You are on Page 1 of Section 12

 

 

  Introduction & Index

 

  What is PR 

 

  Job Expectations        

 

  Types of Media

 

  Building Relationships      

 

  Media, Hams & FCC Rules 

 

  The Basic News Release      

 

  Interviews and Live 

 

  Making your own show 

 

  Easy P.R. 

 

  Public Service Events 

 

  Piggy-back to  Events 

 

  Pictures NOW!  

 

  P.R. Research Aids 

 

  Making Friends

 

  ARES® PIO

 

  Final Exam Information

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Next Page

Section 12 - Piggyback!

 

Goals of this Section

 

             To understand the opportunities that are presented

             even when the news is NOT of your local area and

             learn ways to use national news items locally. 

             To recognize topic areas that you should avoid when

             spinning off national news. 

 

 

Headline: 

Tornado hits Fuddville, OC. 

         Hundreds homeless!

 

Where’s Fuddville?  It really does not matter.  You can use this for your own home in Elmertown if you act quickly.  In addition, this is one of the few places where you can almost get to write the story yourself.  Local hooks are almost always appreciated by local media.

 

What if Elmertown was the next Fuddville?  Who is on guard?  Who would respond?  Why it would be the hams, of course!  Then launch into what you have going there for ARES. 

 

Tornado, hurricane or just about any major storm can be used.

 

Blackout darkens New York!

 

Counter with:  What if there was an extended blackout in Elmertown?  Many landline phones now are of the type needing electric power (wall warts).  Cellphones are only as good as their batteries.  But Elmertown’s hams can …..

 

You get the idea?          

 

Economy goes in the tank!

 

Counter with:  Ham radio interest rebounds as people re-learn the fun of doing things for themselves.  For example, Clyde Fetterique of Elmertown ARC built his own radio antenna using …

 

(Now you and I know that there is usually not a whole lot to building an antenna.  But they don’t know that!  To most folks it still sounds like rocket science.  Many don’t even know there is an antenna on their cell phone.)