The KellyGram

It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.

- W. T. Ellis

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Communicate Effectively and Meaningfully with the Media

Calling your media contacts

Keep your conversation well focused and as brief as possible, introducing yourself and the organization you represent. Know what youre going to say before you call, including your main news angle and any alternate news angles.

Determine for future communication the best time to call your media contacts (or if they prefer mail, fax, email, etc.), and how they can best reach you. Keep a record of all contacts, including date, time, subject matter and any follow-up you need to do.

Media Releases

A media release is information sent to media outlets about an issue, event or special announcement. Its critical that your release format looks like news to get the attention of your media contact.

Key elements include the name, address and phone number of your organization, the date, the contact person for obtaining additional information, and release date. A word of caution: most releases are for immediate use so, if you want yours delayed, its better to hold it than to send it marked "for release on X date." The editor may not notice it, and embarrass you by using the story sooner than you requested.

Most importantly, make sure your release has an eye-catching headline, reads like a newspaper story, and is truly newsworthy.

A media kit is a packet of information distributed at media conferences, during interviews, or sent to them on the occasion of some major announcement. Components typically include a current media release, organizational background data (including short biographies of key individuals), photos, and the contact persons business card. Other items may include brochures, "Q&A" inserts about the organization, a "What Others Say" page, and reprints of pertinent articles.

Public Service Announcements (PSAs)

PSAs are announcements broadcast free of charge for the "benefit of the community." They can vary in length from 10 to 60 seconds, with 30 seconds being most common. Although available through both radio and TV, access is typically easier via radio.

PSAs are normally provided in typewritten form, double- or triple-spaced, to be read over the air. However, many PSAs are professionally prerecorded on tape or CD for submission to the broadcaster.

It's essential to contact the broadcast outlet first to determine its policies as to format and length. Also, when writing your PSA, stick to one key point and include a call to action by the listener.

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LINGUISTIC ABSURDITIES

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Please accept, with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

May you also experience a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2004, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country, or is indeed the only "America" in the Western Hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, or choice of computer platform of the wishee.

(By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.)

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