Local media coverage problems

[Woodsy]

Since assuming the PAO job about 6 months ago, I have put out around 20 press releases, a few feature stories, tons of emails to TV reporters, newspaper reporters, etc, and all I'm hearing is crickets.  It's not me, I know this, my releases are well written and as they should be, they're just not interested.  I'm starting to feel like the only way I'm going to get CAP on the news here is to murder a cadet or shoot down a plane!!!  Ugh...

I've spoken with many PAO's here on CT and that I've met through various wing and national PAO list-serv's, but most of them are in small towns where the newspapers are looking for stuff to publish.  I can see how it would be easier in a small town with only a couple hundred thousand people, but in a major media market with millions, they simply have better stuff to do...  Any advice???

[Extremepredjudice]

Kill cadets or shoot down a plane 

Calling them would get a response, and allow you to talk the guy into it.

Going to the actual station (in uniform) would generate interest/make them wonder if you'll give up...

Letting them know of sarexs, and other exercises might get their interest peaked. It is just how much you want to talk to them...

I'd focus on one station, if you can convince them into running a segment, (this is for other stations-->)you could be like they are one-upping you!!!! Or something like that...

Ooo or arrange a field trip to the station, and show up in uniforms and they would at least ask questions.

[Woodsy]

Calling, they say "we'll keep your number on file"

Going in person....  Yeah, right.  haha

Letting them know of Sarex's...  They'll be happy to show up...  after the flames have been put out and the bodies removed...


I think the bottom line is there are just too many people getting murdered, and in general too much other "news" for them to care about CAP.   What I need to develop is personal connections...   I happen to know one local reporter has a pretty attractive little sister...  hmm...

[titanII]

Ooo or arrange a field trip to the station, and show up in uniforms and they would at least ask questions.

Questions like "will you please escort yourselves off of the premises, you are on private property."

But to the OP, I say just keep at it. Sooner or later you will get some coverage, and once you get a little bit, things often snowball. I suggest that you make sure (if you can) that your unit is active in the community. Do parades, fundraisers, open houses, volunteer work as a squadron, etc.
Basically, just do stuff!!! Give the reporters something to write/talk about!
One way you can make sure your unit does these things is by bringing them up, asking the Sqdn CC if it's ok, and asking around for interested individuals.

[Extremepredjudice]

Hmm little sister for a news story..


I think he is probably right.. Doing stuff will eventually get notice.

Telling then about the SAREXs won't hurt.

[Woodsy]

We're doing all of those things, and doing them pretty well...  We are a very active squadron..  SAREX every month, holiday parades, working air shows, etc... 

[Spaceman3750]

That's interesting... I've had exactly opposite the experience with local media. I put out a simple release about our SAREX in March and got a TV top story and photos in the local paper (he wanted to do a full writeup but couldn't find mission base).

I guess it really depends on your local media. Have you tried radio? See if you could set up an 8am morning show interview to talk about CAP.

[Woodsy]

I have not done much with radio.  I have sent several requests for PSA's, but had no response...  Good idea about the morning shows...  I'll look into that.

[Extremepredjudice]

First coast connect is the npr program you'd want. Fyi.
106.5fm is the conservatist station, I dunno their format. Soo yeah.

Lemme know if you get on a station/get a story written/tv segment...

[Flying Pig]

I was told by a reporter once.  We (the media) arent anti-cop, just pro-controversy.  I have learned the media, for the most part is that way.  Insert whatever you want in place of "anti-cop" and you have your answer.  Have you offered to take a reporter for an airplane ride?  That always seemed to work for my unit.

[RADIOMAN015]

Looks like you are putting out way too many stories, which will get you great evals from the "Checklist Charlies" during an inspections BUT doesn't do anything for your unit as far as 'effective' external press coverage.  Too many stories/press releases will affect your effectiveness.   When you put out a news release via email ALWAYS do a followup telephone call!!!   Also always send a thank you note and/or call when the story is run to the editor (and also thank the news person covering the story before they leave).

My advise, do news releases only on major individual accomplishments (e.g. Billy Mitchell Awards, senior/cadet members of the year, major exercises, etc)  and focus primarily on youth cadet activities.   There's usually local "free" newspapers (that might be owned by a larger publishing company that covers more than one community with a different paper for each community or geographic grouped areas), which offers the best opportunities for written stories.  Your might have to do a separate press release/story for each individual member from the appropriate town to the appropriate newspaper editor for that area publication in that town versus a regional publication.

Also I would think every few years you should be able to get the newspaper(s) to run a general story on the squadron, BUT keep the subject local as to what you actually do, the end tag line is for the national stuff.

TV stations can be difficult because they run small crews on nights/weekends and if a 'bad story" comes up (e.g. car accident with deaths or a drive by shooting), unfortunately that's where that crew is headed.  I've talked with one weekend news director about us shooting our own video and than giving them a background script and he stated they would consider running a segment --- so we might try some of that in the future.

Every story I've ever submitted and/or press release has resulted in successful local media coverage, BUT generally I'm limiting it to 1 or 2 stories/press releases a month and I'm very careful on not inundating the press with information.

I'd also suggest that any story that isn't covered by the external media be posted to your squadron website (and even those stories published just change the story a bit for the web page), since you've already expended all that effort.

This can be fun to do (but also stressful) but it does feel good when it shows up on TV or in one of the newspapers and the members (especially the cadet's parents) do appreciate seeing something in the local media.  (and I also practice 'ghost' PAO support, in that I'm generally am not the guy getting interviewed but selected other members that I feel will do the best for the organization).   

RM

       

[Woodsy]

I've been careful not to overload individual outlets with too much stuff, I generally send stuff to different stations, and rotate it. 

I've done well with internal media, lots of stuff on the wing website, and a couple have been in the Volunteer Now. 

As far as sending stuff to places in different towns, well, I could drive 30 miles in any direction right now and still be in the same city limits..  Except east, I'd be in the ocean   It's only one media market to contend here in the biggest city in the nation.  And if I was putting out releases for small stuff like Mitchell awards, I'd be doing way more than I am now, hadn't crossed my mind to do that. 

[SarDragon]

Well, I just figured out where you are. Yeah, it can be a tough market. I left there in '93, during the period when I was on break from CAP. It was too long a commute, and on the wrong night, for me to get interested in participating there.

Oh, BTW, Nome's bigger now, but they cheated a bit.

[Smithsonia]

I've written about this many times. There is a higher form of Publicity/Public Affairs. It is called "Story Forming!"

Gone are the days that each TV and Radio Station must show community outreach at the highest level to renew their broadcasts licenses. Back in the 60s we spent months in community meetings, talking to various groups and not just listener/viewers but interested parties and people we hoped to make stakeholders in our broadcasts.

Back in those days we sponsored Junior Achievement, Boy/Girl Scouts, CAP, and even fringe groups like the politically touchy Black Panthers and
Gay Rights groups. So what does that mean to CAP. CAP is thinking the old model and not the new reality. Except in smaller communities you are playing a losers game by sending Press Releases in the blind and hoping for coverage.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO NOW? Story Forming!!! This is a deeper engagement in news product as a salesman and active participant in the narrative. Produce something that engages the audience in your event or program. Take a Tuskegee Airman on a flight and have him speak to your squadron. Do the same for a WW2 WASP, Bomber Pilot, Vietnam War Crewman. Tie this into something that has calendar immediacy. So right now... 9-11 is big. What did your Squadron do during 9-11? How did you change? My squadron organized a SAR dog lift to New York City for Search. This was when the Commercial Air Traffic System was still shutdown.

WHAT ELSE? Wreathes Across America! Honoring the brave and the dead. Include special honors for CAP members buried in your town. Tell their stories of bravery - not just in War but CAP SAR/relief missions. WHAT ELSE? How will the new National Budget affect your missions?
Make it a positive story of how much bang for the buck America gets from the Patrol. State boldly that the country is in financial trouble but
that is when and that is why we all need to volunteer and do more. We need the Civil Air Patrol today more than ever. Take the tremulous quivering complaining of the dispossessed and make a statement that the Patrol is here to stand in the Gap. CAP is service first. CAP is growing. CAP will take care of what America can't. Join us and help. Recruitment drive begins next week and you can call - 555-1515 for more information.

Find a great local story of CAP service and heroism. Find the crewmen. Bring them to your meeting. Invite a TV/Newspaper reporter. Talk about the Courier Service, Sub-Chasers, Border Patrol duties, Target Towing, etc. that the Civil Air Patrol did 70 years ago. Coordinate the talk to a significant event like the opening of a museum, dedication of a memorial, anniversary of the mission, etc. Join in partnership with your CAP historians and Aerospace Education Officers to find theses stories, write a narrative - make a statement - FORM A STORY.

You must think like a reporter. You must do the work of the reporter. They are overburdened and must serve 5 to 9 local TV newscasts daily, update their websites hourly, write a blog, or write for more than one magazine/newspaper/blog to make their living. Make these reporters life so easy they'll come back to you over and over.

Most of all get this in your mind and quit complaining. You have more access than ever to the media. Most reporters are seeking stories, will provide facebook/email/twitter contacts and gladly work with you on a story. Their job depends on you. Make a buddy and help them and you'll see more response on your everyday needs. Be encouraged. Don't be discouraged. Be bold. Do some work. Be a resource.

Offer to be a local authority on aviation. "CAP Lt. John Doe talks about how local pilots get ready for Hurricane Irene." "CAP is ready
for Irene." "CAP Lt. John Doe remembers how 9-11 changed aviation forever." The Civil Air Patrol likes new changes at Bergville Airport."
Winter Weather makes flying tough, according to CAP Lt. John Doe." This works in small to medium markets only - where the voice of CAP
has more authority and weight. That said, be fully briefed on the topic, careful in your comments, measured in your responses, and ready for
oblique questions. This isn't for the faint of heart. So build confidence for yourself and command over time.

From the Flight 217 Story (at the time the Largest Single Mission Save in CAP History) we generated 70-80 nation wide stories over a 15 month time period. Some stories centered on CAP. Some referred to us generally. Some talked about victims or other searchers. I didn't care.
We built a big story footprint and every reporter wanted a piece of this story.

Here's just a few examples of the payoffs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VZJhTMURs4
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/news/2009/mar/13/denver_museum_exhibit_tells_plane_crash_story/
Here's the original story from 1978:
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=111718&catid=188
  http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/03/chadron-state-wrestlers-way-dia-injured-i-25-crash/
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/04/pilot-savors-lifes-good-things-but-still-feels/
http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2008/jun/08/i_guess_i_was_destined/
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/photos/2008/jun/8/
http://www.steamboatpilot.com/photos/galleries/2008/jun/08/december_1978_plane_crash/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EyJmkER-d8
http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/news/national_media_coverage/index.cfm/cap_media_coverage_4907
www.coloradowingcap.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=89x6prGpSh0%3D&tabid=499&mid=1478
http://members.gocivilairpatrol.com/news/cap_news_online/index.cfm/mac_donald_former_colo_wing_commander_passes_4913
http://captalk.net/index.php?PHPSESSID=855320e72a7506672c51b624d5d8ac65&topic=6642.0
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/17/myers-remembering-the-rescue-of-flight-217/

[ProdigalJim]

Smithsonia has given you some good advice. If you want PM me with the releases, I can take a look and offer some thoughts. I've been a radio producer, reporter, editor, editor in chief and now editorial executive during my 30-year career...maybe I can help.

Meanwhile, keep in mind that non-news doesn't become news because you wrote beautiful prose in your press release. You need a genuinely newsworthy angle, and no, that doesn't mean something gruesome or sensational. It really is built on relationships, with reporters knowing they can count on you and your team as a source on other stories. A cadet getting a Spaatz, yes, even a Spaatz, in the general scheme of news isn't all that newsworthy, especially in a bigger, more news-saturated market.

SAREXs are definitely news, and just have to be portrayed the right way. The news organization also has to be prepared to receive that sort of news. Relationships, again, are key. Getting to know a news operation, its deadlines, its needs, its pressures, will help you know when and how to pitch that story most effectively.

It's really important to have no expectations, and to be prepared to teach a bit...about airplanes, about CAP, about the relationship between us and the military, about the broader missions. Give them a framework of understanding to build interest. Otherwise, each discrete chunk of press release is just one of 100 attempts at free publicity from 100 worthy, or sometime unworthy, organizations competing for my time and attention.

[ProdigalJim]

I have not done much with radio.  I have sent several requests for PSA's, but had no response...  Good idea about the morning shows...  I'll look into that.

A PSA is not news. Don't confuse them.

Radio is a wonderful medium (but I guess I'm biased because I started my career in the 70s in radio). As formats have moved more into talk, there's lots of airtime to fill with talkers...and here, as in the advice Smithsonia and others offered elsewhere in this thread, you've got to have something INTERESTING to say, whether in a press release or in a pitch for some air time.

[RiverAux]

There may be some opportunities to get stories "published" on the web sites of the local newspaper and tv/radio stations even if they don't make the cut to on-air or in print. 

[Smithsonia]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
River; Good point. We've actually had much of this discussion recently SEE HERE: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=13203.0

This topic doesn't start out on the thread address above but turns toward this topic on pages 2 and 3.

[mjbernier]

Part of the key I've found is not just getting it to the newspapers, but you need to get to the *right* person at each one. For example, our local papers look at CAP the same way they look at groups like the American Legion, book clubs, Red Hat Societies, Junior Achievement, bridge clubs, and even the PTAs/PTOs in our schools. The person here who handles those types of stories is called a "Community" or "Lifestyle" editor; if I sent my work to their General Editor, it may not get passed on and simply disappear.

I also agree with RiverAux's comment about going to the websites of the media outlets as well -- often they will let you post your stories online for free. Many of them also have a "Community Calendar" feature where you can submit entries for upcoming events like meetings, SAREXs, etc. where you can include your contact info (name, phone number, e-mail, AND website address) for readers to follow up and get more information. I've had several inquiries generated from those types of postings.

You mentioned morning shows...one of our local TV stations has a segment during their noon newscast where they feature a local organization or group who is promoting, hosting or supporting an upcoming event. That can work well for getting the word out about an open house, an airshow where the squadron is working the flight line, a model rocketry day, etc.

I think someone else said this already, but make sure that everything you send to the media is also posted to your website; that way, if only one items gets published in a newspaper, readers can visit the site and find all the other stories.

One last thing and then I'll shut up and go back to sleep: don't give up. The largest newspaper in the area has yet to publish any of my articles, but the other ones around it have. When they see the competition starting to get attention from my work, maybe they'll reconsider...but in the meantime, I'm still getting good press from all the other publications.

Mike

[RiverAux]

While in general the issues facing PAOs are the same across the country, in large media environments such as this they are radically more difficult.  Most of the "big" CAP events that prompt press releases are just never going to get covered in a major market daily newspaper or tv station no matter how you frame the story. 

However, there are some opportunities that may pop up:
Some newspapers run an column highlighting awards given to local residents every now and again.  You might be able to get some of your cadet officer promotion stories in there, but they're probably not going to give you more than a few sentences. 

Also, if your paper has a weekly "high society" (or something similar) page with stories about charity galas and other events like that you might be able to get in something about your wing conference or annual squadron award dinner, but you're probably going to need to be able to provide photos of people in the mess-dress style uniforms. 

The local morning shows, as mentioned, are also very possible.  Heck, they're always looking for someone to show up at the studio to do an interview at 5am.  But, you're going to need a "hook' beyond making a basic recruiting pitch. 

[Woodsy]

Thanks for all the great advice guys!