2008 Red Ribbon Week Media Kit

Who to Contact at Print and Broadcast Media Outlets

Daily Newspapers: For media coverage, contact the city or metro editor, columnists who write about local news, or the calendar of events editor (Note: At small or weekly and monthly newspapers one editor may do most or all of these jobs). For sponsorship or free ad space to run a public service ad, contact the marketing director or the community development director.

Radio and Television: For media coverage, contact the assignments editor, public affairs director, public affairs show host or producer, and community calendar editor (Note: At some stations one person has several job titles). For sponsorship, contact the promotions or marketing director.

Media Tips

• Know the media in your area. Learn who writes the local columns in the newspapers, which radio hosts discuss local issues, what parents and kids read, who has covered this issue before, and which media personalities have a personal connection to drug or alcohol abuse. These are some of the most important people for you to "pitch" with a phone call about news coverage or story ideas.
• Don’t leave multiple phone messages. Try someone repeatedly until you reach him or her directly—leave only one message. Ask an operator or junior staff person when the person is usually in, and call then. Also find out if the media representative accepts e-mail, and contact him or her that way as well.
• Arrange coverage for weekend events. If your event is on a weekend, try pitching weekend staff to get them interested in providing coverage. Radio and TV media typically have different staff working on the weekends. Get their names and phone numbers ahead of time. Be prepared to call or fax them information early on Saturday morning, if necessary.
• Always provide contact information, including e-mail addresses and fax numbers, at the top of all media materials. Preferably use the name of the person making the phone calls. Provide a "day of" number so that the contact person can be reached at the event via cell phone (borrow a cell phone if necessary to use just for that day).
• Invite a knowledgeable spokesperson to your event to discuss youth drug abuse prevention. Provide him or her with a card that lists the toll-free numbers where listeners/viewers/readers can get free prevention information; the names of important sponsors; and the name of the event, location, and date so that this basic information gets included in his or her answers.
• Follow through with phone calls before and after you send material. Don’t give up. If the first person is not interested, try another contact at that media outlet. Different shows and departments do not usually coordinate. Some news is more appropriate for a show or section than another.
• Time your contacts. Mail and call well in advance and send a reminder with any updates by fax or e-mail about 2 days before the event.
• Use your letterhead and follow the standard format for press releases.