F O R U M WO R K S H O P

This tongue-in-cheek venture alerted potential newcomers to the city’s pitfalls – earthquakes, smog, astronomical real estate prices, and the like – in the hope that they wouldn’t move to the area. Three large photos of Beals in action promoting the club and an accompanying story mentioned Gary’s advertising agency, and he was also interviewed on National Public Radio, which showed listeners that he has a way of earning media coverage.

Increas ing Media Opportunities

An added bonus of working for a nonprofit organization is that you’ll get media coverage you never would otherwise. While your venture on its own may be too commercial, when you tie in with a charity, your name will appear in public service announcements (PSAs) and other blurbs about the event.

Radio and television PSAs are scarcer and scarcer, but if your event is truly worthwhile and benefits a charity, your chances for “free” air time are greater. Be sure to send PSAs to radio stations at least 2 weeks prior to the time you want coverage to begin. Thus, if you’d like mention on the air for the 2 weeks prior to the event, the PSA needs to be at the station a month ahead of time.

Send written, not taped PSAs to radio so that the disk jockeys can read them over the air. Type the PSAs one to a page and time them for 10, 20, or 30 seconds. Using a 65-space line, 10 seconds is 2 1/2 lines. Time yourself reading the PSA at a moderate pace and shorten it until you’re on the money.

Television stations also accept PSAs but use them much less frequently than they did before the FCC bowed out of becoming a watchdog of public programming in the late 1970s. One of the best ways to get the attention of a television station is to get a station reporter or anchor to take part in your event. If a television personality is the honorary chairperson or emcee for the event, the TV station will more likely tape a PSA using its on-air talent. It makes the station look good in the eyes of the community, and it gets its name out in a positive way to its audience.

To recruit a television personality, either write a letter to the person or contact the station’s public affairs department. Be very clear about what will be expected of the person, and don’t demand too much. Lending his or her name and making opening remarks or a quick speech is all that should be expected. If possible, send background information about the event so that the television celebrity gets a feel for how it benefits the charity or community.