A how-to guide for aspiringA how-to guide for aspiring

communications pros,communications pros,

concerned advocates,concerned advocates,

and anyoneand anyone

with a story to tellwith a story to tell

FOCUSING THE MEDIA ONENDING HOMELESSNESS

J U L Y 2 0 0 8

Focusing the Media on Ending HomelessnessA how-to guide for aspiring communications pros, concerned advocates, and anyone with a story to tell

Lauren Wright and Nell McGarity

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, mission-driven organization committed to preventing and ending homelessnessin the United States. The Alliance analyzes policy and develops pragmatic, cost-effective policy solutions. We work collaboratively with the public,private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, leading to stronger programs and policies that help communities achieve theirgoal of ending homelessness. We provide data and research to policymakers and elected officials in order to inform policy debates and educatethe public and opinion leaders nationwide. Guiding our work is A Plan, Not a Dream: How to End Homelessness in Ten Years. This plan identifies our nation’s challenges in addressing the problem and lays out practical steps our nation can take to change its present course andtruly end homelessness within 10 years.

The Homelessness Research Institute at the National Alliance to End Homelessness works to end homelessness by building and disseminatingknowledge that drives policy change. The goals of the Institute are to build the intellectual capital around solutions to homelessness; to advancedata and research to ensure that policymakers, practitioners, and the caring public have the best information about trends in homelessness,demographics, and emerging solutions; and to engage the media to ensure intelligent reporting on the issue of homelessness.

A how-to guide for aspiringA how-to guide for aspiring

communications pros,communications pros,

concerned advocates,concerned advocates,

and anyoneand anyone

with a story to tellwith a story to tell

FOCUSING THE MEDIA ONENDING HOMELESSNESS

Contents

Why Media? Getting Attention 3

Creating a Media Plan — 7 Steps 4

Media Tools — from Pitches to Press Releases 7

Targeting the Right Media Outlet 18

Making an Investment — Cultivating Relationships with Journalists 19

Floating through the Blogosphere 20

Matte to Glossy — Moving on to Magazines 21

From Video Skills to Radio Star 23

Tracking Media Coverage 25

Managing Expectations 26

Leveraging Media Coverage 27

Parting Advice 28

Why Media? Getting AttentionDid you know that if a story on homelessness runs in USA Today atleast 2.3 million people will read it? That’s because USA Today has acirculation of 2.3 million daily, which means that 2.3 million peoplereceive the paper, read it, and probably leave it on the subway foreven more people to read!

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Did you Know?

In 2004, President Bush proposed cuttingfunding for the Section 8 program, whichwould have devastated the program andthe people it serves. Dozens of articles ranin major national and regional newspapersfocusing on the need for the program andthe thousands of families that would be forced from their homes if theydid not receive rental assistance. If not for advocates reaching out to themedia, Congress may have passed the budget proposal. But a publicdebate occurred on the pages of the nation’s most read newspapers, andit was this debate that proved critical in both creating change andbringing homelessness and housing issues to the forefront. If your issueis not getting the attention it deserves, take it public!

Media Impact

Since newspapers have such a large readership, one article in a bigdaily paper like USA Today will generate hundreds of thousands ofdollars in media value (the approximate value of the story in dollarsbased on the number of people it reaches). Unlike paid advertising, anewspaper article, editorial, TV, or radio segment backed by arespected journalist or opinion leader is free, whereas a half-page,color ad in USA Today will run you around $250,000. The article orbroadcast segment is also much more credible since, unlikeadvertising, your message was not purchased but was written by athird party, objective reporter.

Engaging the media is an invaluable tool when advocating for change.Press coverage can help you get your message out to millions in onebroad stroke, educate the general public about your goals of endinghomelessness, and direct information to influentials—policymakers,community leaders, and funders—who have the power to move yourgoals ahead.

Like ending homelessness, building a comprehensive media strategytakes planning, effective use of resources, and a commitment to yourgoals. Get ready—these tools will show you how to incorporate themedia into your overall efforts to end homelessness and how andwhen to use various tactics to achieve effective media outreach.

USA Today reaches nearly 2.3 million people daily! TheWall Street Journal reaches approximately 2 million,

The New York Times 1.12 million, and The WashingtonPost almost 700,000. The papers in your communitycan reach a large audience as well. For instance, the

Star Bulletin (HI), Providence Journal (RI), Toledo Blade(OH), and Florida Times-Union all reach between

100,000 and 200,000 people. Even smaller paperssuch as Mississippi’s Clarion-Ledger, Texas’ El Paso

Times, and Connecticut’s Hartford Advocate are readby over 50,000 individuals daily.

Creating a Media Plan — 7 StepsEngaging the media takes effort; it is not a one-day blitz that ends when the newspaper is printed. Efforts to engage the press should be part of along-term strategy outlined in a media plan. This does not have to take an enormous amount of staff time, but it does take a little planning. At thebeginning of the year, when your organization is reviewing its goals, create a basic media plan. What does a basic media plan consist of?

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G O A L SKeep Your Eye on the Prize

Not all attention is good attention. Before you startyour media campaign, begin by asking, “What is myultimate end goal?” Engaging the media takes stafftime and resources—scarce commodities in mostnonprofits. Obviously, you’d rather have a clear ideaof the outcome you want to achieve in order toavoid spinning your wheels and wasting your time.You may want to educate the public, increase therecognition of your organization, raise money,increase volunteers, draw people to your event, orchange the opinion of key decision makers. Thesegoals become objectives when they are specific,concise, action-oriented, and measurable.

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Raise AwarenessRaise MoneyRaise Attendance at an EventInfluence ThinkingIncrease Visibility

Major Reasons for Investing in Media Attention

A U D I E N C EKeep the Target in Sight

Once you have your goals outlined, the next task is identifying your target audience.If you want moms to read your article, look to Ladies Home Journal. If you wantthe attention of an elected official, hit them where it counts—their constituency. So,for example, if you are working on enacting a local Housing Trust Fund, make sureto pitch the local newspaper. That means that instead of starting with The New YorkTimes or other national papers, start with the local newspapers, television shows,and radio stations that their constituents are reading. Spend some time researchingyour audience so you’re not shooting in the dark and remember toconnect your goals with your target audience.

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M E S S A G EGet to the Point Already!

The next step is formulating a clear message, oftendescribed as an elevator pitch. You should be able tonarrow your point down to a few key sentences that arestraightforward and easy to understand. No one, least ofall a reporter on a deadline, likes someone who rambles on.

If your organization is developing a plan to end homelessness, for example,write down a paragraph that describes what you hope to achieve, and,most importantly, why this approach is different from past responses tohomelessness. Or, if you are working on a key piece of legislation, writedown how the policy will impact your community and overall goal ofending homelessness. Keep in mind, reporters want the scoop fast!

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T H E H O O KCatches ’Em Every Time

So you’re ready to start a media campaign. Before sending outyour press release or staging a press conference, stop andtake some time to develop a hook. What is a hook? It’s whatmakes your story or issue timely and newsworthy. Whilemillions of Americans are homeless every year, newinformation is often needed to inject life into what hasbecome a decades-old problem. Some possible ways toattract attention to an old issue include:

➤ Releasing data or a research report: Publishing newresearch and data are great ways to reinvigorate interest inlocal issues. Example? How about an annual homelesscount or new trends that emerge from updated data.

➤ Asking a consumer, expert, or celebrity to tell her story orhighlight her success: A new voice speaking out is a goodway to create new interest in a topic, particularly if you workwith the same reporters on a regular basis.

➤ Exposing or highlighting conflict: While some disputesshould be left behind closed doors, informing the mediaabout controversies that are in the public’s interest isanother way to get coverage. A case of NIMBY againstbuilding permanent supportive housing or the demolition ofa popular affordable housing complex are good examples ofcontroversial angles.

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T I M I N GIt Really Is Everything!

Timing is everything in the news business. If your hook is not timely, youprobably won’t be seeing it in the newspaper. Ask yourself, what makesyour story pressing. W hat is new about homelessness today that isnewsworthy? There are thousands of stories out there fighting for a spotin the paper, so what makes yours relevant to today’s issues?

7C O S TEvery Plan Has Its Price

The cost of doing media outreach can vary depending on your activity, but the benefits arepriceless if legislation is passed, new funding streams emerge, or public interest in endinghomelessness increases. Since many members of the media prefer to communicatethrough email, cost for communication and outreach can be limited to staff time. Keep inmind that your press releases, which get picked up by the media and run as news stories,are absolutely free! So are public service announcements (radio press releases usuallyrelegated to 60 seconds or less), broadcast interviews, opinion editorials, and more!`

6S P O K E S P E O P L EIt’s All About Who You Know

The spokesperson or people who representyour organization to the public should be ableto answer questions about homelessness andyour organization. They should be comfortablein shifting tangent conversations back to yourprimary message. Your organization’s presidentor executive director would make the mostlikely spokespeople and add credibility to yourcause.

In 2007 the National Alliance to End Homelessness released a report on homelessnessamong veterans entitled Vital Mission: Ending Homelessness Among Veterans. The reportwas released three days before Veterans Day to a select group of reporters who hadcovered homelessness in the past or covered a state that, according to the report, had ahigh rate of veteran homelessness. Releasing the report to these select state and nationalreporters prior to the press event allowed them the time to write their stories for VeteransDay—the day when the report was released to the public. The day of the release, theAlliance held a press event at the National Press Club. Nan Roman, the president of theNational Alliance to End Homelessness, Senator Jack Reed, Senator Richard Burr, and BenIsrael, a formerly homeless veteran, all spoke at the event. The Senators were selected dueto their bi-partisan political appeal and commitment to ending homelessness. Fifteenreporters attended the event (a large amount by most standards). In addition, theDirector of the Homelessness Research Institute worked with both local and nationalreporters from publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The KansasCity Star, The Honolulu Advertiser, and a plethora of local public radio stations, to make suretheir questions were answered promptly and to refer them to other sources. Meanwhile,the president of the organization was interviewed by an Associated Press reporter, and theAP story was picked up by hundreds of smaller newspapers. In the end, the report was asuccess, with over 134 million broadcast (radio/TV) audience impressions and a totalbroadcast publicity value of over $6 million. In addition, more than 1,000 print articlescovered the story, including 89 editorials. After so much media attention, Congress calledfor two hearings on homeless veterans. Eventually, nearly 10,000 housing vouchers wereawarded for a permanent supportive housing program for veterans. So what was themedia plan behind the unprecedented publicity?

G O A L S Raise awareness of homelessness among veterans; identify solutions; andgain support among policymakers for enacting programs for homeless veterans.

A U D I E N C E Policymakers across the country, including state and local leaders as wellas members of Congress. In addition, the Alliance wanted the general public to knowabout the alarming prevalence of homelessness among veterans so that they would

conduct outreach to their elected officials. Theaudience for the story was national, and as such, anational Associated Press reporter, New York Timesreporter, and Washington Post reporter all wrote separate stories that were then pickedup by hundreds of smaller media outlets. Again, timing was crucial, and these reporterswere pitched well in advance of the actual report release. But the data also pertained toindividual states, so, if a state had shockingly high numbers of homeless veterans,reporters at the state’s larger daily newspapers were pitched as well.

M E S S A G E Homelessness among veterans is widespread. We know the solution— permanent housing. All we need is the political will. The message was simple—the reportwas the first to give both national and state data on the number of homeless veteranswho can be helped by increased federal funding for permanent, supportive housing.

T I M I N G Timing is everything, and the strategic release of the report a few days beforeVeterans Day ensured that journalists contacted the Alliance as the definitive expert onany Veterans Day stories they wrote and continued to write throughout the month.

H O O K The hook was current—there are many veterans of the wars in Iraq andAfghanistan who have already become homeless.

S P O K E S P E O P L E The director of the Homelessness Research Institute and the vicepresident for programs and policy at the National Alliance to End Homelessness—twopeople who knew about the data and veterans issues and who were available forcomment even after the event.

C O S T The dissemination of the press release was free. Working with key reporters todevelop the story before the general release was also free. The press conference costaround $1,000 (a room was rented, a continental breakfast was offered, etc.). Typically, alarge campaign like this takes time and effort, so if you do not already have someonewho is able to work in a public relations or event-planning function and specificallydedicate the time to planning, fielding phone calls, and so forth, than you might need tohire a public relations consultant, which will likely cost you over $100 an hour.

Impacting the Media — A Well-Planned Campaign

MediaTools — From Pitches to Press ReleasesSo what exactly are press releases? What does it mean to pitch a story? And when do you want to use amedia advisory or write an op-ed? Below is a list of tools, which, when used appropriately, can attract mediaattention to your issue or event.

Pitching a StoryDon’t be intimidated to call a reporter and pitch, or sell, your story. Speaking directly with the reporter is often the most effective way to get mediacoverage. Why? Because you can tailor your pitch to the reporter’s interests or to previous coverage of the issue and can answer any questionsthat arise. Be careful, because the reporter may put you on the spot, so do know the issue before you call.

This method can be used for hard news (i.e., studies show that 750,000 people are homeless on a given night) and softer human interest stories(i.e., a war veteran has been displaced from his home and three children for 10 years after fighting in Iraq).

Pitch the reporters who you suspect will be most interested—the ones whohave covered similar homelessness issues or, if the story is local to a certainregion, those regional reporters or editors whose readers will be interested. Itis okay to call the newsroom and ask for the correct contact if you do notknow which reporter covers social issues, housing, and so forth.

Before you get the reporter on the phone, write down a few key points thatmake the story newsworthy. Ideally, your pitch should be no longer than aminute. Keep it conversational in tone. When you call, ask the reporter if hehas time to talk about the story you’re pitching. Compliment him onprevious stories he has written or engage him in a brief chat on currentissues that he covers. If applicable, offer to have him come meet some ofthe people you currently work with or, if he lives nearby, offer to buy himlunch or coffee to learn more about his beat (the issues he covers). Byappealing to a reporter in this way, you are creating a human connectionand offering your nonprofit as a valuable source of information.

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These are just a few ideas. You know your community better thananyone else. When you see an emerging issue, pitch the media andbecome a valuable source of information!

� The release of your Ten Year Plan� The anniversary of your program� An open house for a new program� A member of Congress is in town and willing to speak on your issue� A local homeless person is going through an outstanding struggle � You’ve released a new study with new data� A new trend in homelessness is emerging and you are prepared to

comment (i.e., an increase in encampments in your community,home foreclosures, or criminalization of the homeless population)

What to Pitch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 6, 2007

Contact: Lauren Wright; lwright@naeh.org; 202-942-8246

OVER ONE THOUSAND GATHER TO END HOMELESSNESS

Members of Congress and Cabinet Secretary Join Nan Roman, President

of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, to Address Over One

Thousand Attendees at Annual Conference.

Washington, DC—On July 9–11 homeless advocates, government

officials, agency leaders, and homeless individuals from around the

country will gather at the Hyatt Regency in Washington, DC for the

National Alliance to End Homelessness’ annual conference “Ending

Homelessness: The Time Is Now!”

Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA), Chair of the House Financial

Services Committee and longtime advocate on behalf of homeless people,

will speak during Tuesday’s plenary. Other conference speakers include

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Secretary of the Department of

Veterans Affairs R. James Nicholson, Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Fannie

Mae CEO Dan Mudd, and National Alliance to End Homelessness

President Nan Roman.

Through a series of workshops, open discussions, and seminars,

homelessness experts and advocates from across the country will

present emerging research and model programs in ending homelessness

as well as detail how communities across the country can develop and

implement plans to end homelessness.

“The many workshops will focus on the strategies that have been

successful in ending homelessness as well as on developing permanent,

affordable housing,” said Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance

to End Homelessness.

— more —

All press releases are formatted this way. Let reporters know when the information should be released (either immediately or at a set date in the future) and list your contact information at the top.

Your headline needs to be catchy and super newsworthy! Headlines should scream, “Pay attention to me! Something big and relevant is happening!” Subheads (below the headline) can be slightly longer and expound on the importance of the headline.

As a rule, press releases list the most important information in the first, or lead, paragraph. This opening paragraph should answer basic questions like who, what, when, and where. Usually the lead paragraph is no more than a couple of sentences long.

Name dropping is good! Always ask yourself, why should reporters be interested? In this case, just look at the lineup of presenters and attendees. This makes reporters think, “Maybe if I attend I can interview one of these respected sources.”

If your press release spans more than one page, it’s good to let people know there’s more information coming.

Try to have a couple of quotes from a respected source. That way, if reporters do not want to use your entire press release but do need quotes to enhance their story, they can simply pull them from your release. Usually there is at least one quote by the fourth paragraph of the press release.

Writing a Press ReleaseOne of the first and most basic steps for getting the media’s attention is to draft a press release. This tool can be used to announce news or anevent, give a statement on a pressing issue, or respond to an opposing view. A press release, which should be written in a similar form and toneas a news article, is an organization’s chance to tell the story and provide the sound bites that you would like to shape the news.

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One Thousand Gather - Page 2 of 3

Conference participants will also be invited to visit three programs that

are successful in preventing and ending homelessness in Washington,

DC: Sasha Bruce Transitional Living Program for Youth,

Edgewood/Brookland Family Support Collaborative, and Pathways to

Housing DC.

These programs are representative of the new approaches to ending

homelessness that are being adopted by many homeless assistance

programs across the U.S. Over 300 communities across the country

have adopted Ten Year Plans to end homelessness, many with an

emphasis on permanent, affordable housing. Several communities, such

as Portland, Oregon, have shown astonishing results.

Portland and the surrounding area of Multnomah County have

experienced a record 70 percent in the number of chronically homeless

people sleeping outside in the last two years. Portland focused its efforts

on adopting a Housing First initiative while improving discharge

planning, outreach, prevention, and employment.

Approaches such as “Housing First” focus on getting people off the

streets and into permanent housing and then, if necessary, providing

supportive services.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness proposed that communities

adopt Ten Year Plans to end homelessness in 2000. Portland adopted its

plan in 2004, and the declining number of people who are homeless is

an indication of what can be achieved when communities focus on

getting homeless people back into housing quickly.

- more -

One Thousand Gather - Page 3 of 3

“We knew we were doing the right thing by adopting a plan to end homelessness in Portland, and we are thrilled to see such great results in the first two years,” said Portland Mayor Tom Potter. “This is a true testament to our community’s effort to helping people end their homelessness every day.”

This shift represents a growing national movement away from managing the problem of homelessness towards ending it. As a result of these efforts, homelessness is being prevented and homeless people are making their way back into stable housing faster.

###The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan,

mission-driven organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. The Alliance analyzes policy and

develops pragmatic, cost-effective policy solutions. Working collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, the Alliance provides data and research that lead to stronger programs and policies that help communities achieve

their goal of ending homelessness.For more information on The National Alliance to End Homelessness, visit: www.endhomelessness.org

Now we’re getting into additional information that may help a reporter craft a story on our organization’s message in general. In this case, permanent affordable housing leads to a calculable reduction in homelessness. Always use your press releases to reiterate your organization’s basic message.

The heading here simply shows that the story has continued and will continue to span 3 pages.

Another quote from an important person!

These three pound signs mean the press release is officially over and anything that follows is simply background information.

Press releases should include your organization’s basic mission statement at the end, as well as a website for more information.

Again, your headline needs to be catchy and super newsworthy! Headlines should scream “Pay attention to me! Something big and relevant is happening!” Subheads (below the headline) can be slightly longer and expound on the importance of the headline.

Reporters value events that allow them to interview sources, take tours, and see firsthand how things operate. Just be sure that you have arranged permission with those in charge before bringing a reporter onto the premises or offering them an interview with a source.

Try to think like a reporter when you are writing the WHAT section of a media advisory. Why should they want to go? Does the event help them meet new, potential sources for future stories? Maybe it offers them an opportunity to educate themselves on homelessness and that’s their beat. Perhaps every other reporter in town is attending because the event is of national importance? Be persuasive!

When releasing a long report with a lot of data, you can make surethat journalists know that it’s under an embargo. Embargoing a report lets reporters know that they are not to release the story to thepublic until a certain date that you specify. They can, however, use the data to write their story ahead of that date. This lets them take their time processing the data and interviewing appropriatesources, while ensuring that the information in your report is not “oldnews” by the time you reveal the findings. When managing an embargo, it is essential that the date and time that the embargo willbe lifted is clearly stated.

Embargos—Building a Circle of Trust

Sending a Media Advisory There is nothing worse than planning an event where no one shows up.Similar to a press release, a media advisory gives specific information for anupcoming event. Focused on the basic who, what, when, where, and why, thegoal of a media advisory is to alert members of the press to an upcomingengagement and its importance.

You should send your media advisory to local newspapers and to the localbureaus of national newspapers (if you think there is a national angle to yourstory). Anytime you send a media advisory to a group of reporters, you shouldalso send it to the daybook editors. A daybook is a calendar of media eventsthat are happening in and around a city or state each day. News services likethe Associated Press (AP) and Reuters, along with local newspapers, maintainnational and local daybooks, which they distribute to thousands of journalistsdaily. Reporters and editors then check the daybook to decide what eventsthey want to cover. Finding out who the daybook editor is for your geographicregion is the same as finding out how to contact a particular reporter. Eitherlook up their contact information on Cision or some other paid media researchtool or call the Associated Press or other news outlet and ask them for thecorrect contact information.

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WHERE: Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. Union Station (Red Line metro)

WHO: Representative Barney Frank (D-MA)Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA)R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veteran Affairs, U.S Department of Veterans AffairsSenator Jack Reed (D-RI)Nan Roman, President and CEO, National Alliance to End HomelessnessDan Mudd, President and CEO, Fannie Mae Corporation RSVP: Please RSVP to Lauren Wright, Media Associate, 202-942-8246, Lwright@naeh.org

###

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonpartisan, mission-driven organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. The Alliance analyzes policy and develops pragmatic, cost-effective policy solutions. Working collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, the Alliance provides data and research that lead to stronger programs and policies that help communities achieve their goal of ending homelessness.For more information on The National Alliance to End Homelessness, visit: www.endhomelessness.org

MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release

July 5, 2007

Contact: Lauren Wright; lwright@naeh.org; 202-942-8246

OVER ONE THOUSAND to GATHER TO END HOMELESNESS

NATIONWIDE

Congressman Barney Frank, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, and

Secretary of Veteran Affairs R. James Nicholson Join National Alliance

to End Homelessness President Nan Roman to Address Over One

Thousand Attendees at Annual Conference.

WHAT: The National Alliance to End Homelessness invites you to attend

our 2007 annual conference, “Ending Homelessness: The Time Is Now!”

Join over 1,000 homeless advocates, government officials, agency

leaders, and homeless individuals as we gather for a series of

workshops, open discussions, and seminars. Stay informed and learn

more about emerging research and model programs as well as how

communities across the country can develop and implement plans to

find homes for the 750,000 people experiencing homeless each night.

You are also invited to visit three programs that have been successful

in preventing and ending homelessness in Washington, DC: Sasha Bruce

Transitional Living Program for Youth, Edgewood/Brookland Family

Support Collaborative, and Pathways to Housing DC. Come see firsthand

how these programs have benefited the area’s homeless population,

speak with program directors and residents, and tour the facilities.

WHEN: Monday, July 9 – Wednesday, July 11, 2007

July 9: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

July 10: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

July 11: 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Site Visits begin at 1:30 p.m.

It’s imperative that your contact information be at the top of a media advisory. Reporters will often call with questions or to RSVP.

Oftentimes reporters will fail to RSVP and you will need to call them to follow up. Calling allows you to gauge how many reporters will attend and allows you to “sell” the event a second time.

Try to have at least one guest speaker of importance in attendance. If the event highlights a local issue, think about who is important to local reporters; for instance, mayors, governors, housing commissioners, and other experts.

Try not to schedule your event on a Friday or early in the morning (before 9 a.m.) as reporters are less likely to attend. Would you want to wake up that early?

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The author immediately begins stating the facts, using strong data to highlight the problem.

After convincing the audience that the problem is real and attention-worthy, a solution is proposed.

Crafting an Op-EdSo you have been reading the local paper andyou’re either interested in educating the publicon homelessness or you’re just itching to giveyour opinion on what’s become acontentious media issue. Maybe the editorshave taken to denouncing your cause ormaybe a story was recently written andyou want to offer your viewpoint. Adirect way to combat the messagewhen your side of the story fails to betold is by writing an op-ed. Rememberto abide by the guidelines of yournewspaper, which can usually befound on the newspaper’s website orby calling the editorial department.Be clear and concise. Make yourstrongest point up front, and thenspend the rest of the op-ed makingyour case, or back-filling with thefacts. Generally, op-eds should be500 to 700 words and areattributed to a credible source, suchas the president of yourorganization.

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You should always email reporters unless they specificallyrequest a fax. Emailing your written material ensures that it

can be directly copied and pasted by a hurried reporter, ismuch faster than snail mail, and is much easier than dealing

with an archaic, confusing fax machine.

Faxing vs. Emailing

• Grants to local faith-based and community organizations for effective mentoring programs.

There is no other source of federal funding that combines the flexibility and focus on solutions to this problem that the Second Chance Act would provide.

The Second Chance Act is backed by an extraordinary range of people and organizations. President Bush is strongly supportive. Cosponsors in Congress include members across the ideological spectrum. Organiza-tions that support the Second Chance Act range from the Christian Coalition and the Conservative Union to liberal civil rights groups, and include all those whose interest is in practical solutions to the problem of re-entry: police officers, corrections officials, prosecutors, and, of course, those of us concerned with homelessness. Director Justin Jones of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections has spoken out about the importance of the bill.

The one key person still expressing opposition to the Second Chance Act is Sen. Tom Coburn. His staff has raised specific issues with the bill’s sponsors, who have worked hard to address his concerns. Yet his staff has indicated that he may take steps that would stop the bill. Under the rules of the U.S. Senate, one senator can slow the progress of a bill to a crawl. Since the 109th Congress will adjourn for good at the end of this week, the ability to slow a bill now becomes the ability to stop it single-handedly. The House of Representatives is poised to pass the Second Chance Act if the Senate passes it. And so it comes down to this — this practical bill, providing important assistance to Oklahoma and other states to solve this problem, will either pass or not pass depending on what Sen. Coburn does over the next few days.

We, along with a host of others, hope Coburn sees fit to support this piece of legislation. We need practical solutions to real problems, and that is what the Second Chance Act provides.

Nan Roman is president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

Second Chance Act Supporters Want Senator’s Support

December 4, 2006

On occasion, the U.S. Congress works together in a bipartisan manner to

find practical solutions to a vexing problem. This week, Congress will

decide whether to pass the Second Chance Act, a bill that fits that

description perfectly.

The problem addressed by the Second Chance Act is vexing indeed:

people returning from prisons and jails to our communities, without

adequate preparation. Each year more than 600,000 Americans are

released from prisons, having paid their debt to society for their crimes.

Many times that number of people are released from local jails.

People re-entering society from jail or prison can become productive

citizens, if they are prepared with a place to live, a job, treatment for

addiction, and a simple mentoring program, often undertaken by a local

church. Unfortunately, without this preparation, many are unable to

make the transition (often becoming homeless in the process), and they

commit new crimes and return to prison. Every failed re-entry means

more crime, victims, and waste of lives and taxpayer dollars.

The Second Chance Act would make a big difference. The idea was born

almost three years ago, after President Bush called for more attention

to this problem. The proposed act recognizes that the federal govern-

ment has spent billions of dollars to help states build prisons and send

people there who have committed crimes. It would help states finish the

job by preparing people who have served their time to re-enter their

communities.

The bill would provide:

• Grants to state corrections agencies (particularly helpful for states

like Oklahoma whose low tax base means that funding these initia-

tives without federal participation squeezes local and state taxpayers);

• Better know-how through research and assistance; and

This lead paragraph works to grab the reader’s attention by foreshadowing the argument to come.

A specific call to action is requested. This lets the Senator know (and the newspaper’s readers) what is expected of him in order to help re-entering prisoners avoid homelessness.

Again, name dropping is always good and increases credibility as well as the strength of your argument.

Muskogee Phoenix

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Holding an Editorial Board MeetingThe newspaper’s editorial board is composed of the people who shape the editorials and the news articles that are put forth on a daily basis. Aneditorial is written on behalf of the newspaper—it’s their official position on an issue. You can schedule an appointment with an editorial board toshow your expertise, draw the board’s attention to a topic, or argue a point of view. Make sure that your issue is important and relevant to theeditors before attempting to organize an editorial board meeting. The amount of time for your presentation may only be 10–15 minutes, so beprepared to present your case quickly and succinctly.

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So what can be done?

The study recommends three measures:

First, establish a risk assessment process to occur within the first 30

days after a veteran is discharged. It suggests a pilot program of

homelessness prevention be tried in three locations in the nation, one of

them rural. It could provide temporary subsidies, eviction prevention,

and one-time assistance for vets who fall behind on their rent.

Second, create so-called supportive housing that is tied to treatment for

mental illness and substance abuse. Between 44,000 and 66,000 vets

are chronically homeless. Over five years, the nation could create

25,000 housing units for about $3 billion in capital costs and $1.2

billion for operations. By comparison, the United States is spending

about $8 billion per month on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Finally, expand rental assistance to vets. The operating cost of 20,000

such vouchers would be $175 million annually.

Those veterans who gave their best, many in repeated, grinding tours in

Iraq and Afghanistan, deserve at least this much. They did their duty.

Now it's time for the rest of us to do ours.

EDITORIAL: A National Disgrace: About a Quarter of U.S. Homeless People Are Veterans

November 10, 2007

If you're like us, you may be skeptical of the ragged man holding a cardboard sign that reads, "Homeless vet. Please help." Well, think about this. A report last week concluded that fully a quarter of home-less people in the United States are military veterans.

That is a scandal.

Even more disturbing is the news from the same study that veterans of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are turning up on our streets already, many suffering from mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or traumatic brain injury. These terrible injuries often are due to the concussive force inflicted by improvised explosive devices, the deadly IEDs that are a favorite anti-American weapon in Iraq. Untreated, these illnesses often lead to substance abuse.

That is an outrage.

Our nation sent these men and women—yes, many homeless vets are females—into harm's way. As a nation, we have a moral obligation to care for those who cannot care for themselves due to war injuries. If Veterans Day means anything, it should mean that.

The study, by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, concluded that while veterans represent about 11 percent of the adult civilian popula-tion, they account for 26 percent of the homeless population. The report relied on data from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Census Bureau.

It estimated that there are 530 homeless vets in Utah.

Salt Lake Tribune

When they say, “If you’re like us” they mean if you are like the Salt Lake Tribune. Most of the readers, who respect and trust this paper, will be nodding their heads in agreement.

This could easily be your organization’s study, if you can hold a persuasive and informa-tive editorial board meeting.

Editorials are a lot like op-eds in their format. Here we have the specific recommendations for rectifying the problem. As a matter of fact, editorials and op-eds are basically the same thing, only the first is written by a newspaper and the later is written by an expert or other respected source.

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Bringing the Homeless in from the Cold

February 4, 2008

The Jan. 19 story about Virginia Skinner [“The Comfort of Home; Her

Underground Years Behind Her, a Woman Begins a Challenging New

Life,” Style] supports what many of us who advocate on behalf of

homeless persons have known for years. Contrary to a popular myth,

she does not want to be homeless, sleeping every night on cold park

benches or in transit tunnels, vulnerable to attacks. Down deep, Ms.

Skinner wanted a safe, affordable place to call her own.

Fortunately she got an apartment through Home First, a program that

aims to end the destructive cycle in which long-term homeless people

move from parks to abandoned buildings to shelters or mental health

facilities and then back again to our streets. Home First provides

stability. Once that is achieved, other supportive services can be offered

to help clients further, including mental health treatment, counseling,

job and life-skill training, and monitoring.

Although these programs are not cheap, they actually are less expen-

sive than the total bills for shelters, emergency services, and emer-

gency treatments that offer only temporary solutions. Over time,

supportive housing can actually cost less than our current system that

simply perpetuates the misery of long-term homelessness.

The question should be not “Does supportive housing work?” but rather

“Why are we not helping more Virginias?”

Deborah De Santis,

President and Chief Executive

Corporation for Supportive Housing

The Washington Post

Writing a Letter to the Editor Letters to the editor are usually shorter than op-eds and are typically directresponses to stories that have recently been written. They either support thestory and praise the reporter or express their disapproval and offer analternative viewpoint. Like op-eds, each publication has its own guidelines forsubmission. A letter should be short (around 200 words), focused, and direct.With limited space, it is essential to get your message out as soon as possible.Be quick when responding to an article! Timeliness is relevance in newspaperland and relevance increases your chances for publication.

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Holding an Event Creating news that is timely and relevant is often half the battle. If you really want to magnify the importance ofyour information, host an event. There are two types of events that you can host: press-only and public events.

Press-only events can come in the form of a briefing or round table discussion during which an expert discusses adesignated topic and reporters are free to ask questions.

Press-only events are particularly useful if a new program is being unveiled, if there are new reportersin your area who require background information, or if there is a high-level expert available. Thesemore informal sessions work best if the expert is highly regarded and little information has beenavailable on the topic. With the advent of modern technology, these events can even be held viatelephone or satellite conference.

Public events can take the form of a press conference, launch event for a new facility or program, or guided tour.The event should be widely advertised, have a guest of honor, and be logically relevant to your messaging. Forexample, if you are working to pass federal legislation that would increase funding for youth homeless services,you could invite your Congressman and other influential members of the community on a guided tour throughseveral youth homeless programs in the area. Of course, you would want to send out a media advisoryannouncing the tour in advance.

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If you only have one hour a week to devote to media efforts, here aresome quick but important steps you can take to ensure that you have apositive presence with the press.

1. Run a quick Google News search for your organization’sname.

2. Write a short letter to the editor in response to a story you’ve readthat week.

3. Email a journalist and thank him or her for a well-written storythat highlights your cause. Be sure to introduce yourself and yourorganization’s mission.

Just One Hour a Week…

Targeting the Right Media OutletGetting your information into the newspapers, on television, or on the radio requires, above all else, gettingyour information to the right person. A media list is a list of reporters, editors, and producers who youbelieve will be interested in your stories and will ultimately cover them in the news or on the radio. Thepeople on your list may also be interested in attending your events or using your organization for quotesand data. Keep in mind—quality over quantity! It’s not important to get every reporter’s contact information;just the ones who would cover your issue. This is particularly true with regards to homelessness becauseyou will rarely find a specific “homelessness reporter” who regularly covers the issue. So how do you findthe correct contacts for your media list?

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� Commercial provider databases such as Cision (formerly Bacon’s) offer lists ofreporters and their contact information for a fee. If you are looking for reporters ina database, you’ll often find that social issues, politics, and congress reporterscover homelessness. News editors and assignment editors are also good contacts,because they assign the stories to the reporters.

� Ask another nonprofit that works on homelessness for their list; be prepared toshare yours.

� Track down a free list online.� Supplement and update your list by watching bylines. If a reporter writes about

your issue, record his or her contact information. This is called monitoring themedia, and it’s something you should do daily anyway!

� Call the newspaper and ask for the editorial department, then explain who you areand what your story is about before asking who you should pitch the story to.

Once you have your list, it is also important to keep it up to date. The beat that areporter covers can change, and the type of story that you are pitching—political, humaninterest, or breaking news—may also change. Therefore, it is critical to update the listfrequently, so as to avoid spamming the wrong reporters with irrelevant information—nothing annoys a reporter more!

Making an Investment — CultivatingRelationships with JournalistsLike a lot of things in life, getting media attention is very dependent on cultivating successful personalrelationships. There are different approaches to developing contacts with the media. First, always be awarethat journalists are constantly under tremendous time pressure to finish their story before moving on to thenext big news flash. As we’ve said before, respect their time constraints by making sure that you have apitch before making contact.

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Even if you are not ready to pitch a story, you can still make journalists aware of your availability. While you’re busysetting up contacts, so are they. Seek out journalists at a meeting, press conference, or workshop. Introduceyourself and your issue and give them your card. The next time homelessness becomes an issue they might callyou to get your perspective on their story. The point is, you’re becoming a resource. This means being availablewhen journalists call or returning their calls in a timely manner before their story is due.

Become a credible source who offers truthful information based on established research. This does not mean youhave to present two sides to every issue. What it does mean is getting your facts straight. Be prepared to takeresponsibility for your comments and perform research if requested. Also, know when to say “no.” If you are notthe right person, or an expert in the area about which a reporter is asking, refer him or her to the right person.

An important thing to remember when responding to reporters’ questions isthat talking off the record is not unusual, especially when providing backgroundor context for the story. However, reporters might quote you, even if you ask tobe off the record, so be careful about what you say, be clear about yourintentions, and, if you do not want to be quoted, state that you can talk oranswer questions by way of background while making sure to state that youare talking “off the record.” Ultimately, however, to be a source to a reporter,you should be ready to be quoted or to put the reporter in touch withsomeone who can talk on record. The reporter’s goal is to fill out his or herstory and that means background as well as sources.

� Be available and ready to help refer reporters to data, research, orother materials to help them write their story.

� Be ready to be interviewed or find someone who is.� Be credible.� Stick to the facts and avoid hyperbole or rhetoric.� Don’t be a time waster.

Tips on Becoming a Reporter’s Source

Floating through the BlogosphereThe term blogosphere describes the online realm of all cumulative blogs available to Internet users. Blogsare web-accessible, often interactive forums that provide commentary or news. Like print publications,some blogs have huge readerships and others simply exist as a way for an individual to vent his or hereveryday frustrations.

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Do not discredit blogs and other online news forums simply because they’re a new phenomenon. Established journalistsoften look to blogs for the news. Most opinionated and influential 20 to 30 somethings get their news from blogs. The

opportunity for these readers to leave comments in an interactive format is a great way for you to determine what thegeneral public thinks of your nonprofit and the issues that you handle.

You should also become familiar with the more well-read blogs that address your nonprofit’s issues. You can evensend your press releases to the creators of blogs that support your issue, but be ready for those same creators to

add their commentary.

If you do see poor coverage of your organization on a blog, you can respond to that coverage by postingyour message on the blog message forum below the original

blog entry. Since these forums are interactive andconstantly updated with reader commentary, you

get a chance to give your counterargument toany inflammatory statements and establish

yourself as a credible expert. Remember,transparency is the name of the game. It’s

better to come out and say that you’reworking for your nonprofit rather than

hide behind the veil of Internetanonymity and risk losing credibility if

someone discovers your affiliation.

(Keep in mind the Internet is always changing)!

� HuffingtonPost.com� DailyKos.com� thehomelessguy.blogspot.com� digg.com/political_opinion� thinkprogress.org� talkingpointsmemo.com� povertynewsblog.blogspot.com� socialsolutionsinc.blogspot.com

Popular Social IssuesBlogs (as of 2008)

Matte to Glossy: Moving on to MagazinesIt’s important to remember that newspapers are not the only media outlets available to you. Broadcast media(television and radio) and magazines also offer a plethora of opportunities for telling your story. Let’s focus onmagazines for now.

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If you are attempting to pitch a magazine editor, it’s important to rememberone crucial difference that exists between the stories you find in amagazine versus those you find in a newspaper—articles in magazines,more than in any other media outlet, usually tell a cohesive story ratherthan just impart news. This means that when you are pitching a magazine,you must be a storyteller. Unless you are simply trying to get a short blurbin a special section of the magazine, you must offer the magazine all of theresources they need to write a feature story. In other words, you need morebackground information, more sources who are ready to be interviewed,and often, more of a human-interest angle. Most magazines loveunforgettable characters and personality profiles. Unless the magazine is atechnical publication or trade journal (more traditional, “hard news”publications which will be interested in more traditional, “hard news”pitches), editors are often looking for in-depth stories that deal with humanstruggles and triumphs.

The first step to pitching your story is research. There are a growing numberof specialized magazines that are increasingly replacing traditional general-interest magazines. Political, consumer news, humor, entertainment, andscientific magazines can all be explored and, believe it or not, you can oftentailor the topic of homelessness and housing to a variety of interests.Remember, when focusing on a specific magazine, you must research whattypes of topics the magazine typically covers and focus your effort on aspecific topic rather than write a general-interest story on increasing housingfor the homeless population.

Ask yourself, does your story make a difference and does it make adifference in a way that is important to the magazine you’re pitching. Forinstance, if you’re pitching O, The Oprah Magazine, your story could featurea homeless mother who became an entrepreneur and now owns her ownbusiness helping others find housing. When you pitch the editor, focus onthe family’s outstanding struggle and subsequent success. If you’re pitchingAffordable Housing Finance magazine you might want to feature a formerlyhomeless family who was helped into permanent housing by a national billthat allotted the funding to place them in that housing. Since this magazinefocuses on the financial aspect of housing, your pitch to the editor should bemore focused on the specifics of the bill and the struggle in getting it passed(i.e. how the bill was passed in Congress after it was shown that utilizinghousing subsidies was more cost efficient than paying for emergencyservices for the homeless population). However, it’s still important that youlet the editor know that a family immediately affected by the bill is availablefor interview.

One sure-fire way to figure out what topics a magazine will be covering is toresearch their editorial calendar, which can often be found on their website.A magazine’s editorial calendar lays out the specific topics that will becovered in each issue throughout the year. Topics can range from “AmazingWomen Who have Changed the World” (perhaps the director of your

organization is a woman who has done invaluable work in ending homelessness) to “Christmas Giving: Ways to Make a Difference” (perhaps youknow of a homeless family who was able to purchase presents through individual donations and is willing to be featured in a story that canaccompany this holiday issue). Typically, magazines have “lead times” of two to four months. That means that your story must be pitched to themtwo to four months in advance (depending on the publication) to give the writer time to develop the story.

When you are ready to pitch your story, open up the magazine (or visit the magazine’s website) and find the masthead. Write down names ofeditors of departments relevant to your story. If you cannot find the editor’s email address online, do not be afraid to call the department and askfor it. If you subscribe to a paid media database you can often research both the editor’s contact information and the magazine’s editorial calendarthrough that database.

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People magazine devoted a two-page spread feature story on a womanby the name of Irene Mabry Moses. Why was Irene’s story irresistible tothis national publication with a circulation of over 3.7 million? Here’sthe pitch:

Irene Mabry Moses came a long way from her days of living in a shelterwith her two children. Having lost her family home and car during afinancial crisis, Mabry Moses spent six months in a women’s shelterwith her two girls, trying to get her life back together. A religiouswoman, Mabry Moses prayed to God to help her find a path so that shecould help others. She found that calling in real estate. Within a year ofbecoming an agent, Irene became the top-selling representative in hercompany by focusing on helping the homeless and the poor findaffordable homes. Today, Irene owns her own real estate firm,employing 5 agents. She also volunteers regularly in women’s shelters,helping women to take control of their lives.

People Magazine’s “Agent of Hope”

From Video Skills to Radio StarRadio and television are what we’ve been referring to as broadcast media. Pitching to these two outlets isslightly different than pitching to print media. Being interviewed by these outlets involves much more timeand preparation.

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TV newscasts communicate to their audience through conversations and pictures, whereas radio talkshows and radio news shows communicate through the words of expert sources. Keep this in mindwhen pitching your story to either of these two outlets. Television producers look for newsworthytopics that are visual. Like print media, they want compelling, up-to-the minute stories. However, theyalso want camera footage that will grab the viewers’ attention. Radio producers are often looking forexperts who can speak at length on a topic, and interviews can last for half an hour or more.

When a television or radio station interviews you, make sure that you’re prepared. Most televisioninterviews are pre-recorded (you can practically count on the show being pre-recorded if the cameracrew comes into your office to interview you). Some are live or “on the air” (this often occurs if theyinvite you to come into their studio). Make sure you know if the interview is live or pre-recorded.Pre-recorded interviews can be edited. Live interviews are much harder to edit, usually allowing onlya short lapse between the time something is recorded and the time it hits the air. Radio interviewscan also be pre-recorded or live, and radio shows can be either news shows (like those found onNPR) or talk shows (like Meet the Press). Before accepting an invitation to speak on a talk show,make sure that the host is professional and that you feel comfortable speaking with them. Somehosts can be hostile to your cause, and unless you are feeling particularly brave, nothing will begained by allowing yourself to be publicly humiliated by a mean, misguided host.

Whether you are speaking on television or on the radio, practice the interview with a coworker, otherexpert, or communications professional to make sure that you know what you will be saying and thatyou feel comfortable staying on message in the face of an array of interviewer questions. Try to predictwhat questions may be asked and practice answering in a way that guides the interview back to yourfundamental message. If you are frequently interviewed, and especially if you’re interviewed regarding acontroversial or sensitive subject, it might be worth the money to pay for professional media training.

Since you may not have the resources to pay for media training, let’s go over some of the most common errors people make when beinginterviewed by broadcast media. A common mistake when speaking to a camera or microphone is not speaking in sound bites. Televisioninterviews that are edited rely on concise, “full sentence” clips from your interview, since the reporter’s question will not be repeated. Think aboutyour favorite news show. Oftentimes the source is simply a voice-over during video footage of a scene important to the story.

It’s hard not to get nervous when you are staring down the barrel of a camera. When a television station is interviewing you, remember a few keypoints: don’t wear flashy clothing or jewelry that detracts from your message; don’t look directly at the camera (look to the side of the camera orlook in the direction that the cameraman instructs you); and keep in mind how much of yourself is actually displayed on camera (for instance, ifthe camera is focused on your face and you keep using your hands to speak, it might look odd when your hands flash randomly on the screen,seemingly appearing from thin air). Also, make sure there’s no odd or inappropriate material surrounding you (if the interview is being conductedin your office, get rid of anything distracting that may be on the wall behind you.)

We know, we know—there’s so much to remember. Stay with us. Just a few more tips before we conclude our lesson on broadcast media.

When a television station is covering your story, they typically want what theycall “B-roll” footage. This is video footage that can be edited and used as avisual filler during the story, while a reporter or source is speaking over it. It’sbasically supplemental footage intercut with the main, more importantfootage during a news segment. Typically, B-roll footage consists of the expertwho was just interviewed either at their desk, seemingly working, or walkingto a particular destination, seemingly furthering their agency’s mission. Don’tbe surprised when the cameraman wants to film this sort of thing. Better yet,be pro-active and recommend some creative and dynamic B-roll shots.

To ensure that the audience remembers your name and mission, rememberto offer the producer background information on your organization. This canoften be displayed in a visual graphic at the bottom of the screen during anews segment. If you’re being interviewed, don’t be afraid to plug yourmessage further by offering your website address on the air. Just avoidoffering it more than once—this isn’t an infomercial!

Finally, remember that local radio and television shows are looking for localangles, so if you’re contributing to a local story, it’s important to make surethat your message has a local tie-in and is important to the community thatit’s being broadcast to.

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So the reporter asks you, “What do you think of the new Housing for theHomeless Bill passed by Congress?”

If you want to be quoted, you’ll answer in a complete sentence thatrepeats the question, like so: “The Housing for the Homeless Bill is astep in the right direction. However, Congress could and should haveappropriated an additional $10 million specifically for youth homelessprograms, as these programs have been largely ignored.”

An example of NOT speaking in sound bites is as follows:

“Yeah, it’s good but Congress should have appropriated an additional$10 million specifically for youth homeless programs, as theseprograms have been largely ignored.”

When pulled out of the context of the interviewer’s question, it’s notapparent what exactly is “good” but could have been better.

Word to the Wise:Speak in Sound Bites!

Tracking Media CoverageWhile it is critical to try to get the media to cover your issues andevents, it is also essential to monitor the media for what is beingcovered, by which news organizations, and by which reporters. Mediamonitoring is the only way to know if your organization is beingreferenced positively in the media (in which case, you can leveragethat coverage to gain more coverage and credibility) or negatively (inwhich case, you should work to correct any false information or clarifyyour position). Monitoring the media can be done several ways; forinstance, by hiring a service that does the monitoring for you (three bigones are Dow Jones Factiva, PR Newswire’s eWatch, and LexisNexis),by searching the web and subscribing to news feeds, or by simplyreading the paper or watching the news.

1. Go to Google.com.2. Select My Accounts. 3. Select Google Alerts from the list of options.4. Type in your search term, select the type and frequency of the

search, and the mail address to which you would like it sent.5. If you have more than one term that you would like to monitor,

type them in separately.

Setting up Google News AlertsThe easiest, most cost-effective way to monitor the media is toread major newspapers online and set up free Google NewsAlerts with the keywords that are relevant to your cause. Thisfree service tracks thousands of publications and websites andsends you links to the articles when it finds a story that fits yoursearch request. At the very least, you should be monitoring forthe presence of your nonprofit’s name in the media every day.

While news alerts are a great tool for nonprofits with limitedstaff and resources, there are drawbacks. You cannot controlwhich publications are searched, so if you’re looking for contentin a particular publication, you may just want to read it the old-fashioned way.

Managing ExpectationsSo let’s say you have told all your friends and coworkers that you have landed a story in The Wall StreetJournal. The next day, you wake up, read the paper, and to your dismay find no mention of the story. Ormaybe you wake up and find the story, but, after an extensive interview with the reporter, the director of yourorganization was not quoted or your organization’s data was used without due credit. Cheer up! There areprobably a number of reasons why the story was shelved, you didn’t get quoted, or you weren’t attributed asa source. Some are in your control and some are not. The newspaper editors may have cut the story simplybecause there were bigger stories that pushed it off the page. Perhaps the reporter was looking for acontroversial quote, and the director of your organization played it safe during the interview. Calling a reporterto complain about not getting your story in the paper is unproductive and potentially annoying to them.Instead, think about your conversation and how it might go better next time. Sometimes a reporter has foundanother source or another quote or maybe your message didn’t fit with the angle he developed. Remember,there will always be a next time, and next time, the reporter knows he can call you.

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When to Complain About CoverageYou can always email a reporter to congratulate him on a story wellwritten. There are times, however, when a reporter gets the storywrong or reports inaccurate facts. In these cases, you can send anemail directly to the reporter or, if he doesn’t respond, to the editor.Before sending off a scathing email, take the time to outline whatyou want to say. If the angle is wrong, state your case and presentyour viewpoint, but remember to do so in a friendly manner. If thereare inaccurate facts in the story, ask the reporter or the editor directlyto print a correction. This may be an opportunity to write a letter tothe editor.

Leveraging Media CoverageLeveraging your coverage means lifting it up for the world to see. When you get good press, you gain greatcredibility. To make sure that everyone knows that your president was quoted, remember to follow up afterthe article is published by:

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� Sending the article to all the elected officials in the coverage area alongwith your materials;

� Sharing it with funders and board members;� Using the article as content in any newsletters you send out (make sure

that if you’re publishing the article word-for-word you get permissionfrom the source);

� Posting the article to your website—better yet, devoting a page on yourwebsite solely to press coverage surrounding homelessness issues (Youmay need permission to use the article. You can get permission byemailing or calling the source of the article. Let them know that you willcredit them as the source.);

� Thanking the reporters and editors and alerting them to any impendingstories on which you’d like to work with them;

� Commenting on blogs and linking to your article; and� If the story was a broadcast news story, posting the footage to YouTube.

Parting AdviceIn many ways, the strategies that are essential toending homelessness are also central to mediaoutreach. Remember—start with a plan that hasclear goals. Utilize the resources that are availableto you to save time and money. Learn how towrite a killer press release, throw the event of thecentury, or persuade thousands with your letter tothe editor. Start schmoozing with those reporterswho’ve covered your cause. Finally, measure yoursuccess and evaluate your progress. You will seeyour organization’s name or issue splashed acrossthe papers in no time!

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What tool can you use?

Pitching to a Reporter

Press Release

Media Advisory

Op/Ed

Letter to the Editor

Editorial Board Meeting

Press-Only Event

Public Event

Why should you use it?

To tell a selection of interested reportersabout a press release you’ve sent or eventthat you’re holding.

To release a story, report, or new data.

To announce an event that you wantreporters to attend.

To make a case for specific legislation orcombat popular misperceptions.

To respond to an article.

To shift the view of a publication.

To provide background material forjournalists who may be interested incovering your issue.

To draw attention to a program, newlegislation/policy, or facility.

When should you use it?

When there is a relevant policy issue that makesthe story timely and compelling to certainreporters. When the event is near enough forthe reporters to attend, or when you know acertain reporter will be interested inattending/covering your story.

When the story is ready to be released to thepublic. You can embargo the information orspecify that it is to be released on a certain datein the near future.

A few days prior to the event.

When your article will have an impact on thepolicymaking process.

Immediately following the article’s publication.

If your local newspapers do not support or areindifferent to your issue.

When there’s new information or a high-levelsource available.

When you have a famous or credible guest intown who will tour the facility and answerreporters’ questions, or when you have a newprogram, policy, or report to unveil.

How is it done?

Call with all your information on hand, offer to connect themwith a source, and be prepared to answer questions.

Written in a news format, the release should include a snappyheadline and quotes from your spokesperson.

Include the essential information that would be needed toattend your event (who, what, when, where) and show why itis newsworthy. Send it to daybook editors as well.

Keep it short (500–700 words). Address the problems, butfocus on the solutions.

Keep it short (around 200 words) and stay on message.Critique substance, not style.

Call to schedule a meeting. Present the editorial group withyour overall message and offer specific evidence to supportyour position. Be prepared for tough questions.

Host a round table discussion, but remember your guest ofhonor should be someone credible who journalists want toquote and your information should be new and original.

Make sure your event is timely and newsworthy. Journalistswill want to attend congressional events introducing new bills,events showing new laws/policy in action, andnew/controversial facility tours (especially when experts are onhand and ready to be interviewed).

National Alliance to End Homelessness1518 K Street, NWSuite 410Washington, DC 20005

www.endhomelessness.org

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