BREAZE

Writing a media release is an art that once perfected will be of great use to your group. You can write a release to try and get media coverage on any issue you think is newsworthy and it can be a great way to attract new members while getting the issue of climate change onto the agenda. A media release could cover: the formation of your new group, an event you are holding, an event you are attending and would like others to join, or to offer your response to a government decision or policy announcement. Anything that you are doing that you think is going to be new and interesting to your community is worth a media release.

Try to develop contacts with local journalists who are interested in your views on current climate change issues. With a little bit of practice and a little bit of luck, you could end up with a monthly column on climate action in your local paper.

How to write a Media Release

The first sentence of your media release should sum up the whole point of your release. The most important, punchy, newsworthy part must come first. It should also include an attribution – the person or group who is saying this. For example, Australian supermarkets could save $41.6 million annually, reduce checkout times and help the environment if ‘green bags’ were universally adopted, an Environment Victoria audit has found.

Introduce the main speaker by their full name and title before any quotes. Finish off the first quote with reference to that person. For example, Environment Victoria’s Zero Waste Campaigner Jenny Henty said years of voluntary agreements have not fixed the problem. “What we need is compulsory measures with no exemptions to ensure we see the end of plastic bags”, she said.

Make sure that your media release answers the key questions – Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Try to exclude any jargon or difficult concepts that the average person wouldn’t understand. The Herald Sun writes for an average reading age of 12, so keep this in mind as you think about how to communicate your message. Back up your argument with facts and figures. Journalists like to have ‘proof’ before they will publish a story.

Your media release should be no more than one page long. Any longer, and journalists won’t read it. Read your quotes aloud to see how they sound, not just how they read on paper. Are they interesting, concise and snappy? Always check that you have included all the correct mobile phone numbers of people for comment, the date and a headline. Do a final spelling and grammar check before sending it out.

Before sending, compile a list of contacts that you want to send it to. Open a new email. Insert the email addresses into the BCC Blind Copy area. Put your own email address into the To section. The subject line should read Media Release: “insert headline of release here”. Paste the media release into the body of the email and attach a PDF version of the release as well.

Once your group is established you may find that local media knows you as the people to go to for comments on climate change and climate change policy.