One of the most effective ways of communicating with the general public is through the media. Positive media coverage is not only inexpensive (especially compared to advertising or direct marketing), but it also gives additional credibility to your message. Consider the media as a communications channel to reach the primary audiences in your community and include a media strategy in all phases of your planning. The ideas in this program planner will help you do that, whether you are a veteran at media relations or doing it for the first time.

Getting Started

The most important advice for any media campaign is: Begin planning early. This planner includes some sample materials and camera-ready artwork that may be useful, as well as other suggestions on how to succeed in your media efforts.

Whenever you plan an event, look first for any other activities that may conflict. If several groups in your community are planning 3D Prevention Month events, perhaps it would be best to team up. Separate events could compete. Joint events can get better media coverage and can show the widespread and diverse interest in the impaired driving issue. Multiple organizations lend credibility to the message and keep you and other groups from competing for the attention of the same media coverage.

Developing Media Lists

A good media list includes every reporter and editor who may be interested in your issue. Before you create a list from scratch, check to see if any allied groups have an existing list they are willing to share. It is advantageous to develop a database that you can use to generate any kind of list (mailing, fax, phone, or e-mail). Many software programs can handle this, and some computers even come equipped with database management software.

Regardless of how your list is maintained, it should include names, titles, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers, and, if available, e-mail addresses. You can use media directories in the library, or ask the public relations office of a local company or non-profit group to borrow theirs. Do not forget to include:

• Local bureaus of wire services

• Daily and weekly newspapers

• Television, radio, and cable stations

• Local magazines

• High school and college/university newspapers

• Newsletters of local highway safety, public health, and other organizations

• Employee newsletters for major employers and/or government agencies

• Web sites in your area that accept news releases and announcements

Small publications may have only one or two staff members. In that case, send your information to the top person (editor). Larger outlets may have several individuals who should be on your list, such as:

• Assignment or city editors (who decide which events are covered)

• Transportation reporters (who may already know many of the key groups and individuals involved in highway safety)

• Editorial page editors (who may provide editorial endorsements of your efforts or publish your opinion pieces)

• Feature reporters (who may be interested in the individual stories of people affected by impaired drivers)

• Public service directors (who coordinate the community involvement of their media outlet)

Tips for Television When asked to do a television interview, acquire all of the details in the beginning, especially logistical information. Ask who will be conducting the interview, if any other guests will be included, and if there will be any debating of issues between you and another guest. (Note: If you are not comfortable with a debate format, do not do the interview.) Decide on the three major points you want to make in the interview. Memorize the points, and try to use each one at least once. Practice speaking in front of a mirror. Keep your face and hands animated to show interest and enthusiasm, but do not move around a lot. If at all possible, videotape yourself to see how you look on television. Speak slowly, clearly, and professionally. Stay calm, and be honest and sincere. Avoid jargon and acronyms or uncommon phrases that others may not understand. Be positive and upbeat. Practice speaking in short, snappy sentences (called sound bites, about 10 to 15 seconds). Come up with creative or memorable phrases that will help communicate your messages. Dress professionally. Medical professionals should wear their lab coats or emergency room scrubs. Law enforcement officers and emergency medical services (EMS) professionals should wear their uniforms. For everyone else, business attire is appropriate. Gray, brown, or blue suits or dresses work best. Avoid tiny prints, bright white shirts, flashy colors, and loud jewelry. If a television station offers make-up, accept it. Never say “no comment.” Never repeat something negative. If you cannot answer a question or would feel uncomfortable answering, just say so. If you are being taped, they probably will edit out the question. If it is live, the reporter will probably just move on. Talk over the microphone, and look at the reporter not at the camera, unless you are in a remote studio away from the interviewer. In a studio, sit back in your chair, tuck your jacket under you, and lean forward slightly to convey engagement and enthusiasm. Use subtle hand gestures to add interest and help release nervous energy. Smile when appropriate. Don’t always say “we” when referring to the coalition. Use the coalition’s name frequently. If it is a talk show, try to listen to the program at least once before you commit to the interview, or ask them to send you a tape of two or three shows. Find out the host’s style and whether he or she takes positions on issues. If you feel you will be put into an argumentative situation, and you do not feel comfortable with that, decline the interview. Many talk shows, especially on radio, are designed to entertain listeners by being controversial, contentious, critical, and even occasionally obscene. These kinds of programs probably will not help you communicate your message.

Providing Information

One of the most valuable things you can do to help your media campaign succeed is to get to know the reporters who cover transportation, highway safety, and public health issues. Always be aware of their deadlines, and do not call near deadline time unless you have vital, late-breaking news.

The best relationships with reporters are based on being a good source of information. Keep a notebook of key information handy so that you can quickly respond to any reporter who calls. If you cannot answer a specific question, help the reporter find someone who can. They will be grateful and will remember your professionalism.

Creativity is important when planning your message strategies. Here are some different ideas for spreading the impaired driving message:

• Ask a food editor to publish non-alcoholic drink recipes.

• Suggest a travel writer offer tips on safe holiday driving.

• Pitch a society columnist to cover an alcohol-free New Year’s Eve celebration.

• Ask a television station to use anti-impaired driving messages during their station identification spots.

• Traffic reporters may be your best avenues to promote Lights on for Life Day.

Some media outlets will also team up with a public service organization for a specific campaign. These partnerships need to be arranged as far in advance as possible. Begin by talking to the public service director (if they have one). The more targeted your effort, the more likely a media outlet will be interested in the campaign. For instance, a free-cab-ride-home program on New Year’s Eve or a sobriety checkpoint conducted by local law enforcement might be the kind of programs a media outlet would co-sponsor and promote.

Choosing a Spokesperson

Using a designated spokesperson is always a good idea. This gives your 3D Prevention Month effort, whether it is an individual organization or a coalition, a single source of information to and from the media. This person should have the authority to speak on behalf of the group and should have good public speaking skills. Experience with the media is also important.

Someone who has been the victim of an impaired driver or has lost a loved one would make an excellent spokesperson because he or she brings both personal passion and credibility to the role. If your coalition has such people, but they are uncomfortable speaking with the media, organize some training for them so they will be more prepared to speak with the media.

Localizing Information

This program planner and other materials provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the 3D Prevention Month Coalition include helpful national statistics and information. However, it is important for your coalition to localize your data to make it meaningful to your audiences and the media.

The kind of information you should have includes:

• The number of people killed and injured by impaired drivers in your state every year

• The number of impaired driving crashes over recent December holidays

• How your jurisdiction compares to neighboring jurisdictions

• How much money your state spent last year on traffic crashes

• How much your state could save if impaired driving was reduced by a certain amount. Your Governor’s Highway Safety Representative can assist you if you do not already have local and/or statewide information (see the State Highway Safety Offices; Governors’ Highway Safety Representatives list in this Resource Guide).

Timing Your Events

The 3D Prevention Month Coalition will hold a national news conference on December 17, 1998. Other activities will include Lights on for Life Day and National Holiday Lifesavers Weekend. Check the 3D Prevention Month Coalition’s Web site (www.3dmonth.org) for specific details as they are confirmed. You may want to tie your media campaign into these national events and take advantage of the focused attention on 3D Prevention Month.

You may also want to consider other logical dates, such as:

• The first of the month for an official proclamation of 3D Prevention Month by the governor, mayor, military base commander, etc.

• The anniversary of your area’s worst 1997 impaired driving holiday crash

• New Year’s Eve (especially if your area is offering a free-ride program)

You can also work with the media leading up to and throughout the month to:

• Suggest favorable editorials in newspapers or editorial comments on television and radio stations

• Place letters to the editor or op-ed (opinion) pieces in your local newspapers

• Appear on television or radio talk shows

• Distribute public service announcements

Any time you have an event that can be reported or photographed, you should alert the media by issuing a media advisory. Repetition is the key to a successful media campaign and you should look for as many ways as possible to repeat your key messages.

Holding News Conferences

The most basic feature of a media relations campaign is a news conference, but you should be sure that you do not plan one unless you have some specific news or information to announce. Hold your news conference in the morning or early afternoon. This helps ensure that both the evening news programs and the daily morning papers can meet their deadlines. A noon event may even be covered live if your local television stations have a mid-day news program. Invite them to do their live stand-up reports from your news conference site.

Develop a message strategy with specific points you want to make. Three messages is usually the recommended number (although you may have one or two more if necessary). By having several key messages, you increase the interest of the media. One media outlet may be interested in only the personal stories, another may focus on the latest statistics, and another may want to cover the public policy angle. Build your event around your main theme and your message points. This will help you decide where to have the event, who to invite to speak, and what props or visuals help support your message.

You should plan on having several speakers, including someone who has been victimized by an impaired driver; personal stories are one of the most effective means of communicating a message by putting a human face on statistics. Other speakers could include your coalition leaders, elected officials, civic leaders, and business people that have made a specific commitment to the issue.

Ask each speaker to address a specific point in your message strategy, and make sure that their remarks are not too repetitive. It is also appropriate to assign a defined length of time to speak (no more than 5 minutes). Encourage your speakers to write down their remarks and rehearse, especially if they are not used to speaking in public. A news conference should run no more than 30 to 45 minutes.

Try to make the news conference interesting and unique so that it is more than just “talking heads” at a lectern. One of the best ways to do this is to have your event at an interesting location (police station, hospital, etc.). You can also make it visually exciting with props and posters. Many 3D Prevention Coalitions promote Lights on for Life Day by having a parade of various vehicles with their lights on (police car, ambulance, school bus, family vehicles, etc.).

Be sure to have a standing podium or other fixture for speakers to stand behind (most speakers like to have a place to put their notes) and to give the media a place to anchor their microphones. You should also consider using your own audio system with speakers so that those in the audience can hear the speakers more clearly.

Publicizing Your News Conference

Announce your news conference at least 5 to 7 days ahead of time with a media advisory. Send it by mail, or fax to the assignment desk and/or news editor at each newspaper, magazine, and television and radio station. Also be sure to send it to any daybooks, which are schedules of upcoming events and are usually managed by the local bureau of a news wire service (such as the Associated Press).

A media advisory is your tool to “sell” the editor on the idea of sending a reporter or camera crew to your event. Include all the relevant information (who, what, when, where, why, and how), and give some additional information to attract the news media to cover the event. But do not give too much away ahead of time. Your media advisory should tell them that you will be releasing new information or statistics, but should not exactly say what that information is. If you will have prominent speakers, a celebrity, or a crash victim, be sure to say it. Also, mention if there will be something visual on display (crashed car, giant red ribbon, etc.); this makes your event more interesting to television stations. Include a name and contact phone number if an editor needs more information.

You should also send an e-mail copy of the media advisory to any Web sites in your area that accept news information. For this version, it is very important to have an e-mail address along with a phone number for the contact person. Also, if your coalition has a Web site, include a link within your release.

The day before your event, call each news outlet, and pitch your event again. Some of them may not have received your media advisory, so offer to fax it again. Think of your media advisory as both an invitation and a marketing tool.

Tips for Radio When asked to do a radio interview, get all of the details up front, especially logistical information. Ask who will be conducting the interview, if any other guests will be included, and if there will be any “debating” of issues between you and another. (Note: If you are not comfortable with a debate format, do not do the interview.) Also ask if they will be taking questions from callers. If so, you will want to be well prepared to answer specific questions. You may take notes or fact sheets into the studio with you. As with television, decide on the three major points you want to make in the interview. Memorize the points and try to use each one at least once. Speak slowly and clearly. Avoid jargon and acronyms or uncommon phrases that others may not understand. Be positive and upbeat. Practice speaking in “sound bites” (in radio, almost always less than 15 seconds). Come up with creative or memorable phrases that will help you communicate your messages. For talk shows, you can speak longer, but you should still keep your message and your sentences fairly simple. Never say “no comment.” Never repeat something negative. If you cannot answer a question or would feel uncomfortable answering, just say so. If you are being taped, they probably will edit out the question. If it is live, the reporter will probably just move on. The exception is on a talk show that thrives on controversy; the host may keep asking you the same question to goad you into answering or to incite you. Stay calm, but firm with your non-answer. Even though you will not be seen by the radio audience, lean forward in your chair, and feel free to use your hands to gesture. Your physical enthusiasm comes through in your voice and makes you a more engaging speaker. Do not always say “we” when referring to the coalition. Use the coalition’s name frequently.

Following Up

Have media people sign in and/or leave business cards as they arrive at your event and afterwards update your media lists with those names. Also track the local newspapers and include anyone who writes about impaired driving (whether or not they attended your event).

Send thank-you notes to those who helped your coalition in getting its message out (editorial boards that published positive editorials, public service directors who aired your messages, traffic reporters who promoted Lights on for Life Day, etc.) It is not usual practice to send thank you notes to reporters who cover your issues, but if one really does an outstanding job, a thank you note would not be out of place. If possible, victims who spoke should send personal thank you notes to media outlets that covered their stories.

If you cannot afford a commercial monitoring service, ask all the members of your coalition to save copies of any print media coverage you receive. You may want to arrange to videotape all the local news broadcasts for at least 24 hours after your event, so that you can see how the television news covered your story. Tracking your coverage gives you the opportunity to analyze how your messages played out and will be very helpful as you begin planning for next year.

Using the Internet

If at all possible, include an e-mail address for your coalition’s contact person on all media materials. Put your coalition’s Web site address on everything you produce (press releases, brochures, stationery, business cards, posters, etc.).

Use your Web site to convey information about your coalition and its activities. Be sure to update it regularly, and post your press releases on it as soon as they are made public. Many sites have a page called “Press Room” or something immediately identifiable to reporters as the place for the most current news and information.

If you can develop an e-mail list, this is a great way to communicate quickly and inexpensively with coalition members and the media. Many media relations experts suggest that you do not send an e-mail to an editor or reporter until you have checked with them first. However, if their e-mail address is published in the newspaper, in a media directory or on their business card, this usually means they want information electronically, and it is probably fine to send unsolicited information. In your communications, always mention that upon request you can remove anyone from your list. Never send unsolicited e-mail attachments.