If you want your organisation, issue or event to make headlines, there are three things you should know:
- types of media that will be interested
- who to speak to
- what you want to say
This page can help with you numbers 2) and 3). See the
'Tips for getting media coverage page' for ideas on number 1).
Your audience
Ever seen a stand-up comic who just can't seem to get a laugh? They don't know their audience and so the audience won't respond to their jokes.
Who are you trying to speak to? Who will be interested in what you have to say? For example, if you want to announce the results of a study on the environmental impact of logging in old-growth forests, don't do it at a meeting of a woodchoppers association.
Think about who your audience is and talk to them. Contact the types of media that they would read or watch. For example, the internet is great for young people, but lots of older people don't know how to use a computer, let alone surf the web.
Your message
What do you really want people to know about your organisation, issue or event? Sounds simple, but you have to get your message clear before trying to publicise it.
You should never try to tell people more than three things at once. Choose the three things that you absolutely have to say and build your message on these:
For example:
- Melbourne's Co-Op Shop celebrates its fifth birthday this Sunday 26th March.
- the Co-Op Shop sells ready-to-eat food and ingredients to make your day healthy.
- the Co-Op Shop profits are used to fund community projects.
It is important that people know the Co-Op Shop profits are put back into the community, this is a unique quality of the shop and a major selling point that will attract customers.
Other information such as how many people work at the Co-Op Shop, how the Co-Op was started, or the colour of the Co-Op shop's front door may be nice for people to know but not essential.
Your angle
In the above Co-Shop example the 5th birthday bit is the angle of the story. It's like the bait that the media fish will bite and then you can reel them in with the rest of the info. But if the angle isn't there, you're not going to catch anything.
They say that if dog bites man, it's not news. But if man bites dog, you've got yourself a story.
So you've got to think of something that makes your story newsworthy.
What usually works is:
- if it's timely, if it's happening now
- the 'first' of something, or the 'biggest' or 'best' of something, e.g. the most people involved in something
- an anniversary celebration or annual memorial
- something involving a local person or place (if you're contacting their relevant local newspaper or radio)
- the release of the results of a survey or study that prove something new or have major implications for lots of people
- if you are launching a fundraising campaign and announcing a target you want to reach
- if it involves a celebrity
- if there's a great photo opportunity at an upcoming event or a great photo of something that's just happened (not relevant to radio!)
- anything that adds depth to or is part of the debate of any of the above.
Thea is completing a Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations) at RMIT University, Melbourne. She was part of the first ActNow Incubator team.
