Table of Contents

1. Getting Media to Your Event
2. Inviting Members of Congress to Your Refuge
3. The Press Release and Media Advisory
4. Sample Press Release
5. Sample Media Advisory
6. Editorials: Forming Opinions
7. Letters to the Editor
8. Sample Letter to the Editor

1. Getting Media to Your Event

Media coverage enhances your event by adding validity to your issue and by enabling you to reach a wider audience.

Introduction
There are several reasons why media coverage enhances your event. It can serve as a key tool for educating the public, changing people's opinions, building a campaign/movement, putting pressure on decision makers, attracting volunteers and providing organizational recognition and credit. Always remember to be persistent!

Is Your Story Newsworthy?
The media will cover your story or event if it looks like one of the most important or interesting topics scheduled that day. To make your story more newsworthy than the others you should include at least two of the following angles:

• controversy
• local interest
• hot topic
• personalities or VIPs
• new information
• cute & fuzzy
• timing/special historical day
• human interest
  

Building a Relationship
The first step in getting the media to cover your event is developing a media list. This is done by observing and researching newspapers, TV coverage and radio programs. Which reporters cover environmental issues? What stories have they been following? Investigate local as well as national newspapers, TV channels and radio stations (most radio stations, including non-talk radio, have a news department).

Create a list of contacts at each newspaper, radio station and TV channel. Introduce yourself and ask what the most effective approach would be to get them to cover a potential event. Find out what times are best to call. By creating a list, you will be ready to contact the correct person when the time comes.

Timeline
What to send and when is an integral part of organizing your event. The first item to create is a News Advisory, describing the where, what and when of your event. This should be sent three days to a week before the event itself, followed-up by a phone call the next day. When you call, get a commitment from the reporter to come to the event. The day before or the day of the event, a reminder call should be made. At these times, the staff usually meets to assign stories and schedule the news day.

During the preparation time, a press release and a press kit should be created. Give yourself enough leeway time when writing your press release so that it may be proofread and edited. The press kit is given to the media by the press-greeter when they arrive at your event. Included in the press kit is a press release, bios of people speaking, background information/description of organization, fact sheets and hard copies of any speeches being given.
After all of your materials and visuals are ready for the event, practice the event itself. Brainstorm any questions you think the media may ask and come up with possible answers that would support your message. Always stick to your message.

Developing Your Message
Much of the news you see or hear has been pitched to reporters and those being interviewed have usually thought extensively about how they will communicate their side of the story. To be an effective spokesperson for a cause, you need to develop and stick to a message. This is the story you want to tell and in terms you feel are compelling. If possible, you should practice what you plan to say in advance and think of short and catchy quotes that you'd like to see appear in the news.

Day of Event
There are several things you should remember to be as effective as possible with the media on the day of your event. There should be a press-greeter - someone who welcomes the press, signs them in and gives them a press kit. Display any visuals that you have developed in a prominent location. Be confident and professional when delivering your message.

Follow-up
One of the most important and often forgotten parts of getting the media to cover your event is following-up. The day of the event, the reporters who attended and didn't attend should receive follow-up telephone calls. Send a news release to those who did not come, ask them if they have any questions and if they plan to cover the story, and what should be done to get them to attend your next event. For those who came, ask them if they have any questions and thank them for coming. To supplement the event, call radio stations and do radio feeds or create Public Service Announcements (PSAs).
Reporters spend an average of seven seconds looking at each press release that crosses their desk. Knowing what to say and how to say it could get you the coverage your issue needs.

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2. How to Invite Members of Congress to Your Refuge

The most effective way to secure support from a Member of Congress is to give them a first-hand look at your refuge's needs.

Pre-Invitation Preparation
Before inviting the Member to visit your refuge, a little preinvitation preparation will go a long way.

• First, speak with the local Refuge Manager to coordinate the event.
• Invite other interested parties to participate. Involving additional local civic or other organizations or stakeholders, will increase the likelihood of an affirmative answer from the Member.
• Once you have successfully diversified your "host group," to include local and state officials, and local refuge supporters, it is time to invite the Member.

Getting on Appointment
Call the refuge and ask to speak with the Scheduler. The Scheduler is the person in charge of setting up the Congressperson's schedule when in the district or state. Once you are speaking to the proper staffer, simply invite the Member to "visit a natural area of intense local attention and support." Be sure to specify the time and date of the event and highlight the fact that it is occurring over a Congressional recess. Important Points:

• The event is occurring over recess (the Member is more likely to be in the state or district);
• The event is likely to draw media exposure, since you will pursue press coverage;
• The event represent an ideal opportunity to establish/reinforce the Members environmental credentials;
• The site is enormously popular and has strong community support ;
• Local officials (manager, supervisor, Mayor, city Council members, etc.) will also be present.

Follow-Up
Once your member has accepted the invitation to participate in your event, it is essential to the success of the event to focus on follow-up. Follow-up includes working with event partners to ensure a smooth event, and inviting the local press (see "Getting Media to Your Event").

Correct Number and Info
You can obtain your Member's correct phone number by telephoning the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and asking to speak with their office; looking in the White Pages under "U.S. Government;" or looking on the Internet at www.house.gov <link to House of Representatives site>. If you are experiencing difficulties, call the National Wildlife Refuge Association toll-free at 877-396-6972.

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3. The Press Release and Media Advisory

The Media Advisory
A media advisory is an abbreviated news release designed to get reporters to an event rather than tell them the whole story. It must, therefore, contain just enough information about the event to pique the curiosity of reporters. In order to get TV coverage, it is imperative you entice the media with the incentive of a stunning visual presentation. Hold your event somewhere visually interesting.

Include in the advisory the "who, what, where and why" of the story. A contact name and phone number, the names of the organizations or individuals involved and the time of day and place (including directions if necessary) are essential to include in your advisory. You may want to alert the reporter that there will be good camera opportunities.

The News Release
Writing a good news release is an integral part of getting the media to cover your story. So many news releases cross a reporter's desk each day, that an average of seven seconds is spent with each one. The one you create, therefore, should be stylistically appealing, professional and contain no errors. A good press release is designed to deliver your message to the general public in a concise and compelling manner.

Quotes are one effective and creative means to achieving this goal. Quotations and reaction statements add color because they are the only acceptable way to use subjective language and exclamations. Intersperse paragraphs that include quotes with ones that do not. It is also perfectly acceptable to quote yourself. Provocative and informative quotes are important instruments to use when creating your press release. The inverted pyramid style is often used when developing press releases to present the most important information of the story at the beginning of the release. This is done because many people read the first paragraph of a story only. Also, if the release is too long for the space available, the editor will cut paragraphs beginning with the last one. Like a media advisory, a press release must be in a certain form:

• Logo, preferably letterhead, or heading
• Date of issue
• Release date ("immediate," or A.M. or P.M. date of event)
• Contact name and phone number
• Headline - succinct and informative
• Indent paragraphs five spaces
• Double space
• One and a half inch margin
• Never more than one page
• Two ways to mark the end of the release (-30- or ###)

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Your Logo/Letterhead
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jane Doe
March 4, 2002 (345) 678-9012

Funding Crisis at Local Refuge Leaves Birds Homeless
Hundreds of thousands of waterbirds will have to find another place to live this winter because <local refuge> will not receive enough federal funding to buy the water necessary to maintain hundreds of acres of wetlands.
Dozens of local concerned citizens and elected officials turned out today to protest the federal government's failure to provide adequate funding for the refuge. "<Local Refuge> is critical to the survival of hundreds of thousands of migrating waterfowl," said Betty Birder, President of Friends of <local refuge>. "By shortchanging our national wildlife refuges, the federal government is jeopardizing America's rich natural heritage."
< Local refuge> was established in <year> to help recover migratory waterfowl populations and now supports more than 1,000 species of birds, mamals, amphibians, plants and insects. It has also become a popular destination for school groups seeking outdoor learning opportunities, hosting more than <number> local children in the past year.
"Without enough water for the refuge, hundreds of students in our community will miss out on an important first-hand opportunity to learn about bird migrations," said Mike Learnmore, a 10th grade teacher at the Fairhaven Highschool. "We want Congress and the Administration to know that this refuge is about more than wildlife, it's about our children and their future."
<Local refuge> is part of a the National Wildlife Refuge System, the world's largest network of lands dedicated primarily to wildlife conservation; the system contains more than 535 refuges that protect 94 million acres of wildlife habitat in all 50 states. If you are interested in volunteering at <local refuge> call (456)789-0123.
-30-

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5. Sample Media Advisory

Your Logo Contact: Name
Date Organization
Phone #
MEDIA ADVISORY

WHO: Speakers, titles, affiliation
WHAT: An exciting, brief description of event
WHERE: Location
WHEN: Time, day, and date
DETAILS: One to three sentences of background information, and other descriptive information on the event

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6. Editorials: Forming Opinions

The editorial page is one of the most important sections of any newspaper. Influencing or responding to editorial opinion is key to any effective campaign. You will often find editors interested in your viewpoint, even if they disagree with it. In addition, editorial writers are always looking for ideas and facts. By providing your editorial writers with information on your issue, you are helping them do their jobs.

Editorials educate the paper's readers on important topics of the day, shape public attitudes, can make or break electoral candidates and affect key policy decisions at the local, state and national level. Members of Congress are sensitive to editorial opinion published in the papers in his or her state or congressional district.

As part of any successful media strategy for your campaign, getting editorials published that support your position should be a priority. Once a paper has editorialized on a subject, good or bad, it's difficult to reverse that opinion. Therefore, it makes sense to try and get the kind of editorial you want early in the campaign.

Large papers have an editorial board. Each of the two or more editorial writers on the board may develop specialities or a group of topics he or she writes about. Find out which editorial writer covers the issue you are interested in. Most local papers, however, have only one editorial writer. Regardless of whether you are dealing with a number of writers or just one, editorial writers generally have two charges: To lead or reflect opinion on local or state issues, and to add to the body of opinion on national and international issues. So whether you want to discuss a local issue or a global one, your editorial writer should be interested in your point of view.

Meeting with your editorial writer or board may be easier than you think. Here are a few tips for making your editorial meeting a success:

• When you call for an appointment, let the assistant know who will attend and what you wish to discuss.
• If you don't go by yourself, keep your group small. There are a number of ways you can put together your group: Have several members of your local organization attend the meeting; invite a few community leaders from other organizations who share your viewpoint; or ask individuals who can speak to a specific facet of the issue, i.e., educators, scientists, workers in the community affected by legislation, etc.
• Meet among yourselves first to decide who will say what. As in a meeting with an elected official, you should decide who will be the spokesperson for the group and make sure you introduce all the members.
• Make your case early in the meeting, and then let the editorial writer ask questions. Remember that the purpose of the meeting is to provide the writer with information about your issue so that he or she will consider doing an editorial from your point of view.
• Take written material, fact sheets, and other supporting documents with you to the meeting. It's likely the writer will want to ponder some of your material later, as well as gather information from the other side.
• Never stretch the facts or speculate on points you are not sure of. Just as with hard news reporters and elected officials, your credibility is your most precious asset. Guard against false statements, even made innocently. It's better to say "I don't know" and then follow up later with the answer.
• Be sure to leave the names and telephone numbers of your group in case the paper has questions later.
• When the meeting is over, let the editorial writer know you think the issue is an important one and worthy of an editorial from the newspaper. Even if the editorial writer plans to write an editorial contrary to your viewpoint, thank the editor for his or her time.
• Follow up with a letter thanking the editorial writer for the meeting. Add any information you promised and offer again to make yourself or members of your group available for additional information.
  

If you can get a positive editorial on your issue, you've accomplished a great deal. If it really makes the case for your cause, photocopy it and add it to your portfolio of media clippings. Send it with a cover letter to elected officials. Use it to recruit other groups to your issue or coalition.

The Op-Ed: Opposite the Editorial Page
Op-eds are a great way to have your say in a format that allows more detail than a letter to the editor. If your paper editorializes on a subject and you disagree with that opinion, ask for space to publish an alternative view. You need to have a good grasp of the issue before you write an op-ed. You can expect the paper to exercise considerable editorial control, not only on length, but on style and to some extent on content. They'll have definite deadlines for you to submit your op-ed; be sure and follow their guidelines. You can have an op-ed published on a local, state or national issue.

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7. Letters to the Editor

"Dear Editor"
The letters to the editor section of your local newspaper presents an ideal forum for getting your message to readers, be they local citizens or members of your congressional delegation. More people read the letters to the editor section than almost any other part of the paper (except the comics, of course!). It's one of the first pages many elected officials turn to. Here are a few guidelines for getting your letter to the editor printed.
Keep your letter short and to the point - 250 words maximum.
Writing on behalf of your group will give your letter more weight. Writing as an individual concerned citizen will create the impression of citizen support or opposition to an issue. Think about what your objective is when writing a letter to the editor.

• Avoid rambling sentences and big words.
• Type the letter - double spaced, one page maximum (some papers may also accept emails).
• Limit the number of points you make, and stay on the same subject.
• Be as factual as possible without being dull.
• Localize your letter - explain how the issue will affect your area.
• Accentuate the positive. When you criticize, also propose a solution to the problem, or a better alternative, if possible.
  

Your letter stands the best chance of getting printed when it responds to something recently printed in that newspaper, such as a news story, column, editorial, advertisement or another letter. You can use the reference to that item as a springboard for stating your case.

Your letter can support and expand on something already in the news, make a point that was omitted, or disagree with and correct misinformation in whatever form it appeared.
And don t be afraid to ask for action - tell readers what you want them to do. This includes your elected representatives; you can be sure they read the letters to the editor. By putting their names in the letter and asking for action - a vote, cosponsorship of a bill, an explanation - you get their attention fast.

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8. Sample Letter to the Editor

Local Wildlife Refuge Needs More Money

Dear Editor,
I would like to draw to your attention to the funding crisis in our National Wildlife Refuge System, America's premier network of lands set aside to conserve our country's unique wildlife heritage. There are currently 540 of these remarkable places all across the country, one of which - <local refuge> - we are lucky enough to have one right here in <town or county>.

The first refuges were established by President Theodore Roosevelt nearly 100 years ago, starting with a six-acre bird sanctuary in Florida's Sebastian River. Today the Refuge System encompasses 94 million acres, an area about the size of Montana, and it supports thousands of species of birds, mammals, insects, amphibians, fish and plants.

Yet the Refuge System suffers from a massive funding backlog of nearly $2 billion, making it harder and harder for <local refuge> to meet its vital conservation objectives. <Local refuge> was established in <year> to help recover migratory waterfowl populations and now supports more than 1,000 species of wildlife. It has also become a popular destination for school groups seeking outdoor learning opportunities, hosting more than <number> local children in the past year.
Unfortunately, insufficient federal funding has meant that <local refuge> has been unable to purchase the water necessary to support hundreds of acres of seasonal wetlands that are critical to many species of migratory waterfowl and other birds. While lack of water creates a real hardship on the species that depend on places like <local refuge> for rest and forage, it also means that hundreds of students in our community will miss out on an important first-hand opportunity to learn about bird migrations, and will result in reduced recreational possibilities for local citizens.

It's important for our elected officials to know that this refuge and the Refuge System are about more than wildlife, they're about our quality of life and the legacy we leave for our children. With the Refuge System Centennial arriving in 2003, we should honor one of Roosevelt's greatest legacies by ensuring it has the resources to make a difference for wildlife and people in the next 100 years.

Sincerely,

Jane Doe, Friends of X Refuge

Click here for more information about getting your message across to lawmakers.

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