If you haven't worked with the media, or you have limited experience with the media, here are a few more tips to help you establish contact and generate coverage of local successes and challenges.

How to Contact the Media
Getting coverage of the issues via local media and local public service directors (TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines) will increase awareness at the community level, thereby broadening the audience for your message.

First you need to decide who should receive the information.  You are much more likely to get a response if you personalize the information, rather than sending it generically to “editor ” or “producer.”  To find names and contacts for local media outlets you can either make a phone call and ask for the assignment desk or the health/education beat reporter, or consult a media directory, which is available at libraries.  Positions at media outlets change frequently, so you may want to call to make sure the contact you received from the directory is still current.

In addition to contacting reporters and editors about stories, don’t forget to send information on events and announcements to the calendar editor. Consider collaborating with others to write a letter to the editor or a short opinion piece.  Contact your local opinion page editor for submission deadlines.

Keep in mind that you can solicit your local media outlet to do more than just provide publicity.  Consider inviting a television station or radio station, local cable network, or area newspaper to attend or even co-sponsor your event or activity.

How to Follow Up/Pitch the Media
After you have identified the correct people at the media outlet, the next step requires contacting the media representatives to follow up and ensure that they know about the importance of what you are doing.  The act of contacting a news agency to try to induce them into covering an issue or event is called a “pitch.”  You should summarize the primary focus of your issue or the event to which you are inviting them within the first 15 seconds of the conversation.  Emphasize the value and importance of the issue to the station’s audience, and make recommendations about use of local statistics, district and school needs, possible story ideas linking issues to learning, etc.

Here is how your pitch might sound:

“Hello, I am__________with__________.  And I am calling to tell you about __________. 

Did you know that __________ schools in __________are being impacted by __________? 

Parent volunteers are involved in __________ by working with __________to __________. 

I hope you’re interested in learning more about some positive stories about what’s happening in our schools.”

When pitching stories to different publications and TV or radio programs, offer unique story angles and always remember to give the 5 W’s: who, what, where, when and why.

Try to get the station’s public service department to attend any presentations your group will be giving.  Send the public service director a letter and announcement of the event.

Keys to Successful Pitching

1. Watch your language.  Don’t use diminishing words. (I just called to...)
   
   
2. Watch your energy level.  You want to sound enthusiastic and passionate about the issue.
   
   
3. Be prepared.  Always have a one-page fact sheet prepared in case the reporter asks for more information.
   
   
4. Follow up with the reporter.  Give the reporter new and current information or updates.
   
   
5. Be aggressive.  Approach the news agency with the idea that this is an important issue and get to what is unique about it.
   
   
6. Use visualization.  If you are pitching an event, always try to get the reporter to visualize it.  Be as descriptive as possible.
   
   
7. Set a goal for regularly contacting the media (e.g., weekly or monthly).