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The media can be very important especially if you find that nothing is getting done about your noise problem.  You can use the media if it’s just you who has the problem or if you are part of an action group.

 

When do I go to the media?

 

It is best not to go to the media straightaway.  Only go if you feel that you are not being listened to.

 

How do I approach the media?

 

To start with it is usually best just to call your local newspaper and tell them, as simply and as clear as possible, what the problem is.  Don’t go into too much details at first.  Give the journalist time to ask questions.  You will usually find the local papers will be interested in what you have to say.  Afterall, what journalists are after is a good local story to put in the papers.  As long as you are not saying things which are outrageous or untrue, it is unlikely the journalist would give you a hard time.

 

Using the media as part of a campaign

 

This usually applies when you have formed an action group and are looking to put pressure on the authorities.  Handy hints:

 

Concentrate on your local media.  Don’t get depressed if you don’t make it onto the regional or national media.  Most people don’t!  To get in the regional media—and even more so, the national media—a story must either be quite spectacular or have a regional or national angle. 

 

Get to know your local media.  Read your local paper to see what sort of stories they cover and how they deal with them.  Some papers have less editorial and more advertising, so may be a bit more selective in the sort of stories they cover.  Have a coffee with your key reporters.  Establish a working relationship with them.

 

Bear in mind the needs of the media.  This is not the same as telling journalists what they want to hear.  It is being aware of their requirements.  Remember that, while your campaign is of major importance to you, it is only one of many stories that a journalist will be covering.  Be prepared to go over background to your story more than once with a reporter.  Be alert to what a journalist is looking for.  Sometimes it is just a two-line quote; at other times it is more detailed information for a longer article.  On the radio or the TV it may be a 20 second “sound bite” or a 5 minute interview.  Don’t be afraid to ask beforehand what they need.

 

Remember the journalist is there to report things, not to act as the mouthpiece for your campaign.  Unless a newspaper is really biased against you (and it can happen) don’t tell off a journalist for simply reporting the facts. 

 

Be aware of the journalist’s deadlines. This includes what day of the week a newspaper goes to press; what days of the week/times of the day are busiest—avoid them if you are after a longer chat with the journalist.

 

Get your message across effectively.

 

Keep it as simple as you can.

 

Have a few key messages which you can repeat time and time again.

 

Avoid technical details wherever possible.  Technical detail just turns most readers or listeners off.

 

Use pictures.

 

Most local papers welcome pictures along with a press release.

 

They are often operating on a shoe-string budget and can’t afford to send along a photographer.

 

A picture accompanying a story increases your chances of getting into the paper.  Ideally email them across.  “Human interest” pictures work best.  Particularly pictures of children and people looking worried or distressed.  Make use of the letters page and phone-in on local radio stations.  Local paper and radio stations often guage the strength of public opinion on an issue by the number of letters and calls they receive.

 

Handy hints on writing a letter to your local paper

 

Keep your letters relatively short (though some papers do not print long letters anyway—check out what your paper want)  Don’t complain if the paper edits your letter (unless it badly distorts the sense of it—which is rare).  Just make one or two key points.  Don’t ramble!  If you use statistics, make sure they are right.  Otherwise, avoid them.  But you don’t need to be an expert on a subject to write to a local paper—very often you just need to outline simply what your feelings are and your experiences.

 

Handy hints on doing a Press Release 

 

1. Use a catchy headline wherever possible.   Add the date.

2. Separate fact from opinion.

3. Get the key facts in the first paragraph. (Who, What, Where, Why, When and How)

4. Use the next couple of paragraphs to highlight the gist of the press release, i.e. don’t try and cram too much in.

5. Then insert a quote from the spokesperson of your campaign. This is your chance to vent your opinions! Try and include a pithy, catchy phrase which sums up your feelings.

6. Use ‘notes for editors’ for any relevant background detail, so it doesn’t clutter the main press release.

7. Give the name and telephone number of at least one person (and preferably more) in the group who can be contacted for further information. Try and ensure that at least somebody is available during the day. Give mobile numbers as well, where possible.

8. Try and fit it all onto one page. Certainly no more than two pages.

 

Sample below

 

 

PRESS RELEASE                                       DATE OF RELEASE

 

THIS IS WHERE A CATCHY HEADLINE GOES

 

Who, What, Where, Why, When and How (but it doesn’t have to be in that order) Just ensure you try to answer all these questions, but be short and precise.  Some papers often print the first paragraph in the paper as it is, especially if it runs as a news story rather than a feature.  But try to keep the paragraph short rather than long.  Three or four sentences are ideal. 

 

You could go into a little more detail here in one more paragraph that contains a few more sentences.

 

A quote from your spokesperson goes here:  Mr Smith, Chair of the group, says:  “Don’t forget to include quote marks to show it’s a comment”

 

Sum up your press release in a last paragraph if there is room.  Ideally,  you should try to get it all onto one side of A4.

 

END (type this at the end of the Press Release to indicate where it stops)

 

Further information:  Give contact details

 

Notes for Editors:  Add more information here

 

 

Hopefully you will manage to get everything onto one page.  Edit it if necessary.  

UK Noise Association, PO BOX 551

Chatham, Kent ME4 9AJ

Tel: 01634 863 852  www.ukna.org.uk  info@ukna.org.uk