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● Introduction & Index ● What is PR ● Job Expectations ● Types of Media ● Building Relationships ● Media, Hams & FCC Rules ● The Basic News Release ● Interviews and Live ● Making your own show ● Easy P.R. ● Public Service Events ● Piggy-back to Events ● Pictures NOW! ● P.R. Research Aids ● Making Friends ● ARES® PIO ● Final Exam Information Next Page

Remember, in a large coordinated event, such as an ARES® response, what you convey about amateur radio may be the responsibility of the PIO in charge of a Joint Information Center (JIC) when an Incident Command Structure (ICS) is in effect. In such an activation, your role as an amateur radio PIO is subservient to the head PIO. Please see section 11 on ARES® activations and other public service events. However, let’s address situations outside an Incident Command Structure. If amateur radio becomes a key component of a service or an event, then it should be promoted. The polite and politically correct approach would be to contact the PIO overseeing the event or the PIO from the organization which dominated the event to coordinate an amateur radio response. Assuming that amateur radio performed well in the event, the lead PIO should not have a problem with an ARRL PIO contacting media about the role of amateur radio. JOINT MEDIA RELEASES In fact, perhaps the PIO from the lead organization will write something about amateur radio on the lead organization’s letterhead. This is a smart strategy to employ if the lead organization is willing to undertake such an effort. If such an offer is made, the amateur radio PIO should offer to compose the media release for the organization, or at a minimum, review the release for accuracy before it is distributed to media outlets. Having a well known organization do a story about amateur radio has several advantages, namely: · · Offers credibility · · Shows support from amateur radio for other community organizations · · Displays affiliation and cooperation with other vital community services · · Removes concern that amateur radio may be promoting its own viewpoint Organizations which might do an entire release or include amateur radio could be local chapters of the American Red Cross, Salvation Army, local assistance groups, churches, etc. The wise PIO should introduce himself or herself to their PIO counterpart in other organizations before an event, so that post event reactive P.R. will be easier to generate in conjunction with other organizations.