Getting Press Coverage

Potential Stories

Getting a story in the local press is easier than you think; local news papers like to report what is happening in their area, particualarly if its new, unusual or good for a cause.

Publicity can help increase membership in your group, and it is good for Freegle overall, so you have a valuable role to play. These guidelines should help you get started and cover the following topics.

• Potential stories
• Creating a media list
• Preparing your story -writing a press release
• Getting your story to the papers
• Photographs
• Photo calls
• Sharing your press coverage

Potential stories

Journalists and PR people talk about news angles and news hooks, here are some examples of things which could be reasons to contact the media.

• The Launch of a new group
• When membership of a local gorup hits a good number eg 500
• If a local celebrity, MP Councillor joins your group and they are willing to help promote Freecycle
• Unusual wants or gifts which could make a quirky story for the local paper – keep a note of examples
• Collect facts and figures: journalists like fascinating facts - the most popular gifted item, largest item, smallest item etc
• Photo opportunities: would the gifting make a good photograph (assuming the participants agree)

Occasionally you will be sent template releases from Freecycle which you can adapt for papers in your area by inserting local details.

Creating a media list for your area

If you already know the names of your local papers www.mediauk.com will link you to their websites, give email addresses and phone numbers. (Or you can look in the paper itself.)

To find the local papers which cover your area go to the Newspaper Society website www.nsdatabase.co.uk You can search this website by town or county. It will have links to the papers’ websites where you can look up contact details. A few don’t have websites but the Newspaper Society database gives phone numbers.

This research is a bit time consuming, but you only have to do it once. Add reporters’ names, phone numbers and email addresses to the media list as you learn them – it is valuable information.

Prepare your story – write a press release

Writing a press release is quite easy - the trick is to keep it simple.

Remember the purpose: to publicise your Freecycle group, and increase membership by telling a story that will get people interested.

Writing style

Use plain English. Keep your sentences short and to the point. Keep paragraphs punchy, and start a new paragraph every time you make a new point.

Jot down the key facts you want to include – it is easy to get tied up with the words and forget to include basics like the website address.

The text of a press release shouldn’t be no longer than one and a half pages of A4.

If you have further information, add it at the end in a section called Notes to Editors.

Type the release in 1.5 spacing, and use the Freegle template release without altering the design.

The first paragraph of a press release should answer questions like who, what, where, when, why. Who is doing what and why, where are they doing it and when.

“Freegle Trafford is celebrating its the 500th Freegle recruit, Dave Dynamo, who gifted six sacks of donkey manure to Joe Bloggs for his Kingsbury allotment on Saturday.”

The headline is a shorter version of the first paragraph:

“Freegle Brent celebrates its 500th member – with a gift of manure”

(Sometimes it is easier to write the headline after the release and sometimes the headline is obvious.)

Subsequent paragraphs can be used to give more information:

There are some standard paragraphs about Freegle for you to use (see end).

Include any interesting facts about your group. When was it formed, how many members you have, unusual gifts that have been made etc.

Include quotes from people that the paper can use (as if the journalist has asked the question). When writing quotes give full name and any title eg Alison Smith, Brent Freegle group organiser or Joe Bloggs, founder member of Freegle.

Lay the quote out like this:

Newest recruit to Freegle, Dave Dynamo, owner of Dave’s Donkeys said: “bla bla bla.”

If the quote is continuing to a second paragraph, omit the closing quotation mark (above) but put it at the end of this quote (below).

Dave added: “bla bla bla.”

The quotes can reinforce points that have already been made in the press release, but in a ‘spoken’ way, and express personal opinions in support of the press release content. Quotes should not veer away from the subject of the press release.

At the end of the release include your contact name and telephone number and email address for the journalist if they have any questions.

In Notes to editors include contact details you are happy to have published: the website address or phone number for enquiries.