MEDIA KITS
1. Contacting the Media
2. Newspaper Contact Information
3. What's News
4. Ideas for Getting Started
5. Sample Media Alert
6. Skeleton of Press Release
7. Sample Letter to the Editor
8. Schedule for the Letter to the Editor Campaign
9. Tips for Getting Published
10. Current News Clips
- Develop a list of editors, reporters, assignment editors and news directors for your local newspaper, radio stations and television stations. Make sure to obtain the contact information including address, fax and phone numbers and email address.
- Find out each outlets deadline, i.e. the local paper published once a week on Tuesdays might require submissions by noon on Friday.
- Make your calls in the morning, never call a TV or radio station late in the day, they are on deadline and will not have time to talk.
- Before making the call, practice the two to three sentences that summarize why you are calling and why your story is important. Realize that reporters are busy and other people are contacting them with their story ideas.
- When you call, introduce yourself, tell them the organization you represent and explain why you are calling: to interest them in a news story idea. Get to the point quickly. If you leave a message, be sure to leave your phone number and follow back up.
Ames Tribune
Letter to Editor
317 Fifth St
PO Box 380
Ames, IA 50010
515-232-2160/800-234-TRIB Fax : 515-232-2364
email: letters@amestrib.com
Cedar Rapids Gazette
P.O. Box 511
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Ph: 800-397-8212 Fax: 319-398-5846
email: metro@gazettecommunications.com
Decorah Journal – Tues
Decorah Public Opinion – Thurs
P.O. Box 350
Decorah IA 52101
Ph: 563-382-4221 or Fax: 563-382-5949
Des Moines Register
Letters to the Editor
PO Box 957
Des Moines, IA 50304
Ph: 515-284-8000 Fax: 515-284-2504
Email: letters@dmreg.com
Iowa City Press Citizen
Letters to the Editor
mail to Press-Citizen
1725 N. Dodge St.
Iowa City, 52245
E-mail to opinion@press-citizen.com
Marshalltown Times Republican
Letter to Editor
135 W Main St
Marshalltown, IA 50158
Email: trpub@timesrepublican.com
Ph: 641-753-6611 Fax: 641-753-7221
Polk County Press-Citizen
Letter to the Editor
P.O. Box 4826
Des Moines, IA 50306-4826
Email: news@presscitizen.com
Quad City Times
Letter to the Editor
500 E. Third St
Davenport, IA 52801
Opinions@qctimes.com
Sioux City Journal
Letter to the Editor
515 Pavonia St
Sioux City, IA 51101
Email: mikegors@siouxcityjournal.com
Ph: 712-293-4250 or Fax: 712-279-5059
Waterloo Courier
Letter to Editor
PO Box 540
Waterloo, IA 50704
Email: eflattery@wcfcourier.com
Put Letter to Editor in Subject of e-mail
Ph: 291-1460 or 800-798-1702 ext 460
Waverly Democrat
Waverly-Bremer Co. Independent
P.O. Box 858
Waverly, IA 50677-0858
Fax: 319.352.5135
Webster City Daily Freeman-Journal
Letter to the Editor
P.O. Box 490
Webster City, IA 50595-0490
Fax: 515.832.2314
- Something New
- Human Interest
- Surprise
- Evidence/Solid Facts
- Controversy
- Immediacy
- Impact
- Timeliness
- Experts
- Highlight a local business, community venue, public place that has gone smoke-free or has been smoke-free. Be sure to work in cooperation with the business to make sure you can incorporate a significant health message into the story. Their success will demonstrate community support for clean indoor air.
- Bring attention to or submit national reports and news that are distributed by groups such as the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, ACS, ALA, AHA, etc. Work with your local media to explain the importance of these reports to your community’s efforts.
- Invite the media to any special events that your local tobacco coalition or youth tobacco coalition are hosting or planning. This is a good time to highlight any membership kickoff events and any events you are attending to recruit members in your community.
- Have a local health expert talk about the dangers of secondhand smoke, a pediatrician, oncologist, dentist, or other health care professional will lend credibility and familiarity to the issue.
- Ask a local insurance agent or business person to pitch the cost savings angle of smoke free environments.
A media alert is a short, one-page announcement that notifies the media of an event or one-time opportunity, such as a news conference, rally or a speech.
SAMPLE MEDIA ALERT
Media Alert |
Contact: |
MAYBERRY CITIZENS FORM COALITION IN SUPPORT SMOKEFREE ENVIRONMENTS
WHAT: A group of Mayberry citizens, including religious and business leaders, doctors, victims of secondhand smoke, parents and students, will announce the formation of a coalition is support of a bill introduced in the Iowa legislature which will allow cities and counties to pass ordinances prohibiting tobacco use in public places which are stronger than state law. The coalition will work with community groups in other cities and the league of cities to urge passage of the state law.
WHEN: 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2005
WHERE: First United Church
111 Main Street
Mayberry, USA
Directions: From Hwy 10, exit Main Street, drive east for 4 blocks. First United is on the left. Free parking is available in the adjacent church lot.
WHY: Secondhand smoke kills 53,000 nonsmoking Americans every year, making this the third leading cause of preventable death. The dangerous cancer-causing chemicals in secondhand smoke include benzene, ammonia, carbon monoxide and formaldehyde. These toxins can cause cancer, heart disease, deaths by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other life-threatening diseases.
Ventilation engineers confirm that even the most modern ventilation systems cannot clean the air of the cancer-causing chemicals in secondhand smoke. Even Minnesota-based Honeywell noted that Honeywell air cleaners are comfort products but do not protect public health.
A press release gives more details than a media alert. Reporters could write an entire story based on some press releases. A press release consists of factual newsworthy information and should be no longer than two pages.
Generally, a good release:
- Is newsworthy and timely.
- Includes the “Who, What, Where, When, Why and How” of the activity or event.
- Lists the name and phone number of the person to contact for more information about the release, and the date of the release.
- A headline that grabs the attention of the reader.
- Is written in a news style similar to print newspaper stories. The most important elements should be summarized in the first paragraph. The remaining paragraphs add more detail.
-
Includes quotes from your key spokesperson or newsmaker, such as doctors, secondhand smoke victims or restaurant owners supporting your efforts.
SKELETON of PRESS RELEASE
Headline goes here
For Immediate Release
Tuesday, Feb 5, 2005
Contact: John Doe
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-MAIL:
CELL or HOME PHONE:
City, State (Date) – The text for your document should go here. Make your first paragraph really quick and to-the-point.
Give further details in a couple more paragraphs.
“Make sure you use at least one quote in each release,” said Charlie Baase, Coalition member of C.A.F.E. Your City.”
Make sure you are writing in a styly that sounds like a news story throughout your release. Don’t editorialize too much and keep your words and sentences simple. The text of your release should be 1 ½ or double spaces so reporters can make comments on a hard copy.
A paragraph that describes your organization should end your release.
The release should be no longer than 1 page.
Opinion Page Editor
Name of Newspaper
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Editor,
I have had asthma since early adolescents and can not be around secondhand smoke without becoming ill. When someone smokes around me I can’t breathe.
It is no surprise that secondhand smoke causes illness. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (1/98), an estimated 53,000 nonsmokers die each year in the U.S. as a result of secondhand smoke. Exposure to secondhand smoke also affects infants and children, increasing their risk of asthma attacks, respiratory tract infections, ear infections, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
I can only go to smokefree restaurants. I don’t think it is fair to limit the choice of restaurants for 75% of the people (the non-smoking adult population), so that 25% (the smokers) can smoke during the 1 to 2 hours they are in a restaurant. It certainly isn’t fair to expose the workers to secondhand smoke when it is a known to cause cancer, heart disease, and respiratory disease. Restaurant workers are 50 percent more likely to become victim to a tobacco-related cancer. It is time for the state legislature to restore local control to Iowa’s local governments.
Sincerely,
Your name
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone
e-mail address
Schedule for the Letter to the Editor Campaign
C.A.F.E. IOWA CAN
Letter to the Editor Schedule
WEEK DATE SENT NEWSPAPER VOLUNTEER’s NAME DATE PUBLISHED
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Tips For Getting Your Letter Published
- Your letter will reach the editor faster if you send it by email. You can Fax or mail your letter.
- You can find the right address on the editorial/op-ed pages of your newspaper or on your newspaper’s web site.
- Check you letter for typos, spelling and grammar before you send.
- Include all your contact information including address and phone number (these will not be published, but the editor needs to know how to reach you).
- Keep it short – The shorter the better. (usually 150-200 words). Go over the letter and take out anything that is repetitive.
- Remember -- ALL letters are subject to editing. MOST letters are edited for clarification and length.
- Choose your words carefully. Letters that contain libelous or slanderous statements will likely either be edited or rejected.
- Stick to one central point. Make your point quickly.
- Include a personal story if appropriate.
What you should know about letters to the editor
- They read every letter they receive.
- Every letter gets equal consideration.
- Because of the heavy volume of mail, they cannot acknowledge every letter received. If your letter is selected for publication, you will be contacted by phone, electronic mail or return mail.
- If it's published, your letter probably will appear in the daily or Sunday Register within two weeks after we receive it.
- They strive for balance, but there are times when they may only receive letters on one side of an issue. If your opinion differs from those you see printed, write and give them your perspective.
- They don't publish form letters, anonymous letters, or letters without an address and phone number.
Read the letter to the editor below which appeared in the Des Moines Register on Jan. 3, 2005.
Contrary to what the letter writer claims, an increase in the tobacco tax would help low income populations. By tying a tobacco tax increase to fully funding the Iowa’s Division Tobacco Use and Prevention and Control, low income person wishing to quit using tobacco could get help with free counseling and nicotine replacement therapy. Without the tobacco tax increase it will be unlikely they find help in overcoming a very expensive and deadly addiction. Persons who oppose the tobacco tax are on the side of the tobacco companies and NOT on the side of healthy Iowans.
Which side are you on?
State tobacco tax increase benefits low income families and children. See this Factsheet prepared by Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.
http://www.tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0147.pdf