PITCH-IN CANADA
Resource Centre

Conducting a Media Campaign

Making people aware that they can help keep our environment clean and beautiful is an important part of all PITCH-IN CANADA programs.

The media are strong supporters of the PITCH-IN CANADA campaign, especially at the community level. The media can be used as a very effective tool to help promote environmental responsibility and action.

Suggestions to draw the media's attention to your event

• Prepare a news release which outlines what you plan to do, who will be involved, when, where, why you are doing your project and how you plan to achieve your goal.
  
  The media release will force you to focus on what it is you want to communicate at your event (why are you doing your event). STICK TO YOUR FOCUS IN SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEWS WITH THE MEDIA!
  
  • Remember, even if the media does not show up for the event, they may still publish your story, especially if you've done a good job preparing your release.

    PITCH-IN CANADA has prepared some sample news releases for you. You can access these at the bottom of this section. Read them carefully and you'll discover that there is a "style" to writing releases. It's called the inverted pyramid style. The facts in the first paragraph, with more and more detail as you read on. This way, even if your last few paragraphs don't get printed, the facts will stay intact and the reader will know what took place.

    After you have written your release send it to:

    • Print:The Editor/News Editor/City Editor
    • Radio: News Department/News Editor
    • TV:      Assignment Editor

    Activity Suggestion: Ask English classes to write news releases on various PITCH-IN or other environmental projects.
    

• Provide background information and link your project to activities across Canada. Indicating that you are part of a large project to help clean up Canada and the world adds extra interest to your event and story.
  
  • Download and provide your media with copies of other, appropriate, PITCH-IN CANADA Media Releases and alert them to the PITCH-IN CANADA Web Site where they can obtain further information about various campaigns. You can access PITCH-IN CANADA's Media Centre at the bottom of this section.
    
• Hold you event in an accessible place and never assume that media will know where it is.....provide a map!
  
• Time your event to coincide with media deadlines.
  Call your newspaper editor (News Desk or News Editor in larger publications) to find out their "deadline"; don't plan an event for when they are "putting their publication to bed" - that's when they are really busy and will not have time to cover your event!
  
  Same goes for television. The best time to "hit" the evening news is to plan an event between 9:30 and 10:30 in the morning. It allows the film crew to get back to the station and prepare a story for that evening's news. Your contact at a television station is the Assignment Editor.
  
  Radio, due to its frequency, thrives on news any time of the day.
  
• Plan an event within your event to assist the media in focussing on your story. Suggestions: stage a "kick-off" to the event; prepare some of your members for interviews with the media.
  
  • For information about the "Fastest Broom Contest", a great event to kick off your event, please check our Resource Centre
    
• Stage a Photo Opportunity. A picture can convey more than an article. A few seconds on the nightly TV news can highlight your day. Make it easy for the media by "arranging" a visual activity, especially for television. TV wants ACTION - stage it for them! Wearing special clothing for your event will also add drama and excitement. Remember PITCH-IN CANADA's motto: Action speaks louder than words!
  
• Provide different "Angles". Especially if more than one newspaper or television station is sending a photographer or crew. Media are competitive. Give each photographer a different suggestion for a "photo opportunity" so that their photos will differ. TV crews from different stations may want different "angles" to their stories. Provide personal interviews to each station.
  
• Understand the mechanics of making news. Television crews like easy access as they are carrying heavy cameras. Make it easy for them.
  
  All media are on a deadline. However, if you are faced with several requests for individual interviews after an event then the general rule is: TV first (to allow them to pack up their equipment as fast as possible and get on to another assignment), followed by radio and print media.

  When choosing who should represent your organization/event in interviews, select the individual on the following basis: understands your project's objective, can speak articulately, is enthusiastic and, finally, is involved in the project/event. Generally speaking, young people are excellent spokespersons for the environment.

For other specific suggestions to publicize your event please click here.

For sample media release for a Coastal Clean Up please click here.

For sample media release for a PITCH-IN CANADA WEEK Project please click here.

For other PITCH-IN CANADA Media Releases which you can distribute to your media click here.

For information on how to become a supporter click here.

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