My good friend-a local pastor-arrived in the newsroom at presstime, the height of chaos at any newspaper. Reporters rushed to complete stories, phones rang, and I, as editor, was trying to extract a quote from the district attorney, quell the noise, and get my paper out on time.
The pastor held out a handwritten page and said, “I can see you’re busy, but would you mind . . .?”
I had to tell him, “I’m sorry; there’s nothing I can do. The paper’s been put to bed.” I shared his disappointment; my readers would miss his interesting news that week.
None of us likes to have our news stories relegated to the press room floor. It is not only frustrating; it can mean the difference between success and failure for an event. Good press builds the image of a congregation and informs the community of worthwhile events. Pastors and church publicity chairpersons want the best coverage possible, but often don’t know the proper procedures. Actually, they aren’t all that difficult.
What’s news?
First, let’s take a look at that handwritten page the pastor is proffering. Is it news?
Briefly, news is information with immediate value to the community. The more informative, interesting, and important, and the broader the audience, the better news it is. For a local paper, newsworthy church events include:
-A controversial sermon or stand taken on a current issue.
-Members involved in civic, local, national, or world affairs.
-New projects, exhibits, displays.
-Competitions entered, awards won or given.
-Placement of officers on church or denominational boards.
-Resolutions on matters of wide public interest.
-Educational, cultural, or artistic programs.
-Outstanding guest speakers or performers.
-Benefit functions deserving of public support.
-Athletic, fund-raising, or entertainment events.
-New and innovative ideas or methods.
Church publicity aims to make information public to change opinions and actions, to influence people to attend the meeting, understand the church’s position, support the cause.
The story, however, need not be straight news to interest an editor. Features, too, are welcome, primarily because they can be used whenever the editor has space. Their appeal comes not from their immediacy but from their human interest-perhaps the history or background of an event, or its color, drama, or uniqueness. Features appeal to the heart as well as the mind.
For example: For the tenth year in a row, the church will be staging the Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream Festival on the town green. The event has grown into an area-wide attraction. Its dates, program, menu, and entertainment are news items. But when the event ends, there will be no more news about it until next summer unless feature angles are explored by an imaginative church publicity person:
-A photo essay of the group who made the ice cream.
-A story about the farmer who donated the strawberries.
-An account of the funny accident that happened to the ice cream in transport.
-A descriptive piece about where the proceeds are being used.
-An item about the teenagers who donated afternoons to paint the banners.
-A story and early photos of the church’s first festival.
-A biographical sketch of the member who originated the idea.
-A report on the VIP who arranges every year to attend.
Since features demand greater writing skills, many editors prefer a staff member to write them. However, editors are always interested in them. A phone call or one-page letter outlining the idea is usually well received. A well-written feature-with photos if possible-is seldom rejected.
Examples of what editors don’t want include notices of interdepartmental meetings and announcements for church members only. Such matters are better communicated by a church newsletter or bulletin.
Newspaper nuts and bolts
How should you write for a newspaper? Format can be learned by studying the paper’s news, features, editorials, and columns. Simply write the way the paper’s contributors write. Remember the Five W’s: the Who, What, Where, When, and Why of a story. And sometimes the How. Tight, well-organized, significant copy soon earns a reputation for the writer and meets with better-than-average acceptance.
The key to a well-written story is the opening, or lead. It must grab attention and lay out the essential facts. Most editors (and readers) will sample only one or two paragraphs before deciding to stay with the story. The Five W’s need not be crammed into the lead; instead, determine which question is most important to the story and answer it first. That makes the story gain interest. The lead should be short, interesting, and pertinent. It might include a quotation, an anecdote (as in this article), a descriptive scene, some background facts, or a “this is the situation at the moment” build-up.
The body of the story follows. Arrange the essential details in descending order of importance as in an inverted pyramid-with miscellaneous or least-important facts last. Short, concise sentences, three- or four-line paragraphs, and no more than two pages of doubles-paced copy is preferred.
Some of the basic rules are: use simple language; double-check all dates, days of the week, times, and locations; list the address as well as the place of an event; verify spellings of all names and titles; never begin a sentence with a numeral; leave out editorial comments, unnecessary adjectives, and personal opinions; omit mention of door prizes, raffles, or lotteries in news stories (it’s illegal); and proofread carefully for typographical errors.
Releases should be typewritten on plain white 8/2 by 11 paper, with the church and the contact person’s name and phone number typed in the upper-left comer. In the upper-right corner, indicate when the release may be used, normally “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.” Otherwise, give your publication date: “FOR RELEASE ON OR AFTER WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 1986.” If it is for one paper only, it may be marked “EXCLUSIVE.”
To make editing easy, copy should be double-spaced with wide (inch and one-half) margins on either side. Successive pages require the church’s name followed by the page number in the upper left-hand corner. Headlines are written by the editor to fit the required space.
Often, a single photograph provides more publicity than an article. Editors relish good photos and may run a photo of an event that lacks newsworthiness as a story.
Some editors prefer to take their own photos. In this case an editor has to be convinced the story is important enough to assign a photographer. For straight people shots, the subjects may visit the newspaper office. If the church is responsible for the photography, it pays to hire a pro or get an experienced member to do it. The picture will be of higher quality and therefore more likely to make it into the paper.
A good picture includes no more than four people, they are doing something, and the background is light-colored. Photo captions identify everyone correctly and describe what is happening in the photo. Captions should be typed on a separate sheet and taped to the back of the black-and-white glossy. Using paper clips or staples, or writing on the back of a photo, may make it unsuitable for reproduction. Name the photographer.
Tips
Here are eight tips for a successful relationship with editors:
1. Appoint the best person to speak for the church and handle all publicity through this person. When the church speaks with one voice, editors know whom to call, and one-on-one trust is nourished.
2. Build a reputation for prompt, courteous replies to requests for information. Say thanks when a particularly good job is done.
3. Cooperate by observing deadlines, correct style, and format. Ask for guidelines. Distinguish between the needs of daily, weekly, and Sunday papers.
4. Give copy to the editor well in advance of deadline. Learn the best days to release stories.
5. Use restraint. Don’t overwhelm the papers with floods of copy.
6. Get to know your editors and reporters by name. Go and introduce yourself-at a slack time! Build trust.
7. Be fair to your hometown weekly by giving it the story at the same time as the big-city daily.
8. Ask if photographs are wanted, what kind, and how many.
Once a particular church is known as a reliable source of lively, well-written news and features, the editor becomes a church ally. And good publicity is one way for a church to reach out to the community.
Aileen Vincent-Barwood is a career journalist living in Boston, Massachusetts.
PLANTING A MISSIONARY
Missionaries are often out of sight, out of prayers. Although not intentionally, people do forget their churches’ emissaries around the world.
Calvary Church in Miami, Florida, used an unusual reminder. At the annual missionary conference, they lined the platform with small potted plants. A popsicle stick with the name of one of their missionaries, written in indelible ink, was inserted in each pot. A florist from the church donated the plants-a type that demand watering daily-and another individual donated the pots and soil. Volunteers potted the plants.
At the closing meeting of the conference, each person was encouraged to take home a plant. As these plants were watered daily throughout the year, the missionary whose name was written on the stick was remembered and prayed for.
Some people actually became so involved with their missionary plant that if it wilted, they prayed for the missionaries all the more until the plant was vibrant again!
Reported by Marjorie A. Collins
REACH OUT AND TEACH SOMEONE
When illness or old age finally creep up on a person, those who have been active in church all their lives can feel terribly isolated and alone-as much “shut-out” as “shut-in.” And despite regular pastoral care, home-bound persons still miss the warmth and fellowship generated in group Bible study.
Pastor Francis Chesson of First Baptist Church in Camden, Arkansas, found an answer to the problem, using the telephone.
Every Sunday morning at 9:30, a telephone company operator begins calling twenty-eight home-bound persons, tying them into a conference circuit. At 9:45, a final call is placed to Heyward Adams, a retired missionary who has taught the Sunday school lesson to his “assembled” class since 1982.
The class members on the other end of the line differ widely. Mostly older people, some are retired professionals and highly educated, while others can barely write their names. Most are members of First Baptist, although about a quarter come from other church backgrounds. Word of mouth has increased the class size.
On Saturday Adams gives the phone operator the class list for the following day, eliminating persons known to be away from home or too sick. The conference call cost runs between nine and ten dollars a week, depending on attendance. Low-cost amplifiers were provided by the church for class members unable to hold a telephone for extended periods. Two families from First Church offered to underwrite the ministry’s expenses, so it has cost the church only Adams’s time.
“Teaching this class is very different,” says Adams. “You only have voice contact, not eye contact, so you have to work harder to communicate with your voice. I try to follow the materials pretty closely, because they have that in front of them.”
Despite all that separates the class members, the weekly conference calls minister in a way radio and television cannot. A rapport is built between them. “As we got better acquainted,” muses Adams, “I realized we are one.”
Reported by Mark Kelly, Arkansas Baptist Newsmagazine
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