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* What you want reported is mere hearsay or you don't have concrete facts. Never
be instrumental in spreading rumours. Reporting is serious business and
spreading gossip is not its mainstay. * The media is caught up in a media
blitz--political turmoil, war, a deluge, natural calamities, and so on. When
there is breaking news in progress, everyday stories become unimportant and
irrelevant. So, pause a moment and desist.
* You have a "media release" but aren't sure when all the plans will fall
into place. Never take the last step unless you have accurate, concise, and
clear information.
* You don't have adequate time for an in depth interview. Give your self
enough time to prepare and enough time for the reporter to interview you--to be
complete and rounded, any interview allow for the facts to be grasped and the
picture drawn clearly.
* The news you have is not ethical but sensational news. Remember, you must
pay to a person's right to privacy, confidentiality, and protection from harm
and retribution. This is especially true where children are concerned.
* The laws of a nation or intellectual property rights protect the news you
want published.
* The relevance of the story is limited to a small circle or community.
* The story is of a personal nature that isn't important to the public at
large.
* The "facts" of your story can't be proven -- a story you just have a gist
of is not newsworthy.
* Never submit inappropriate material to the media /reporters--you will
develop a negative reputation and your material will be thrown away as soon as a
reporter receives it. You need to establish yourself as a person that can be
trusted to give accurate, concise, and newsworthy stories.
* Your thoughts aren't sorted out --- the who, what, where, when, why, and
how of the story you wish to report is unknown or hazy.
* Your media release isn't final--if you send one on Monday and another with
changes/corrections on Tuesday, your credibility will be shot.
* The long term/short term publicity goals aren't in place.
* Press materials aren't fully developed. The press release, media kit, and
other promotional materials must all be finalized and ready for distribution
well before a reporter is contacted.
* You are uncomfortable talking about or discussing a particular topic---it's
better to say nothing than say something you'll regret later. Once you've spoken
to the media/reporter, it will be hard to retract what you have said.
* You don't want to be "quoted." Unless you have a really good tip, or
information, reporters don't like to go off the record.
* You're not familiar with the background of a "story" or the sequence of
events--personal opinions are not news.
* The story you want told doesn't have an "angle"; it's not newsy; has no
human interest aspect -most people won't be able to relate to the story; if it's
not relevant to current happenings; it does little to add depth/impact to a
popular story the media is focussing on.
Rethink--is my story NEW, it is concise and clear, short, sharp, and simple,
is it accurate--will it stand scrutiny? If you can answer "yes" to most of these
questions then go right ahead and contact a reporter.
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