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IN THIS EDITION:
Several months have passed since I debuted the first issue of Contact! I had planned to bring you this newsletter on a monthly basis, and I will do my best to fulfill that promise for the remainder of the year.
Please feel free to contact me if you have suggestions for future newsletter articles.
The deadline is September 2 to receive nominations for the 2003 Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award, which recognizes significant contributions in the area of volunteer public relations on behalf of Amateur Radio. The ARRL Board of Directors voted in July to re-solicit nominations for this year's award after the Public Relations Committee determined that none of the nominations submitted adequately fit the award criteria.
Those planning to nominate someone for the 2003 McGan Award are encouraged to read "Announcing the 12th Annual McGan Award" (QST Feb 2003). The article highlights the significant differences between public relations and public service. Public relations involves efforts specifically directed at bringing Amateur Radio to the attention of the general public and the news media in a positive light.
Nomination forms are available on the ARRL Web site. Return completed entry forms and supporting materials to Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award, c/o Allen Pitts, W1AGP ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Nominations must be received at ARRL Headquarters by 5 PM Eastern Daylight Time on September 2, 2003.
Amateur Radio Awareness Day is coming up on September 13. Promoted by ARRL for a number of years, Awareness Day is an excellent opportunity to showcase Amateur Radio, and sending a news release to the local press is one way you can help publicize the day in your community.
As a general rule, the fill-in-the-blanks news release should be sent approximately two weeks before Awareness Day, but you may want to contact the local media outlets and see what timeframe works best for the reporters. The method of distribution (US mail, fax or e-mail) should also follow the preferences of each individual reporter.
Please print the news release on your club letterhead. You may wish to add additional information to localize the release.
For More Information:
(Local contact name)
(Contact phone number/s)
(Contact
e-mail address)
For Immediate Release
TOWN, State, date of release -- When the lights went out in several Northeastern states on August 14, Amateur Radio ("ham radio") operators were there to fill essential communications needs. They don't need commercial power and they don't rely on cell phones, but they're far from being "behind the times." Amateur Radio Awareness Day, September 13, recognizes the nation's 687,000 ham radio operators, who make significant contributions to technology and education and exemplify the spirit of volunteerism. Awareness Day is sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)--the national association for Amateur Radio.
"Some people think ham radio is obsolete, but that couldn't be farther from the truth," (says your club spokesperson). "Many of us are experimenting with the latest in digital communications and serving our communities in times of emergency. We're helping school children talk to astronauts on the International Space Station. I'm proud to be a ham radio operator."
Volunteering to provide or supplement communication during disasters is one of the most important facets of the Amateur Radio Service. Earlier this year, ham radio operators were called in to assist during the shuttle Columbia debris recovery effort. They've also lent their communications expertise during tornadoes, wildfires, telephone outages and other emergencies. Amateur Radio operators often work in conjunction with local emergency management officials and relief organizations such as the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army.
Amateur Radio enthusiasts come from virtually every age bracket and from every profession. There are more than 2.5 million worldwide. For more information on Amateur Radio contact (your club name and phone number).
The URL for ARRL's home page is www.arrl.org.
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If you're having trouble getting the local media to pay attention to your news releases, or you're simply interested in trying out a different publicity approach, you may want to try sending a "pitch letter."
Reporters are often too busy to talk on the phone, or spend a lot of time pouring over the usual flood of press releases sent into newsrooms everyday. A short, catchy pitch letter is a polite and unobtrusive way to present a good story idea. It takes you less time to write, and less time for the reporter to read. If your news tip has potential, the reporter may be interested in developing a feature article.
Here are a few pitch letter tips to keep in mind:
Be professional
A pitch letter should follow standard letter format, including the date and your full address. Type the letter on your club or personal letterhead, and be sure to include your e-mail address and phone number/s.
Pitch the right person
If you're not sure which reporter to send the letter too, call the newsroom and ask who covers education, community affairs, technology or whatever ham radio topic area your pitch falls into. You may also want to ask whether e-mail, fax or US mail works best for the reporter. If the person who happened to answer the phone isn't sure (reporters have their own individual preferences) he or she may pass you on to that reporter right then and there. Should you get the reporter on the phone, tell him or her that you'd like to send a pitch letter on (insert topic here) and you'd just like to know which method is preferred.
In the event that the reporter has a few minutes, and asks you to elaborate a bit, you should be prepared to give him or her a brief rundown of your story idea
Write a good lead
Begin with something catchy and creative. Highlight the most interesting aspect (for the non-ham audience) of the potential story and go from there.
Back up your idea
You'll want to follow up on your lead with interesting and informative text that explains why your idea is newsworthy.
Keep it short
Just like a good press release, pitch letters should be no longer than one page in length. Don't worry about getting in every detail of the story. If the reporter decides to cover the story, he or she will get the rest of the details then.
Wrap it up right
You can end your letter simply by thanking the reporter for his or her time and consideration.
Follow up
"I'm just calling to see if you received my pitch," may not work for all reporters. Some feel that you can safely assume your letter arrived, and they would have contacted you if they were interested in discussing the story further. Follow up can be tricky. You may wish to call or send a very brief e-mail stating that you'd be happy to provide additional information on the story at the reporter's convenience. Reporters are pretty busy people-- sometimes juggling several tasks at a time--so reminding them of your pitch may not be a bad idea, but you don't want be seen as pushy either. This may be one aspect of PR that you'll just have to feel your way through as you continue to work with your local reporters. Over time, you'll get to know how your regular media contacts operate.
Give it a try!
If your pitch letters feature timely, thought provoking topics and facts, your media contacts will likely pay attention to your mail when it comes in. You may not get a media hit every time, but if you take the right steps, your efforts will pay off.
Imagine that you were in an elevator with two floors to ride before you had to step off, and you had the chance to talk ham radio with a non-ham, or maybe even a reporter standing next to you. In a very short amount of time, what would you say about Amateur Radio to create a positive, and lasting impression?
During a recent ARRL PR Committee conference call, chairman Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, started a discussion about these brief "sound bite" statements and their potential usefulness in press releases, talks to community groups and other PR focused on promoting ham radio to the general public.
PR Committee member and Southern Florida Section Manager Sherri Brower, W4STB, says she's used this elevator statement in some of her press materials to describe ham radio: "across town, around the world and into space." It's short and it's catchy.
Willing to give it a shot? Try coming up with your own elevator statements and send them to me at apitts@arrl.org. I'd be happy to share them with everyone in an upcoming edition of Contact! Those who belong to the League's PR reflector may wish to share them there as well.
The Web site www.NewsPaperlinks.com promotes itself as "a gateway to your local newspaper." It may not be as complete as a national newspaper directory, but it's thousands of dollars cheaper to use.
Published by the Newspaper Association of America, the site allows you to search for newspapers by state, look up your weekly or daily newspaper homepage, technology pages with contact information and much more.
Every little tool helps!
