It seems more and more people are talking by telephone less and less, so many think all communications can or should be done solely via email or texting.
When it comes to newspapers and other media, that’s not necessarily true. In many cases, talking via phone or in person are vital if a story is to be written and published. The Newsleader staff is always happy to receive news releases and story tips from readers, but now and then there is a delay in processing and publishing them. Readers can help us out by being sure to include the following information, the most important being a telephone number:
News releases
News releases are informational, matter-of-fact items readers would like published in the newspaper. They don’t usually require any follow-up interviews by the news staff.
The most important thing to include is a telephone number, the name of a contact person and preferably the best time to call that person.
It’s also important to be sure to include what we call the Five W’s: Who, What, When, Where, Why.
Here’s a hypothetical example:
For more information, call June Slattery at 978-355-2011.
Who: The Orion Club. The main speaker will be nationally known identity-theft investigator Richard Schimske. Local police will also talk about identify thefts that occurred in the area.
What: A free two-hour class about how to avoid identity theft.
When: 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26.
Where: The Orion Club building, 904 Fifth Ave. S., Parker City.
Why: To acquaint people with tips to protecting personal and financial information to help avoid identity theft via email, telephone, use of credit cards and debit cards and postal mail and other ways.
For more information, call June Slattery at 978-355-2011. (Best time to call is mornings before 9 a.m. June is the Orion Club president.) Her email is junesl897@yahoo.com.
Here is how that information would be published as a story in the newspaper:
Headline: Orion Club to present identity-theft class.
Published Story
Tips on how to protect oneself from identify theft will be shared during a free two-hour class at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, at the Orion Club in Parker City.
Nationally known expert on identity theft, Richard Schimske of Chicago, will be the featured speaker, along with local police who will share examples of identity theft in this area.
The class will cover how identify theft that can occur via stolen information derived via telephone, use of credit cards and debit cards, postal mail and other means.
For more information, call Orion Club President June Slattery before 9 a.m. weekdays at 978-355-2011. Or email her at junel897@yahoo.com.
The Orion Club is located at 259 Fifth Ave. S. in Parker City.
Story tips
The rules for submitting story tips should include the same kinds of information as press releases: Who, What, When, Where, Why and (please don’t forget) a phone number, the name of a contact person and best time to call.
Story tips are different from most news releases in that more information is necessary to flesh-out the story. That information is obtained by an interview with a reporter in person and/or via telephone call.
Here’s an example of story-tip information provided to the newspaper.
“Hello Newsleader. We wondered if you would be interested in doing a story about a neighbor of ours. Her name is Cecilia Plaquemort. She is only 17 and is an amputee. Despite that, she saved up money, then took a trip to Tanzania where she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. It was always a dream she had, and she raised money for people who need prostheses. I talked to Cecilia and her parents. They are all willing to be interviewed for a story. If interested, call me, Jon Germaine, at 765-930-5692. Or call the Plaquemorts at 765-930-5773. Best time to call me or them is after 5 p.m. on a weekday.”
Here’s the start of feature story, as based on information obtained in telephone and in-person interviews with the Plaquemort family.
Headline: Plaquemort’s dream brings her above the clouds
Published Story
Standing on the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro in East Africa, Cecilia Plaquemort of Parker City took a deep breath, pinched herself and shouted to her fellow climbers, “Am I dreaming this or what?!”
No, the 17-year-old wasn’t dreaming, although her climb up Kilimanjaro was a long-time dream. Some said it would be difficult, if not impossible, because Plaquemort is an amputee, missing her left leg below the knee due to a car accident five years ago.
“In grade school, we had a guest speaker who had climbed Kilimanjaro, and so I wanted to climb it too,” Plaquemort said. “After the accident, after I lost a leg, I was more determined than ever to reach that summit, no matter what.”
And so, dear readers, to repeat, please, please, please always leave a contact telephone number (any maybe an e-mail address) when submitting news releases or story tips.
