March 2010

Making the Pitch

How to get your positive news into the media

Keeping a steady stream of positive news about your schools in the public eye can do wonders for building community and confidence among all stakeholders in the district. Yet, administrators and educators know too well how easily a negative story can make it into the media.

How do you get those positive stories in the local newspaper and on the morning news? According to some experts, it goes back to building relationships and knowing what makes news.

If you want reporters, journalists and bloggers to know about and cover your good news, you need to get to know them. Find out who in the newsroom covers education and start building that relationship.

"Sometimes you can talk with them about something that has nothing to do with a story," says Barbara Griffith, senior communications officer for Fort Worth ISD. "Just check in with them and let them know you're still there."

Staying connected with your local media may seem laborious, but remember: The more you do to maintain an ongoing relationship now, the less effort it will take to get your positive stories in the news when they happen. Read more about MAKING THE PITCH.