You know your local media best and your research will have enhanced that knowledge to a point where you should be able to tell which stories various media outlets will find newsworthy. To assist you in this regard, we have provided the following outreach strategies that can be easily adapted to your individual efforts in generating publicity for your local You Drink & Drive. You Lose. enforcement period efforts.

Plan Ahead

The earlier you begin, the easier it will be for you to generate positive media results for your activities. Advance notice helps editors and producers plan their schedules to include coverage of your story or event. You can adapt the letter to the editor and press release (included in this kit) to notify the media of your intentions to mobilize and the reasons such action is necessary.

Be Prepared

After you have sent out your letters, PSAs and releases, don’t wait for the phone to ring. Contact media to pitch your event and story. Remember, news organizations compete for a living and they are always on the lookout for a new story.

When the time for an interview comes, it is important to understand the environment you will be entering — hopefully this has already been accomplished by your monitoring of local reporters. If not, do a little research on the types of stories this reporter has done in the past. Also, be considerate of the interviewer’s schedule — journalists and other media professionals work with extremely tight deadlines. If they do not receive your input in time, they simply will not include you in the story and may be less likely to contact you for future media opportunities.

Additionally, it is important for you to provide the media with relevant information in advance. The reporter is only interested in information that constitutes real news, not self-promotion. In order to facilitate the process, you should provide prompt and accurate responses. If you don’t feel comfortable answering a question you did not anticipate or don’t have the information to accurately answer, be honest with the reporter and say you don’t know the answer but you will get back to them. By doing so, the media is far more likely to respect you and use your information, now and in future stories.

Finally, be sure to create your own agenda. Figure out the questions that you want to be asked and know your answers ahead of time and stick to your message regardless of the questions. (If you already know what you want to say, it will be easier to work those points into the discussion.)

After the Event, Stay Available

Encourage the media to contact you with follow-up questions. Reporters often will call you back as they begin to write their stories. This is another opportunity to pitch your message and ensure your views and statements are accurately expressed.

Further the Relationship

Don’t consider the media merely a venue for conveying your messages. The media can also play an active role by becoming a partner in your enforcement periods. You can schedule editorial board meetings at which you can further educate these individuals about the impaired driving problem in your community, or enforcement ride-alongs with media representatives that are interested in your efforts.

Remember, there are two sides to every issue and some editors/producers might take a negative view of enforcement. Initiating partnerships with media outlets gives you an opportunity to provide individuals with the facts to prevent such a point of view. Reporters maintain extensive contact lists and are always eager to include specialists on particular issues. If you establish yourself as an articulate and available source, reporters will continue to call you.