HO'.'f TO GET
N~J'-VS
J~~~DIA
2
COVER;\G~
-person and let him know of your cl:1b' s interest in his wo rk.
Ask ho·,v your club can use its gardening expertise to promote
his goals.
be.
Always work WITH, not in-spite-of, the powers that
Listen caref:1lly.
structive suggestions.
Ask oertinent questi::>ns.
You
influence with the editor.
c~n
ride on the
lv:a.:Ce con-
co~t-tail
of his
Added bonus: you bre noN in a
good position to win an award for civic develo pment . aonservat ion.
horticulture, landscape design, litter control or g& rden
ther ~py
since your work has to fall into one of those classifications.
Business:
Most towns arid cities have a downto wn merchant's
association and a Chamber of Commerce striving to lure customers
away from rural shooping malls und back to the city.
your town as a stranger wol.l.ld.
more attractive?
Try to see
What c<J.n your clab do to make it
When you have concrete ideas including cost
of the project take your prooosed plans to a key -person.
~ure
the businesses which
~ill
Be
benefit from your efforts are
willing to bear most of the cost.
If they particioate in
footing the bills, they will make un effort to have the project
well publici zed.
F:1rthermo re. those "lho p&y for the petunias
are less indifferent ubout .:Ceepin? them watered.
Added bonus:
lots of· awards available und increased pride in your horne
Sports:
Every team needs (or 'IH;.nts) more money.
the school
princip~l
to~n.
Suggest to
or to the chancellor a school - garden
club joint project of selling dogwood trees or seedlings with
all profits to go to the team.
Aoprov~l
of the Bonrd of
Education or the Boqrd of Trustees
will be needed; the key
person of the school or college has
m~re
influence than you do,
so yea have a good chance of ob tai ning approval.
Once g iven
•
H01.~l
TO GET
N~''fS
],·:EDJA
COVE~AG~
4
as the Texas reoorter did his informution and find the most
exciting way to get reader attention.
the article "Jsne
Doe
c~n
lectured on civic
krril meeting of Rose Bud GJ1rden
Cl~b
you imagine opening
bea~tification
in Ourtown.
at the
She is ••• "
and then finishing the story with: " among those attending
the President of the United States"?
How about this:
Wb. S
"The
President of the United States was u g:1est of :aose Bud Garden
Club when Jane Doe .•• "?
At last, you have a pewspa oer article in Print.
on your laurels: that is not the place to wear -them.
editor and his
s~aff.
you would have nothing.
long to them.
Ssy, "Thank you".
Don't rest
Without the
Those 113-urel be-
When our club won the South
Atlantic Region Pfess Book Award for two consecutive years,
the club went as a grouo to thank the editor
~nd
the staff and to
Present them with a flo •Ner a rrangement made by a club member.
The next issue of the newspaper carried an article about the
event. a Picture of the presentatio n of flowers. and the letter
of aooreciation our president wrote to the editor
w~s
printed in
the "Letters to the Editor" column.
If you are willing to pay for tirre on the radio. don't read
the rest of this.
afford.
FREE time is the only time
l;i .
small club can
Every organization can have the time of its meetings
etc. announced during the time required by law for public service
broadcasts.
Use it, but don't stoP there.
stars with a radio Program of your own?
short program.
Why not shoot for the
Don't under-estimate a
It is better to be entertaining for five minutes
than boring . for thirty.
A short nrogram requires elimination of
HOW TO GET NEWS MEDIA
COV~RAGE
6
tapes handy when you wish to apply for a radio award.
Involve the audience.
future programs.
Invite questions und sugg estions for
Have these mailed to your club.
a telephone number for obvious reasons.
Don't give
Don't forget to suy
"Thank you" to the station and its personnel.
Television is the most difficult to achieve.
If you are
as appealing a.e a movie queen or as funny as some of the top
flight comrnedians, you ·.vill still have a. hard time.
can be done.
But, it
\''fiJlard Scott on NBC's "Today" show will be apt
to give you several seconds for something like: "Jane Doe of
Tarheel. North Carolina is 101 years old today.
She is still
a member of Rose Bud Garden Club which she started seventy
years ago.
That's my kind of girl!"
You will have a better
chance if you live in a town which has a television station.
Study their local and regional programs as carefully as you
studied your newspaper's editor: you are bound to find un ang1 e.
lf you are given television time. chances are
yo~r
sho~
will
run at 3 a.m. or some other unearthly hour; unless you can
video-tape it in advance. forget it.
Anuly for awards right on up to National level.
you win. the more soace and time
yo~
The more
will be given.
To be consistent winner, you must be able to draw on the
talents of a large percentage of your members.
A men:ber with
a flair for writing or a golden voice is not enough.
Everyone
must understand the problems and "nitch in".
Use every source
of help available in your club. 7our library.
~nd
your com-