From <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Thu Feb 5 11:46:40 1998 Return-Path: <@tcuavm.is.tcu.edu:owner-scouts-l@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU> Received: from tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (TCUAVM.IS.TCU.EDU [138.237.128.148]) by cap1.CapAccess.org (8.6.12/8.6.10) with SMTP id LAA25323; Thu, 5 Feb 1998 11:46:40 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by tcuavm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with BSMTP id 0532; Thu, 05 Feb 98 10:38:53 CDT Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (NJE origin LISTSERV@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 2184; Thu, 5 Feb 1998 10:39:40 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LISTSERV release 1.8b) with NJE id 1796 for SCOUTS-L@TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU; Thu, 5 Feb 1998 10:38:11 -0500 Received: from TCUBVM (NJE origin SMTP@TCUBVM) by TCUBVM.IS.TCU.EDU (LMail V1.2a/1.8a) with BSMTP id 1795; Thu, 5 Feb 1998 09:40:20 -0500 Received: from imo12.mx.aol.com by tcubvm.is.tcu.edu (IBM VM SMTP V2R2) with TCP; Thu, 05 Feb 98 09:40:00 CDT Received: from EDarr1776@aol.com by imo12.mx.aol.com (IMOv12/Dec1997) id JNYRa14469; Thu, 5 Feb 1998 10:36:50 -0500 (EST) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: AOL 3.0 16-bit for Windows sub 63 Message-ID: <3c313579.34d9dc95@aol.com> Date: Thu, 5 Feb 1998 10:36:50 EST Reply-To: EDarr1776@AOL.COM Sender: Scouts-L Youth Group List From: Ed Darrell Subject: Re: Getting Media Coverage -- Ed's Rule of 10 To: Multiple recipients of list SCOUTS-L Status: RO X-Status: > We just finished our annual "Winter Camp '98" and the only >people in the media that came and covered the event was the >newspaper. I sent several press releases to the TV stations >and I must say, they looked great. Once upon a time, when I was working as a press secretary (after having worked as a reporter), I tracked the results of our press releases and press advisories over the course of a year. We noticed a pattern which we called the Rule of 10: For every 10 copies of a press release you send out, you'll get one story. Any given media outlet will run a story based on 1 of every 10 releases they receive. What does the Rule of 10 mean for Scout units? First, it means that, to get one story from your local paper, you should plan to give them 10 different ideas over time. If you get more than one story out of that, you're doing better than the big national guys in Washington and Madison Avenue. If your local paper runs with everything you give them, then your regional paper will make up for it by running only 1 out of 100 items. Second, it means that if you get the information to ten media outlets, you can bet that one will cover any given event (if you gamble, that is; Scouts probably shouldn't gamble). If you absolutely must have SOME coverage, you'd better make sure that you contact at least ten different media outlets: Radio stations, television stations, daily newspapers (don't forget the major newspapers who have regional coverage for your area), wire services (AP, UPI if you've still got em, Reuters, Bloomberg), weekly newspapers, magazines. Third, it means that you've got to keep trying. The Rule of Ten says that you should not expect a story the first time. In most areas where there are television news departments, the local Associated Press bureau runs a "daybook" everyday, explaining for television news assignment editors (and print editors, too) what are expected to be opportunities for news that day. Particularly if you've got a good visual story, make certain that the daybook editor gets -- and the assignment editors from all the outlets get (you gotta plan on redundancy) -- a copy of the name of your event, a quick "good lead" paragraph that explains WHY it is newsworthy, the time, the place, the names of the groups and people involved (a chance to plug your sponsoring organization), and the phone number of someone to call for more details. Let me echo comments already posted. Good leads are crucial. Think first of what headline you want (what would grab your interest), and make sure that newsworthy point is in the headline you attach to your press release (copy editors usually rewrite it, but not always!) and up front in the lead paragraph (a one-sentence lead paragraph is best -- two if absolutely necessary). Think hard about why this story is newsworthy, why anyone would want to read it, and put that on display at the very first. Going in to talk to editors helps, so long as you are very cordial and nothing else is happening at the moment (don't expect them to spend a lot of time with you at deadline!). Ask what kinds of stories they think work, tell them you'll try to get some of those to them. And don't be surprised if the local bank robbery bounces your story from the daily stuff. You can create good news stories, too, where there may be no other great reason for a paper to cover. For example, if your troop is awarding its 25th Eagle in 25 years, you might want to get a list of the past Eagles and do a "where are they now" sort of story -- noting that this new Eagle joins a long tradition of excellence in your troop and town. This is a good reason to keep a good history of your unit. Cub Scout Packs might want to keep track of how many kids go on to Eagle -- a statistic that is very difficult to keep, but very impressive at recruiting time. Conversely, if your troop is new, and you're awarding your first Eagle, that can be newsworthy, too. Almost corny angles work, too. When I worked on my journalism merit badge I went to the local weekly paper and asked if they would take a story on any topic. That started a 15-year relationship that got a lot of plugs for my troop, post, OA chapter and lodge, school debate team, Thespian club, etc. Once they did a favor for me, they were quite happy to keep running the stuff their protigi wrote. Try it. If you have different success, something that significantly affects the Rule of Ten, I'd like to hear about it. Ed Darrell Dallas, Texas