How much of it has your squadron had? My squadron was just interviewed for one of the local newspapers (along with a nearby senior squadron - who provided the O-flights the article describes). The story was published on the web (http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/escondido/fallbrook-civil-air-patrol-cadets-get-their-chances-to-fly/article_4726e51d-884a-5813-90ff-2ddde9f2c320.html), and on B1 (Local headline cover) of the printed paper. The same paper is interested in attending a weekly meeting to see how things are done, as well. We also had interest from one of the local news channels who wants to do a story on us.
So, what exposure has your squadron received?
Ive written several articles for the local newspaper, a nearby navy base paper, had TV crews out to a few events, and have a company that owns about 1o radio stations in the area running PSA's.
It can be tough to get the major media players in the geographic area to take an interest in what we are doing :(.
I've found that things like "Wreaths Across America", collection toys for the local Shriner's children's hospital (which got the most TV coverage ever with all local stations), cadet competitions have been covered by at least one TV station. My theme has been "teenagers doing good things" to the media and try to pitch that constantly to them. I will send news release but always call them the morning of the activity to reconfirm they are coming.
The adult/senior member side is a bit more difficult because of new policies on missions and release of information. TV news is about the "now" and not the "later" and CAP needs to relax a bit on this. OR perhaps there's some misunderstanding by some of the Wing DO's, that want just about everything to be "secret squirrel".
On the printed side we have a company that publishes about 30 community news papers weekly for free, and for those, basically I write the story (and I'm fortunate to have another senior member who is skilled in photography) and submit a picture and the story gets published. I can usually get a general story in one local edition. IF the member is from a different town/city I may end up writing separate stories to each editor for the different papers. This offers the best printed opportunity for us.
With the TV stations it's tough, because bad news gets better ratings and none of the stations have large crews (usually just one person, but on occasion another trainee), so they just might have to redirect them. An example of how tight the staffing is, was at this years "Wreaths Across America", the guy filming/interviewing people at 12 noon, was the same guy who was the news anchor that evening at the 11:00 p.m. news. Some TV stations now have started "you report it" website/apps so it is possible for you to film your own story and submit it along with a narrative (My $50.00 digital camera has taken plenty of video of my feet :-[)
My advice is not to inundate them with news releases. Study each newspaper and TV station and see what they normally cover and how they cover it. Any community service type projects will usually get media attention.
This can be a lot of fun for the PAO, but just remember to be very flexible and ALWAYS ensure you call/email the news producer/newspaper editor/writer and thank them for the coverage. (Even IF they have to cancel call them and thank them for considering to do the story) You will be surprised how important that is for your next story you want them to cover.
RM
It must be the end of the world since I agree with Radioman. Mission ICs appear to want nothing released to the media. It is much easier to get news releases or information, photos or TV station involvement with cadet programs. Having been a Wing and Region Director of Public Affairs, I see the changes that have developed when Operations or Missions are involved with the IC "approving" all news releases. To much information is deemed secret or an OPSEC violation. There is no CAP training for IC's on OPSEC vs News Media.
In Florida there are very few (if any) TV News operations that are understaffed to a great degree. On weekends when most CAP activities occur, smaller staffs are normal, but at the same time stations are looking for news stories that fill up news blocks. In my 40 years in TV news for various stations operating my own TV News service, I have never had a problem getting a station I supplied news film or video tapes not use the stories. Either I shotthe story or got the station to staff the activity. The problems came up when the Mission IC or PAO couldn't or wouldn't answer squestions citing OPSEC. Stations lose interest in CAP as being uncooperative.
Now I'll wait to be flamed by Ned.
Every major mission I have ever been involved with included a PIO who was actively encouraged to issued press releases and invite the media.
Two weeks ago we had local press in during a large, multi-site SAREx and they interviewed several people and video made it onto local web press (which is really all that matters anymore).
During evals the USAF expects PIO / MIO's etc., to be active and working. Yes, the IC has to approve everything, that's simply part of being a professionalized agency, but if anything the expectations from CAP-USAF in regards to dealing with the media have increased.
The IC's don't need the training on what should or should not be released, that's why they have staff and are supposed to trust them.
Media outlets these days are starving for content. Package it properly and you'll get all the coverage you can handle.
I'm thinking in the past year, we've gotten mentioned in one local TV news story. They referred to us as the "Civilian Air Patrol". ??? It's been my overall experience with the local media here that no coverage is the best coverage, because they're as likely as not to either screw up the story, details, or other important bits, or just fudge them in the interest of making a better story.
I realize the news media can't be expected to know everything - about everything. However, you'd think they'd still care to get the exact names of the entities they're interviewing, reporting on, or even speculating about, right.
When that article popped up on Friday night, I was like "oooh!" and then.. saw the gross errors and had to chuckle. It's all you can do.
The "Civilian" in place of "Civil" happens a lot, I'm going out on a limb, but I've got to figure that they think "ah, they must be speaking lazy, or simply abbreviating it, it's really Civilian Air Patrol, so we'll call it that."
Even when we've submitted copy, they still manage to mangle it.
I just fired my PAO!
Quote from: a2capt on February 14, 2012, 06:54:58 AM
I realize the news media can't be expected to know everything - about everything. However, you'd think they'd still care to get the exact names of the entities they're interviewing, reporting on, or even speculating about, right.
I noticed the same with their reference to our squadrons as "chapters". Meh.
..and with the stuff being online, in a CMS, it's not like it's hard to fix it. But when you submit stuff even as the original interviewee, it's like you a "piss off and go away" attitude from the press in general.
Quote from: Patterson on February 15, 2012, 04:30:27 AM
I just fired my PAO!
Without bashing or naming names, may I ask what the issue was?
Quote from: a2capt on February 16, 2012, 05:57:20 AM
..and with the stuff being online, in a CMS, it's not like it's hard to fix it. But when you submit stuff even as the original interviewee, it's like you a "piss off and go away" attitude from the press in general.
That works 2 ways. I've got that feeling many times before while requesting coverage for a special event or a correction after the fact. Ok, I know ho the business works, more on... THEN.... A banner tow plan crashes in the parking lot of a gas station on a major road at the end of a run way killing the pilot... A helicopter carrying a doctor and surgical tech on their way to extract organs for transplant goes down killing all 3 aboard... A small plane makes a safe landing on the beach after loosing power a few minutes after take off... Add in these were all within a few weeks of each other, and those same reporters who told me to get lost are now digging through their drawers looking for my business card... So the call me, and I politely inform them that I've already agreed to an exclusive with their competition. Why? Because their competition has been friendlier and responded better to my needs, and your outlet has been rude and just used me when they wanted to, and I won't tolerate a one sided relationship, so please be sure to watch the 6 o'clock broadcast on your competitors station to see what happened.
Usually, about a week later, I get a call from the station manager apologizing and asking how they can help and what events they can cover in the future.