encourage or confirm attendance.
• Line up your speakers, preferably no more than five. They should be knowledgeable about the issue and message. Give each person a specific role, such as providing introductions of participants and an overview of the issue; sharing a personal experience that demonstrates the extent of the problem; being the expert on the technical aspects of the issue and proposed solution. Give each speaker no more than three to five minutes so that you leave enough time for reporters to ask questions.
• At the news conference, have extra copies of your news release and background materials to distribute to reporters who show up to cover the story.
• For more information on planning a news conference or media event, visit the “Photo Ops & Media Events” section of the SPIN Project website at http://www.spinproject.org/resources/photo_ops/events.html.

Using paid media back to top

Paid media advertising is expensive. But if you have the resources, have a compelling, provocative message, and have reached a stage in your advocacy effort where increasing your visibility will advance your issue, paid media is a surefire way of getting coverage and building support in your audience.

Monitoring and evaluating your media efforts back to top

• Once you have begun implementing your media plan, continually monitor whether your strategies are effective and achieving your goals. It’s not uncommon to change a plan or spokespersons along the way if your messages or messengers are not having the desired effect on your target audience.
• After you have executed all the pieces of the plan, evaluate your success. Track media coverage your issue obtained. Save clippings of published stories, editorials, and letters to the editors and tapes of broadcast interviews.