Communication Opportunities Described
Posted by Heidi Stambuck on 4/30/2008
Communication Opportunities
There are several ways that I can help you publicize an event in advance, get media coverage of an event, your research, other projects or accomplishments or pitch a story idea to the media. Keep in mind, however, that the media can choose what stories they want to cover and will never promise or guarantee coverage of something.
Basic guidelines:
- Consider me your go-between for the office of University Relations. As a partner in their office, I have a working relationship with them and can help the publicity process run smoothly.
- We will have a much better chance of getting media attention if your item is of interest to the general public and not overly technical. If you need to publicize something that targets a particular segment of the population, the most effective way is usually by going through professional organizations or e-mail list-serves. I can still help with the writing when you use these other methods.
- Give me as much advance notice as possible. There is an editing and posting process required by University Relations that will add 2-3 days to the preparation process.
- I write using a set of style guidelines developed by University Relations that is available on their Web site at http://www.uark.edu/rd_vcad/urel/167.htm. These guidelines include the writing style rules published by The Associated Press as well as other guidelines specific to the University of Arkansas. The university has guidelines for use of logos, as well, and that information can also be found on the University Relations Web site.
- Jargon specific to any discipline should be avoided because it will discourage someone not familiar with it from reading further. Acronyms also should be avoided unless they are ones everyone would know such as FBI or CIA.
- Depending on the nature of your item, it may be appropriate to use several of the vehicles below to publicize it.
News releases
The office of University Relations distributes news releases by posting links on its Web site under the Daily Headlines header and e-mailing and/or faxing the releases to media outlets. Links to the releases appear in the Daily Headlines daily e-mail that anyone may subscribe to. University Relations can send releases to local, state, regional and national media as requested. Certain criteria must be met to merit a news release. Basically, the topic must be something of interest to the general public. Releases are generally 1-3 pages long in Microsoft Word and include quotes from sources. Links to releases generally appear on the university's home page for 1-3 days. I frequently follow up news releases by submitting shorter items to newspapers' local, business and education sections where briefs appear.
University Relations also has science and research writers who cover the university. Barbara Jaquish has our college and Fulbright as her beat.
Daily Headlines
This is the header that appears over news releases on the university's home page, and it is also a daily e-mail that subscribers receive with links to those news releases and other items that people have submitted. Anyone in the university community can submit an item to Daily Headlines with information about awards, applications, events and instructions for various procedures. Daily Headlines items that are not news releases do not appear on the university's home page, but they can be accessed from the Daily Headlines page. You can submit items yourself to Daily Headlines if you wish. Having me submit something for you doesn't mean that it will appear on the university home page.
Media pitch
Sometimes, simply contacting a reporter and offering a story idea with some background and contact information is more effective than writing a formal news release. With assistance from University Relations, I can make pitches to regional and national media outlets or specialized publications that you may identify. If you are scheduled to be interviewed, I can sit down with you and ask questions you're likely to be asked in order to help you feel more comfortable. Keep in mind reporters do not allow a source to preview an article before publication except in rare cases as when explaining something very technical such as brain surgery.
Radio and TV
University Relations has a person on staff who assists with broadcast media. He can pitch ideas and people for news broadcasts and it may also be possible to get a station to run a public service announcement.
Digital message boards
The college has these boards in the Graduate Education Building, Peabody Hall and HPER with plans to add them to Ozark Hall, West Avenue Annex and Speech and Hearing Clinic. They're used to publicize information, honors and events about faculty, staff and students. Submit information to me, Dianne Stout or Dylan Hurd at least one week in advance of when you would like it to appear on the boards.
Compass Points
This is an internal e-mail sent two or three times a month to faculty and staff members. It has links to media reports about the college and its people, news releases and articles posted on the college Web site ranging from features about personnel to advising tips to information about pages on the Web site. Suggestions and story ideas are welcome.
Take Note
This is an electronic newsletter sent six times a year to college faculty and staff, several other people on campus and to college alumni for whom the Arkansas Alumni Association has e-mail addresses. It links to feature stories about the college on our Web page. Story ideas are welcome. It also has a calendar of events and can include short announcements. An archive is available online at http://coehp.uark.edu/news.html.
College Web page
Each department has a departmental news and events page with links to feature stories, announcements and other information. (Education reform's news page is handled by that department). Submissions and story ideas are welcome. News releases are posted down the center of the college's home page at http://coehp.uark.edu/index.htm. There is also a section along the right side for Announcements & Reminders you may submit to me.
University and college calendar of events
You may submit items to the university calendar here.
Choose Submit Events in the upper right corner and a screen for you to submit your information will come up. In the box marked event categorization, if you choose College of Education and Health Professions, your event will automatically be displayed on the college's home page along the right side under Calendar of Events. At some future time, items submitted here will automatically appear in the Daily Headlines e-mail but that is not the case now.
Colleague
This is an annual magazine distributed on campus and mailed to state legislators, other government officials, leaders in the education and health fields, other educators such as state superintendents, peer institutions, benefactors and selected alumni. Space is limited but I welcome suggestions for story ideas. I also welcome your additions of names to the magazine's mailing list.
Brochures and other promotional items
It is possible that I can help with the creation of these, although the bulk of the responsibility may be on you. In some cases, design services are available free of charge from University Relations, and their personnel can also help with the printing process, including seeking bids if necessary. Photography services are available at a charge from University Relations, and I can also help you hire a free-lance photographer. My help usually takes the form of writing text, editing and proofing on one-time projects. You will need to take care of writing, design and production of regular items such as newsletters.
Hometown news releases
There are also times such as Honors Convocation or the School Nurse Summer Institute that we ask students and participants to fill out hometown news releases. I compile the information and submit it to University Relations to be sent to the newspaper specified by the students. Again, we can't guarantee to the students that the newspapers will publish the information but many do, especially the smaller papers.
This may be more information than you want in some cases and not enough in others. Please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me or drop by my office with questions.
Heidi Stambuck, director of communications
College of Education and Health Professions
302 Graduate Education Building
(479) 575-3138, stambuck@uark.edu
04/08
We want to hear from you. Please e-mail comments and feedback to Heidi Stambuck at stambuck@uark.edu.