AASA Back-To-School Media Outreach Tips

AASA Back-to-School Media Outreach Tips

You may use the following tips to engage your local news media and generate interest in the materials in this toolkit.

Tip 1: Generate Story Ideas

• Use the talking points in this toolkit to pitch story ideas to reporters:
• When you call a reporter, always ask first if he or she has a few minutes to talk. If not, arrange a time to call back.
• Try to tailor your pitch to what you know about the reporter’s interests. The more you know about a reporter and news outlet, the more effectively you can target your pitch to their interests. Look for opportunities to link your story to issues that have been covered recently or to local or national events or trends.
• Make your pitch brief but interesting.
• Offer background materials and sources the reporter can contact for more information.
• If the reporter turns down your pitch, don’t be afraid to contact him or her again in the future with a new angle or a new story idea.
• Ask local reporters for feedback on the type of information they would like to receive that would be helpful in their education reporting.
• Invite education reporters and editorial boards to a briefing to discuss issues relevant to your school district.

Tip 2: Create a Media List

Create a list of the key reporters, editors and producers that handle education issues for newspapers, magazines, radio stations and TV and cable outlets in your geographic area. Online media directories such as allow you to search news outlets by type and geographic area.

AASA research shows that most Americans get their information about public education from local newspapers and local television. Therefore, it is important to include your local media outlets in your media outreach. However, for maximum impact it is important that your outreach efforts target not just local news outlets but state and regional outlets as well.

Tip 3: Cultivate a Relationship With Reporters

Maintain contact with your media list and establish your credibility as a reliable source by periodically pitching story ideas and offering helpful background information.

Tip 4: Distribute Press Releases

Press releases are an important component of an effective media outreach plan. Send press releases to your media list to share newsworthy information about your district. Tailor the press release in this toolkit and distribute it to your local media contact list. Follow up by calling key media contacts and reinforcing the information in the news release.

Tip 5: Distribute an Op-Ed

Opinion-editorials, or op-eds, are used to influence opinion leaders and sway public opinion. To raise awareness about an issue in your district, submit an op-ed to your local newspaper. Generally, you should not submit an op-ed to more than one newspaper, as most newspapers will only accept exclusive submissions. Contact each newspaper’s editorial page editor to find out the paper’s op-ed submission policies.

Tip 6: Meet With an Editorial Board

Editorial board meetings provide an opportunity to influence the editorial position of a newspaper and rebut misinformation about public schools. The start of school can be a good time to meet with an editorial board to discuss your district’s goals and initiatives for the coming year. Call your local newspaper, say that you would like to set up a meeting with the editorial board, and explain what you would like to discuss with the editors. Meeting with an editorial board does not guarantee that you will influence the paper’s editorial position, but it can help raise the editors’ awareness of important local and national education issues.

Back to School 2012: Telling the Good News ●Sept. 2012 ●