October 16, 2003 | Read Time: 1 minute
Making the News: a Guide for Activists and Nonprofits
by Jason Salzman
Coverage by newspapers, radio, and television can help nonprofit organizations change public opinion, get more financial support, and increase morale and the number of volunteers, writes Jason Salzman, president of Cause Communications, an organization in Denver that provides nonprofit groups with workshops and consulting services about media relations. This revised edition of a 1998 book both discusses common communication approaches and offers advice for planning events and press releases that may entice the news media.
“Successful media campaigns are, above all else, entertaining,” says Mr. Salzman. He provides numerous examples of innovative rallies and protests that received attention from the news media, including events that featured animals, celebrities, costumes, and puppets. Excerpts from interviews with journalists shed light on the types of stories that newspapers and television news shows pick up.
The book also discusses some of the details of a communications program, such as how to compile a list of news-media contacts, when to get in touch with news organizations about forthcoming events, how to write press releases, and how to prepare for interviews. Additionally, it includes advice on using the Internet to increase publicity.
Publisher: Westview Press, 5500 Central Avenue, Boulder, Colo. 80301; (800) 386-5656; http://www.westviewpress.com; 289 pages; $16.95; I.S.B.N. 0-8133-4095-0.
