The media is a great way of showing and telling what God is doing in the world. Most stories can be used to speak of God’s love for the world and to encourage people to look again at their image of church. Local journalists need to build contacts and are usually people with whom you can work happily. It is worth investing time in finding out if you have a local community reporter and take them to lunch or give them a tour of your church.

Always remember not to go off the record and don’t confide in them anything that you do not want to see in print.

I am more than happy to give advice about writing press releases or arranging TV or radio interviews and would be happy to meet journalists with you in your parish. If you want to work with the national media on a story do give me a call on 0121 426 0438 or email me.

Below are some tips for contacting the media about events and activities you would like to publicise locally.

Logisitics

• Write  and distribute the release two to three weeks before the event – allow six weeks for The Forward newspaper and What’s On slots in radio stations.

• Telephone the paper/media outlet to get a reporters name and email address.

• Phone about a week later to ensure your press release has been received and read.

• Ensure you include a contact phone number and that you will be available on that number.
  
  
• Know deadlines and avoid calling at busy times. Think about pictures and possible interviewees before you contact the media.

• Keep a list of journalists with whom you have had contact and stay in touch as regularly as you can. Build links with local reporters.

Content

• Make sure the story is in the first two paragraphs. That means you must lead with the facts – think of the answers to who, what, when, where and how.

• Tailor the story to the  specific media outlet – A church in Quinton for the very local papers, A Birmingham church for the Post, Mail and radio stations or a West Midlands church for Midlands Today and Central. Don’t invite a radio station to a photocall!

• If you want to express an opinion put it in quotes and attribute it to yourself or someone else. The press cannot repeat opinion or sentiments not directly attributable to a named person. Eg At St Patrick’s Church we think that flower festivals remind us to be good stewards of creation. Try instead; Organiser the Rev John Smith said: “I believe a flower festival reminds us to care for creation..."

• Try to create a photo-opportunity with each story – it is worth the hassle for the extra space in the paper.
  
  
• Don’t expect reporters to come out to events. Give them all the information they need to write the story. Photographers do not work in the evenings.

• Try and centre your story around people e.g. "The Church is holding a litter pick-up" is a bit vague and passive. Try instead "More than 200 people are expected to put on their gardening gloves and pick up litter."

Buy your local papers, listen to local radio and find out who is talking about what. Remember if you are in Birmingham the Evening Mail has community reporters covering the city and Solihull. They are listed in the area supplements inside the paper.  If you need to find contact details for a paper you can also try www.mediauk.com .

Remember a news story is anything that is unusual, unexpected or innovative. Things you do all the time can become newsworthy if they link to news agenda of the moment. You may well have something to add to a radio phone-in.

A feature is anything that talks about people and their lives in a way that will connect with readers, viewers or listeners. If you think you have a story and you want to test it out do give me a ring on 0121 426 0438.

There are thousands of Christians in this Diocese but we rarely hear them on the radio or read about them in the press. It is not often you get the chance to preach to 100,000 people at one time but you can if you use the media.

Jessica Foster – Bishop’s Director of Communications, Diocese of Birmingham.