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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

Internet While newspapers and magazines use printed words and still photos, and broadcasters rely on the spoken word and (in TV) live-action video, internet websites offer the possibility of using any or all of these “modes,” to use a ham term, plus interactive features such as live “chats” and links to additional information sources. Today, it’s hard to find a daily newspaper, broadcast station or even community organization that doesn’t have at least a simple website. See what’s out there in your community and what possibilities they may offer in spreading the word about amateur radio. Knowing and Using Your Resources Now that you have a general idea of what makes news, what makes up “the media,” and how news decisions are made, it’s time to look at how you can make use of the media resources available in your community. For better or for worse, the days of the traditional newsroom are gone. Once upon a time newspapers had the luxury of multiple reporters, photographers and editors. When a news lead came in, they would assign a team to go take a look at it, take pictures, investigate and ultimately write up their stories. As more and more newspapers fail to show a profit and fold their tents, the remaining papers look for any way to cut their costs yet meet readers’ expectations. To cover a story now, a newspaper will usually send only one person who has to do interviewing, writing, photography, editing and send it in - all by themselves and from the field. Then they race to the next assignment. Often a newspaper cannot send anyone at all. In their place a host of “citizen journalism” options have come up. Most of these are on the websites associated with newspapers in which people can write and post their OWN news stories. This growing trend obviously opens up a host of options, but also has the threat that what is posted can be inaccurate. Television news has also changed and is becoming quite interesting. While fewer and fewer stations will accept prepared video news releases (VNRs) because of past problems with faked videos, they are increasing the number of places where people can post home-made video clips to the TV stations’ websites. If that sounds contradictory - you’re right! But once again, TV news crews are a skeleton of what they were just a decade ago. The technology packed into their vehicles minimizes the number of staff while expecting they will shoot, edit and upload the story, complete with lead-in and comments, on the fly.