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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

The Web is the fastest growing source of news information for people in the US. Not only are more people getting their news from websites, they are customizing what information they are receiving. I think we all can understand the feelings of being overwhelmed with the range and quantity of information that we are expected to process each day. In response, more and more people are not only going to the web, but they are taking advantage of being able to filter their news. If the news does not have a particular topic or key word in it, then it is not sent to them. That way the recipient does not have to ever wade through reports that are not interesting or critical to them. But it also means that they may never hear about things that could or will become critical before they happen. For example, my own news alerts do not look for “robbery” - so I might never hear about it in time if my neighborhood is being targeted by some gang. Radio stations are also having a hard time. It used to be that there were many locally owned and operated stations that served the community. These are becoming scarce now as many of them are absorbed into corporate groups and the programming is done hundreds or even thousands of miles away. If your community is lucky enough to still have a local radio station, they can use your support - and are hungry for real news. In smaller communities, the weekly community papers are constantly hungry for news items, and there may even be community based news websites. These outlets seek to fill in the gap left when larger organizations dropped their local offices for community reporters. These are easy media hits for local club news and events. Unique Needs Newspapers Unless you have a good, current news story, newspapers larger than weeklies probably are not the best outlets to try. They are looking for hard and exciting news that is important today. Information that could just as well be printed last week or next week will rarely interest them. However, if you have a good, current story, writing it up in a well-crafted press release and presenting it to them along with supplemental materials (action pictures, backgrounders, etc.) will get their attention. But be sure to check first to be sure you know how they would like to receive it. (See Pictures Now section) Some papers only want email. Some want hard copy printouts. Some will accept email file attachments, but most will not. Each paper is different, so knowing the likes and dislikes and the topic areas of your area newspaper staff beforehand is important.