How to... get media coverage

CAFOD campaigners interviewed by LBC Radio while protesting about injustice [Kate Stanworth]

The media – newspapers, radio, television and the internet – can make a huge difference to the impact of a campaign or a CAFOD fundraising event

That’s particularly important when CAFOD is trying to drum up support for a particular action – from lobbying MPs to raising money for Fast Day.

Plan carefully to get the best coverage of your local events and you can spread the word about CAFOD’s work to thousands more people – as well as to key decision-makers like MPs and local church leaders.

Draw up a strategy

• Who should I target? Do your research. Find out which newspapers, magazines, television programmes, radio stations or websites will be interested in your event.
• Make contact with reporters: Phone newsdesks at the newspapers and tv and radio stations you want to target and ask when their deadlines are. Find out if they prefer to receive information by fax or email.
• Seek out celebrities: In our celebrity-obsessed culture, getting a big name to support your event will be a sure-fire way to attract more media coverage.
• Plan pictures: What sort of photographs grab your attention? Always use lively images to help get your story into the papers.
• Timing is key: If you want to publicise an event in a weekly paper, make sure you get in touch around ten days beforehand to ensure you get into the right edition.

Write a press release

• What makes ‘news’? Think about what makes your story news. If your event is unusual, quirky or groundbreaking in some way, this will generally mean it is newsworthy too.
• Write a good headline: Think of an attention-grabbing headline that will make your journalist read on.
• The crucial first paragraph: You have to grab the journalist’s attention immediately so make your first paragraph as strong as possible.
• Include quotes: Do some of the journalists' work for them by interviewing key people or putting in some quotes from you.
• Photo opportunities: Highlight any opportunities for photographs at the bottom of the press release.
• Add contact details: There’s nothing more infuriating for a reporter than not being able to get hold of someone when they are in a hurry to finish an article.

Handy hints

• Don’t start thinking about media coverage at the last minute when an event or activity has been organised. Make your media strategy integral to planning your events and activities right from the start.
• Nominate one or two people to be responsible for press coverage among your local CAFOD volunteers.
• Newsrooms are hectic places and most journalists have extremely short memories – so don’t be shy about phoning to follow up press releases in the run-up to an event.
• Become a local media expert. Start tuning to local radio stations, reading local newspapers and surfing the internet, to make sure you are targeting the right outlets. You never know what ideas might come to you when you hear how other stories are covered.
• Journalists and photographers are always working to tight deadlines, so are unlikely to sit through long speeches or meetings. Let the media know when the key news ‘moment’ will be – and make sure the event runs to schedule.

How to get media coverage

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