Get Involved
News Conference
Tips and Tools: Staying Connected
This is the third page of a step-by-step sample process for organizing a news conference. There are two sections on this page:
After the news conference, fax news releases to the media that didn't attend. Follow up with them to see if they'd like an interview.
Watch and record television and radio coverage. Clip newspaper coverage.
Meet with your group to conduct a "post-mortem," to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the event. Make it a point to offer two positive remarks for each critical remark, this way the group is able to process in a way that builds on its strengths.
8. Other Ways to get Media Coverage
There are multiple ways to grab the media's attention.
- Write an opinion editorial. Ask the newspaper editor to run your op-ed, or co-author an op-ed with one or more local allies who have clout with the editor.
- Ask the editor of your local weekly newspaper to reserve space for your story.
- Cultivate good relationships with local reporters, and interest them in doing a feature story on your group's campaign.
- Does your newspaper run announcements of upcoming events? Weekly calendar? Find out how far in advance they need the information.
- Radio & Television PSAs - no more than 30 seconds (or use local standard).
- Letter to the editor campaigns.
- Hold rallies, or portable demonstrations (3-8 people at key street corners throughout town with a unified message).
- Radio call-in program - even if your subject isn't on the air, if several supporters call in around the same time, you can influence a call-in program.
- Use your local cable access channel to broadcast programs.
