MEDIA RELATIONS WORK

It is very important that the Society's message reaches the public. One of the most effective ways that this can be achieved is via the media. Through the media, the Society can reach thousands of people very effectively and cheaply. The media can change people's attitudes and behaviour - its power should not be underestimated.

This paper explains where to start and outlines the basic conventions for writing a press release and for dealing with journalists. Although written primarily with newspaper coverage in mind, almost all of it is relevant to radio and TV as well.

The paper is in seven parts:

1) Why do press work
2)What you need
3) How to get started
4) Letters to the editor
5) How to write a press release
6) Following it up
7) Overall guidelines: some dos and don'ts

1) Why do press work?

Media coverage is important for three reasons:

Profile

This means making sure that people know that the Vegan Society exists, what kind of organization we are, and what we do.

Specific publicity

Similarly, press coverage is the fastest and most effective way to reach a wide audience of people whose active or financial support you need for a specific event - e.g. starting a local group.

Changing attitudes

Campaigning involves trying to get our message to many different types of people (e.g. educators, retailers, caterers, government). They are much more likely to take action if the debate is visible and very public - because they need to maintain as good a public image as possible.

News coverage is not an end in itself: it's essential to know why you want people to know something and what you want them to do as a result.

Why do the media want to talk to us?

The Vegan Society is the official voice of veganism in the UK and the oldest, largest and most successful vegan organization in the world. A journalist may require further information, a quote for a story from a local person or a case study for an interview. People add colour and help to make sense of a story - this is particularly important at the local level, and this is where you come in.

Important
Please remember: always be careful to make a distinction between what is your own, personal opinion, what is your group's policy and what is the official policy of the Vegan Society.

2) What you need

Equipment

A telephone
Access to a PC and e-mail or a typewriter
Access to a photocopier or printer
Headed notepaper

Resources

You will also need:

- To be prepared to do some work
- some news!

You will need to:

- Keep the press lists up to date
- Ensure that you are well informed and are aware of the basic conventions of working with the media as outlined in this document.
- If you are part of a group you might want to designate a specific person to do these tasks so that not all the work falls to one already overworked person.

News

What we want: to get our message across.
What journalists want: news value and/or a good read.
These aims are not by any means contradictory, but they're not identical either. So you have to take both into account.

News value

News value depends on the time of year, the political agenda, the level of local interest in the issue, etc. Your news value will be dramatically increased by a strong hook: this can be roughly defined as 'the thing that focuses your story in the present'. If you're working from a Vegan Society press release, the fact that it's a national story should be enough for the local press to pick it up.

That said, even the best national or local stories can get 'spiked' because of more interesting events on the day, whether it's two feet of snow in Birmingham or the death of a famous person.

If you're not working from a Vegan Society release, try to pin your story to a specific event or wider issue.

There are many different reasons for getting into local newspapers. Here are some ideas:

1 Launch a campaign.
2 Mark an anniversary.
3 Hold an AGM of your group.
4 Announce the formation of a new group.
5 Announce an event.
6 Publish findings of a consumer or trade/industry survey or opinion poll.
7 Involve a local celebrity.
8 Invite a local dignitary to an event. (They don't have to accept for this to be newsworthy.)
9 Send a letter to someone important.
10 Stunts/dressing up/build a display.
11 Food/cookery demonstration/tasting.
12 Hold a social event.
13 Think of something else not listed here!

3) Getting started

Press list

Compile a press list, including fax/phone numbers and postal and e-mail addresses of all local newspapers and radio. The Vegan Society can help you by searching the media database and providing you with details of contacts in your area. If you have any named contacts that you've made in the past who have covered your event add these to your database. You can keep these on a computer database or in an alphabetical card index.

Addresses

A box of sticky label sheets that can be run through a computer or photocopier is a good investment: you can then type up your press list to fit this format, print or photocopy them on to these sheets and avoid addressing envelopes.

You will probably find it easier to keep a separate list of picture editors to use in addition to your main list whenever you have a potential picture story.
Phone/fax numbers/e-mail addresses: keep these on a separate sheet.

Know your deadlines

[This is only a rough guide so check with your local media.]

Weekly papers: 2 - 3 days before publication
Morning papers: Up to 3 pm on the preceding day, possibly up to 9 pm if you've got a really good story
Evening papers: 11 am for the first edition
Local radio: 1 hour before a news bulletin
Local TV: 11 am the previous day; for features, 2 - 3 weeks to the forward planning team and then follow up 2 - 3 days before.
Weekly mags: 3 - 5 days before publication

Is there anybody there?

Once you have your press list together, let the local media know that you really exist. Send a simple circular with the following details:

- the group's name or media contact's name;
- the coordinator's, press officer's or media contact's name and address and e-mail address;
- phone numbers where a contact can be reached at any time - i.e. daytime, evenings, weekends;
- a paragraph of background information about the group or individual.

Enclose some basic Vegan Society leaflets for background reading/files.
As with all press releases, follow it up with a phone call to make sure that they've received it.

Keeping score

You may find it useful to keep a checklist of names and phone numbers of all those journalists you've ever spoken to, with a very brief note of the conversation you had. This is especially useful if you're in a large city where you may be dealing with quite a few different people, since you can then build up a clearer picture of who gives you the best/most (and worst/least) coverage.

Keep clippings of your coverage and send copies to the Vegan Society and/or the Local Contacts' Coordinator.

4) Letters to the editor

Virtually all newspapers and magazines have a page for readers' letters, which is often very popular. Getting a letter published is an effective way of obtaining free publicity and is open to everyone.

Do some research before writing your letter.

Some publications have their own guidelines and impose their own limitations on the letters they publish, so check the publication first. Read the Letters Page, make a note of the guidelines, study the sort of letters that get published.

Make sure it is obvious that the letter is intended for publication.

It is up to you to take responsibility for the clarity of your communication. Address it quite clearly to the Letters Page, or to the person who edits the Letters Page if that is stated. Be polite. No matter how outraged you may feel about a particular example of animal abuse or whatever, it's not the fault of the editor/sub-editor/office staff - remember that they have feelings too.

Presentation is important even for a short, informal letter.

Editors are busy people and see a lot of dreadful material in the course of the day. Clean, well-presented material is far more likely to catch the eye, so:

- Use a clean sheet of new paper, A4 if possible.
- Type if at all possible. Use one side of the paper only and leave a wide margin at the sides, top and bottom of the page. Make sure that the print is not faded. Don't use capital letters to give emphasis; this can be very offputting to the reader.
- If it is not possible to type, write very legibly making specially sure that proper names, place names etc. are clearly legible.
- Don't use initials or abbreviations: something that seems obvious to you may be a total mystery to the reader.
- Be brief and to the point. It is much better to make one point clearly than to cram in as many arguments as possible at the risk of confusing and boring your audience.
- If the letter is more than just a comment on some issue in the news, e.g. you are asking for volunteers or drawing attention to an event, state what you want in a direct, straightforward way, remembering to include vital details such as date, time and venue.
- Keep it short: if a letter is too long the editor will either not use it at all, thus wasting your time and effort, or pass it over to a sub-editor to shorten it.
- If this happens, the chances that your message will get distorted are very high. It is better to practise getting your point over clearly and succinctly.
- Look for a local angle if possible: editors of local papers are much more interested in what's happening in their area than in national events and news.
- Always give a contact name and address and phone number or you will lose the value of your publicity. Some newspapers have a policy of not publishing readers' addresses, so make it very clear that you don't mind this address being published. Include a phone number if possible, because if the editor is short of space an address may be omitted but there's a better chance that a phone number will be left in.

5) How to write a press release

The newsroom of a busy regional newspaper office will receive dozens of press releases every day, as well as stories picked up from the national press, and all the items that come down the wires from syndicated news agencies such as the Press Association (PA) or the Associated Press (AP). So your press release will always be competing with whatever else is going on in the world that day.

Journalists work to tight deadlines with little time to read or absorb information, so it's vitally important to present it to them in a clear and readable form.

There's a standard format for press releases and it goes like this:

Embargo

This means 'not to be used before'. The embargo should specify a time as well as a date - normally 0100 hours on the day, to make sure it doesn't go out on the midnight news bulletin on local radio the night before.

The reason for an embargo is that the journalist's job is to provide news stories. If something has already been in a rival paper or on the radio a couple of days previously they will regard it as an old story and will not cover it. What you want is for everyone to run the story at the same time for maximum effect.

If you're working from a draft national press release, an embargo broken locally could lose the story nationally - with unfortunate consequences for other media contacts in other areas. So if you need to change the embargo locally, make sure that you choose a later date rather than an earlier one.

If you want advance publicity for something (e.g. a public meeting), write 'immediate' at the top of the page instead. Use an embargo only when you absolutely have to.

The Five Ws

Who, What, Where, When, Why. Get these into the first sentence or two. The first couple of sentences are called the 'lead'. A good, strong lead is vital to grab the reader's attention, so the five Ws are really important. Depending on what you are doing, it may take a bit longer than two sentences, but whatever you do make it the first thing you write, and be as succinct as you can.

You will almost certainly need to elaborate on 'why'. This is nearly always the most interesting bit. Do this further down the page (before and after the quote) where you will have more space to provide reasons.

The quote

In the text, stick to facts. In the quote you can give opinions and be a bit more colourful or contentious. Try to make it short, sharp and lively.

A longer quote can also be used to explain a complex issue in a chattier tone.
You can put facts as well as opinion in a quote, but the hard and fast rule is never to put opinion outside a quote.

Contacts

A minimum of two if at all possible, and they must have at least one daytime and one evening number between them - preferably two, just in case.

N.B. Keep a copy of the press release by the phone, and any other notes you may need. It will make you sound a lot more confident if journalists phone up unexpectedly.

Enclosures

Optional. Don't overdo it or you'll put them off. A leaflet and/or short background briefing is usually enough. List them at the end of the Notes for Editors so that they know what to look for.

Notes to Editors

Optional, but you'll nearly always need to use it: this is the place for slightly more detailed background information and figures.

In the main body of the press release (i.e. before 'Ends'), never include anything more than the bare essentials required to make sure that your story makes sense. Anything else that you think would be useful for them to know goes in the notes for editors.
Even if an issue is a household word such as 'CJD' it is still a good idea to provide a short three-paragraph outline in the editor's notes. That way they can lift it straight into the article if necessary. When using facts and figures, always give references.

Notes to picture editors

If your event provides a photo opportunity give the details here. Who, When and What they are doing is all you need to say - and stick to it.

Give a limited time so that you are well prepared. For example, if you are mounting a display at an event from 10 am - 4 pm, you will not want to hang around all day unable to slope off for a cup of tea in case a photographer shows up. Give them 10.30 - 11.30 instead, and then you can relax.

If your event is on a Saturday, go for an early- or mid-morning time so that you don't clash with sporting events. Many local newspapers have only one or two photographers. Ideally, tell them that an alternative time on Thursday or Friday can be arranged.

Do send a copy of your press release to the Picture Editors of your local media as well as to the News Editors

Visuals

This may sound trivial, but if you want to catch a journalist's eye when there's a large heap of paper lying on their desk, visual clarity can help make sure that it's your press release that gets read and not someone else's.

Headings

It's important to make sure that the press release is recognisably yours.
Type the subject heading in bold, centred capitals so that it stands out well. Sometimes people feel that they have to make up the type of headline that appears in newspapers and magazines. This isn't helpful since each title has its own house style. Make the headline say what the release is about and leave the creative work to the professionals.

Single-sided, double-spaced

Journalists can easily miss material that is printed on the back of a sheet so single-sided is safer. Double-spaced is the convention so that they have room to write notes and to edit the copy.

Continues/Ends …

Write 'continues' or 'more follows' at the bottom of all but the last sheet so they'll know if there's anything missing. Type 'Ends' at the end of the actual press release, to make it clear that anything beyond this point is notes for editors, background information, etc.

6 Following it up: what to do with a press release once you've written it
This also applies to press releases from the Vegan Society.

Preparation

Copy it onto your own press release paper, if appropriate, with all the relevant details double checked. Get someone else to proofread it (e.g. the Local Contacts' Coordinator) not only for factual accuracy but also for grammar, spelling and punctuation. Your press release if far more likely to be published if it does not need to be sub-edited. When you photocopy it, do a handful of spares: a file copy for future reference and a few for mailing to people who want a copy when you phone them, can't find the one they had, never received it in the first place, etc.

Mail-out

Ideally make sure your press release arrives two or three days before any event if you are targeting daily newspapers. More than a week before and it is likely to get lost. The later you leave it, the less time you have for the phone-round and any subsequent remailing. For weekly newspapers you'll need it to arrive 2-3 days before their publication date.

Phone-round

What you do: a ring-round of local journalists to make sure they have received your press release.

Why? To check that they have received it, but also to draw their attention to it and maybe to chat about it and give them more information.

How? When you phone round, ask for the News Editor - unless your press release was addressed to a named person such as the cookery editor, lifestyle editor, etc.
Start by saying who you are, that you are calling to check that they have received your press release, posted a couple of days ago about ….

If they have not seen it, explain briefly what it is about, as interestingly as possible, and offer to send them another. (Don't forget to ask their name.)

If they have seen it, ask if they are planning to use it.

If yes, ask if they need further details and whether they want to send a reporter and/or photographer to the event (if relevant). If radio or TV, ask if they want to interview anyone from the group.

If the answer is 'maybe', you may wish to try and get them more interested: remind them of reasons why it is newsworthy - e.g. that it is World Vegan Day, that it is of particular interest to people in your area because….

Don't be so pushy that you become a nuisance. You can tell when someone is really uninterested, so play it by ear. If they aren't interested, try to find out what aspects of your work may be of interest to them - either now or in the future.

Remember that they need contacts and interesting stories - this means that they need you, not just vice versa.

Always keep notes of your conversations and interviews, with dates, and keep them with the file copies of your press release.

Etiquette

If someone breaks an embargo, claims that you said something that you know wouldn't cross your mind in a million years, rewrites facts and figures that you have given them or otherwise mistreats you, it is perfectly reasonable to complain. If you don't want to complain over the phone, then write to them. Be polite but firm. They have standards to maintain, so will usually respect your comment. Only complain where something is harmful or misleading. If you don't feel that it was a verbatim quote but the sense is the same you will not make friends by complaining about it.
Similarly, if someone does a really good feature article for you, there's no harm in scribbling a short thank you note on a postcard.

7 General guidelines - some dos and don'ts

However much newsworthiness may vary, certain basic guidelines for handling the press never change:

- Make sure that there is agreement within your group about your aims and give press responsibility to one person (although it doesn't have to be the same person every time), with one other, usually the group leader, as back-up. Don't ever try to deal with the press 'by committee': it'll be too confusing.
- Make sure when speaking to the press that you're confident that your knowledge of the subject is fully up to date. Always check with the Vegan Society or the Local Contacts' Coordinator if you are uncertain.
- Make your own written press releases and your spoken comments clear, concise and lively. You have minimal print space or air-time to convince your audience, and if you get bogged down in detail they'll lose interest quickly. Make your sentences as short as possible. Use active verbs. Read your local paper and check your style. Try to make it as similar as you can.
- Follow up your press release with a ring-round, which can make all the difference. See section 6 for guidance on how to do this.
- Find a reason for generating a picture to go with your story if you possibly can. This will draw the reader's attention to your news more effectively. See section 5.
- Keep an eye on other local news and events and always check for events clashes before you plan a media hit.
- Be careful when you're phoned for a comment. Unfortunately the old showbiz adage 'There's no such thing as bad publicity' doesn't apply to charities.

You will be safe so long as you:

Don't answer leading questions ("Wouldn't you agree that …")

Avoid making off-the-record comments or being drawn into giving your personal opinion on a controversial issue when you've been asked to represent the views of a whole organization.

Keep your comments simple. If they are short and clear, they are less likely to be paraphrased.

Don't take anything for granted. You will be addressing a wide and general audience, not preaching to the converted. So try to start from where they are and show clearly why your issue is their business, rather than assuming that they will automatically be interested in what you have to say.

Don't try to say everything all at once. Drive one point home at a time, and work out a way of getting separate coverage at a later date for the others. String out your press coverage to try to keep yourselves in the public eye.

Don't be led astray into a discussion about something you don't want to talk about. If a journalist keeps coming back to the same point several times and you think they may be fishing for something that you don't want to say, then be polite but firm.

Apologise for cutting them short, and tell them that you've given them everything you can and you've got another call waiting/someone to see you etc. In other words, stick to your own agenda, rather than being led by theirs.

Don't forget the letters page

In local and regional papers, the letters page is one of the most consistently and widely-read sections of the paper. Letters can also generate responses, which may provide further opportunities for keeping an issue in the public eye.

When not to talk to the press

If a journalist phones and asks you for a comment on an issue which you don't think you know enough about, it's perfectly ok not to comment. It doesn't show the Vegan Society in a bad light. Give the journalist the Society's number and tell them who to speak to.

If you're asked to comment on something that is clearly outside of the Vegan Society's remit (vivisection or fox hunting, for example) it's perfectly ok to tell the journalist that it's an issue outside of the Society's remit. You could suggest that they contact the Vegan Society for numbers of other organizations that may be able to help them, or you may have such contacts yourself that you can pass on to them.

And finally …

Hang on in there! You won't be successful all the time: occasionally you'll be misquoted; sometimes your stories won't get in at all. The more you do it, the more confident and effective you'll become. And the more obviously effective you are, the more likely you are to have journalists contacting you too. Most of all, try to enjoy it and very soon you'll wonder why you were ever apprehensive at all.

Acknowledgement: The majority of this material was first published in Friends of the Earth Local Action Briefing 11. The Vegan Society wishes to thank Friends of the Earth for permission to reproduce this material.

The Vegan Society, 7 Battle Road, St Leonard's on Sea, E. Sussex, TN37 7AA
Tel. 0845 45 88 244 Fax 01424 717064 E-mail info@vegansociety.com
Website www.vegansociety.com