Top Tips
- Make your actions creative and media-friendly;
- Practice writing press releases;
- Integrate media and publicity work into all your actions.
King Edward VI School P&P group got their fantastic human vending machine publicised in a local newspaper.
Image © Paul Collins Southern Daily Echo
Why use the media?
There are lots of reasons why the media is a really useful tool when campaigning. You can use it to:
- Raise Awareness about your campaign;
- Put pressure on the people with the power to create the change you want see;
- Attract more people to the campaign;
- Improve the image of the campaign.
Use the media as a tool to raise your profile and get your message across - a little bit of work on your part can get a story read by thousands of people. It’s easy
Getting your story reported
The next page looks at what you need to know and do in order to get your story into the media. This includes:
- Which media to contact;
- Background work;
- Finding the right angle;
- Press stunts and ‘hooks’.
The most obvious targets for your attention are campus based media but don’t be put off approaching other local media outlets, or even the nationals, if you think your event or action warrants it.
Press releases
Press release template
Download a press release template as a guide to writing your own.
The press release is the standard format you should use to get your story in the media. Send one out well in advance of the action, another just before, and one more afterwards. Go to the press release pages to find out what to include and how they should look, including a sample press release for the Ditch Dirty Development campaign.
Other media techniques
This page looks at a few other ways of getting your story in the media…
- Interviews and phone-ins;
- Letters to the editor;
- Free “what’s on” guides.
Training
Practicing these skills will improve your groups’ ability to make an impact in the media.
- Book a media workshop to practice and gain the confidence to use all these skills.
- If you are interested in being a media or press officer for your group contact us and find out about the extra training and support we can offer you.