Local Communication with the Media

Previous Artful Advocate guest contributor, Heather McCutcheon, has returned, this time offering some helpful tips on communicating with local media. The following article is terrific advice to those of us who are not particularly savvy at contacting the press, in her words:

Any chance I get I contact the local newspaper.  I am now on first name basis with the reporter.

To me, this is the most beneficial advocacy piece you can do!  Your local community is the community that votes on your school budget.  Lets face it, when the budget is bad the arts are in trouble.

* Remember: To advocate for your program is to keep it alive!

In the past five years, it seems like I am sending an email to the newspaper every month.  I also contact the TV stations when something special or flashy is happening.

Contacting your local media should not be a scary thing.  It is actually quite easy.  At first I spent some time doing a little research.  I found any email address that I could for local newspapers & TV stations.  I complied a list of these emails and now use this list to send out mass emails, hoping that one person will find my information meaningful.  This step is done usually about a week or two before a special event, like a guest artist or an art show.  If I do not hear anything, a few days before the event I send another email and also call the newspapers and TV.   

Here are a few more tips that I have found useful when sending my emails and making the call:

• Don't sound pushy. 
• Give specific information.  Give details about where, when and what is going on. 
  
• If the media can not make the event, offer to send pictures with a little write-up (a press release).

Thanks again, Heather, for your contribution to this  post.  To read more about Heather, use this link to her previous post.