1 Corinthians 2:4; 1 Cor. 9:19-23
Media coverage has increased community awareness of our church in a way that religion-page announcements never accomplished. It’s a great way to reach out. But to have your story reported, you need to understand how a newsroom works.
1. Get your event noticed. With both tv and newspapers, the first person who decides what gets covered is the assignment editor. Then a producer or editor decides from these stories which will actually appear. Here are several key steps:
- Contact the assignment editor, by name if possible.
- Keep it short. A two-page letter in paragraph form “goes right into the trash,” according to one assignment editor. “I just don’t have time to read it.”
- Send it a day or two before assignments are made.
- A fax or e-mail is better than regular mail.
2. Format your fax. Send your fax on church letterhead, and lay out the most important information—who, what, when, where, why—in an uncluttered way. Include a single paragraph describing the event.
3. Don’t get too wordy. Tell the editor why your event should be covered. Direct your fax to the assignment editor. That tells the newsroom you want coverage, not just an announcement. Call, if necessary, to get the name of the assignment editor. Finally, provide the name and phone numbers of one or two contact people. Include day, evening, and beeper numbers.
4. Think like a newsperson. Ask yourself, “What is the visual appeal of our program?” In your fax, suggest how the event will come across visually. Ask yourself whether your event relates to something current in the news.
5. Welcome the crew. The day of the event, I tell the head usher that someone from the paper or tv news may be coming (often you won’t know until they show up). He knows to welcome them politely without acting starstruck, and to inform me of their arrival. I try to greet them, thank them for coming, and offer my help. I have found reporters and photographers to be polite, professional, and sensitive to being at a church, especially if it is a worship service.
6. Say thanks. Finally, send a thank-you. Since the media often is criticized for poor or biased coverage, a letter of appreciation really stands out, as a friend who works in tv news told me later. It also helps you to establish a relationship.
To Discuss
- How do we as a church want to be portrayed in the public eye? When is it appropriate to invite the media into our church?
- Identify outreach events in the next year that could benefit with publicity. Appoint one person to communicate with the media prior to each event.
- How can new media—e-mail and the Internet—also be used to increase awareness?
From Building Church Leaders, published by Leadership Resources © 2000 Christianity Today.
