1. News Releases
   1. Is it Time for a News Release?
      1. Before writing news release, ask these questions:
         1. What is the key message?
         2. Who is the primary audience?
         3. What does teh target audience gain from the product or service?
         4. What objective does the release serve?
      2. Think like a journalist and write news story that includes five W's and H
         1. Who
         2. What
         3. When
         4. Where
         5. Why
         6. How
      3. Types of news releases
         1. Standard News Release
         2. Online News Release
         3. Multimedia News Release
   2. The Content of a News Release
      1. Lead paragraph is integral and important part of text
      2. "Inverted Pyramid" Approach
         1. First paragraph summarizes most important part of story
         2. Succeeding paragraphs fill in details in descending order of importance
   3. Publicity Photos
      1. News releases often accompanied by photos
      2. More people read photos than read articles
      3. Not published unless the appeal to media gatekeepers
      4. Pro photographers should always be hired PR should supervise their work and select photos
      5. Good photos include...
         1. Good contrast and sharp detail
         2. Uncluttered
         3. Shows context
         4. Action
         5. Emphasize scale
         6. Resolution of 72 dpi
2. Media Advisories, Fact Sheets, Media Kits, and Pitch Letters
   1. Media Advisories Media Alerts
      1. Note to reporters and editors about a news conference or event
      2. Also let the media know about interview opportunity or alert that a local person will be featured on TV program
      3. May be sent alone or with a news release
      4. Short, bulleted lists rather than long paragraphs
   2. Fact Sheets
      1. Often distributed as part of media kit or with news release to give more info
      2. FAQ
      3. Usually 1 to 2 pages long
      4. Serve as "crib sheet" for journalists when they write a story
      5. Headings provide following items
         1. The organization's full name
         2. Products or services offered
         3. Annual revenues
         4. Number of employees
         5. Name and one-paragraph biographies of top executives
         6. Markets served
         7. Company's position in the industry
         8. Any other pertinent details
   3. Media Kit
      1. Prepared for major events and new product launches
      2. Provides editors and reporters with variety of info and resources to make it easier to report
      3. Basic elements
         1. Main news release
         2. News feature about the development of the product
         3. Fact sheets
         4. Background information
         5. Photos and drawings with captions
         6. Biographical material on spokesperson or chief executives
         7. Basic contact information
   4. Pitch Letters
      1. Short letters or e-mails to editors that will grab their attention
      2. Accompanied by sample of product
      3. PR uses to ask editors to assign a reporter to a particular event, pursue a feature angle on an issue or trend, or even to book a spokesperson on a show
      4. Lets editor know about contents of the media kit
      5. Outlines why a periodical outlet should consider the info as a feature
      6. First do basic research
3. Interviews with Journalists and News Conferences
   1. Interviews
      1. May last about an hour
      2. Over lunch or coffee
      3. Person-to-person talk
      4. Typically result in story of 400-600 words
      5. Writer weaves in quotes with background material and interjects personal observations
   2. News Conferences
      1. Communication is two-way
      2. Person speaking for company submits to questioning by reporters
      3. Quick, widespread dissemination of info through news media
      4. Get all in one, instead of going to different places individually
      5. In PR, can be offensive measure or defensive device
      6. Positive in intent
      7. Project host's plans or point of view
   3. Planning and Conducting a News Conference
      1. Should we hold this news conference?
      2. Meets criteria of significant news
4. The Media Party and the Media Tour
   1. Media Party
      1. Build rapport
      2. May be a luncheon, dinner, or reception
      3. Host to rise at the end of socializing period and make the pitch
      4. Guests provided with press packets of info
   2. Media Tours
      1. Trip
         1. "Junket" editors and reporters are invited to inspect a company's manufacturing facilities in several cities
         2. Host usually picks up the tab for transporting, feeding, and housing
      2. Familiarization trip
         1. Offered to travel writers and editors by the tourism industry
         2. Convention bureaus pay all expenses in hope that writers will report favorably on their experiences
      3. Organization's executives travel to key cities to talk with selected editors
5. The Reach of Radio and Television
   1. Radio
      1. Audio News Release
         1. Two forms
            1. "Actuality" Good radio voice to read entire announcement
            2. "Sound bite" Satisfied customer or company spokesperson also speaks
         2. Preferred length of one minute
         3. Delivered with a copy of script
      2. Public Service Announcements
         1. An unpaid announcement that promotes the programs of government or voluntary agencies or that serves public interest
         2. Radio and TV provide airtime to charitable and civic organizations
         3. Written in uppercase and double-spaced format
         4. Length can be 60, 30, 20, 15, or 10 seconds
         5. Standard practice is to submit multiple PSAs in various lengths Allows for flexibility for the station
      3. Radio Media Tours
         1. A spokesperson conducts a series of one-on-one interviews from central location with radio announcers across country
         2. Pr practitioner books telephone interviews with DJs, news directors, or talk show hosts
         3. Relatively low cost
         4. Convenience of giving numerous short interviews from one central location
   2. Television
      1. Video News Releases
         1. PR firms must carefully analyze the news potential of the info
         2. Should not be produced if it contains nothing but "talking heads," charts, and graphs
         3. Takes about 4-6 weeks to produce and distribute
      2. Satellite Media Tours
         1. Tv equivalent of radio media tour
         2. A Series of prebooked, one-on-one interviews from fixed location via satellite
         3. Most effecient way to conduct is to make organization's spokesperson available for interview at designated time
   3. Personal Appearances
      1. Talk Shows and Magazine Shows
         1. Popular
         2. Advantage is teh opportunity to have viewers see and hear spokesperson without the filture of journalists and editors interpreting
         3. Be on air longer than 30 seconds
      2. Booking a Guest
         1. Contact may be executive producers or assistance producer
         2. Contact the booker to briefly outline the qualifications of the proposed speaker
         3. Explain why this person would be a timely guest
         4. Book guests 3-4 weeks in advance
   4. Product Placements
      1. Placing brand names in TV programs
      2. "Plugs"
      3. Often negotiated by product publicists and talent agencies
      4. Today's youth get their ideas about what to buy from watching TV