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- Make the news easy to read and use. Use a short,
punchy headline to attract attention and give potential users an indication
of the topic. Don’t use jargon, unfamiliar acronyms or technical
terms with which only the NSU community is familiar (i.e. HPD, OC,
MSI).
- State the most important fact at the beginning. News
reporters get hundreds of releases. Get to the point - what is happening?
Why is it important? (Who, what, when, where, why, how)
- If
you don't know the answer, say so and get back to the reporter
later. It's
better not to give an answer than to give a wrong one. If you don't
know the answer to a question, refer the reporter to someone who
can be of help, or arrange to get them the information.
- Tell
the truth. Bad news will not go away. Do not
try to hide information, lie or give false facts. You will only create
another story for the journalist to report.
- Don’t assume
that you are speaking "off the record." Generally
speaking, “off the record” does not exist. If you don't
want to see it in print or on the air, don't say it.
- You
won’t see the story before it’s printed.
So don’t ask.
- Be aware of deadlines. Material
that does not get to the media in time won't be used. And generally,
the first to get to the reporter with a good source will get
a greater share of the story than someone who calls in at the last
moment. Find out the reporter’s
deadline and respect it if at all possible.
- Be prepared to
provide collateral materials, statistics, etc., if requested.
- Consider
the interests of the individual reporter. Follow
the articles written by specific reporters to gauge the types of
stories they are covering. When possible, tailor your efforts
to individual reporters and media outlets.
- Maximize coverage
by reworking your story with a new angle.
Pitch it to specialized editors or publications/journals.
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