You want to keep up with the newest
developments in areas that affect peoples lives - health, children,
homes, diets, finances. How do you get up-to-the-minute news?
You're working on a story about a
government program or issue, or you want to interview a government
spokesperson. How do you find the right place to call?
You've got very limited space, but you
want to give your readers a source for more information. Where can you direct
them?
The answer to all of these questions is the Federal
Citizen Information Center (FCIC). To get the help
you need call FCIC’s Media Hotline at (202) 501-
1794. We’re available between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00
p.m. Eastern Time. If we can’t answer your questions
immediately, we’ll research them and call
back promptly with your answers. And we’ll do
everything we can to meet your deadline!
FCIC also offers the following free
media services:
What Is the Federal Citizen
Information Center?
The Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) was
established in February 2000 as the result of a merger
of the Consumer Information Center (CIC) and
the Federal Information Center (FIC). The merger
combined the Consumer Information Catalog,
Consumer Information Center’s website
(pueblo.gsa.gov), and the Pueblo publication distribution program with the FIC nationwide toll-free
telephone assistance center. The new FCIC now
serves as a trusted, one-stop source for answers to
questions about Federal agencies, programs, and
services. At the National Contact Center, a specially
trained staff answers questions in English and
Spanish from the general public about all aspects of
the Federal government or direct callers to an appropriate
contact. The public can access the call center
by calling toll-free 1 (800) FED INFO (1-800-333-
4636) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.
FCIC maintains close ties with more than 100 different
Federal offices, agencies and departments, as well as many consumer and
trade organizations. Call the FCIC media staff at (202) 501-1794
and we can help you find the right contacts at these agencies and organizations
quickly.
FCIC’s Websites
A great way to keep up-to-date on the latest consumer
news is through Federal Citizen Information
Center’s websites at pueblo.gsa.gov. You can
access a library of "New for Consumers" press releases at and find all of the latest consumer
information you need in our online press room.
Additional features include updates of consumer news and notes from various Federal agencies, listings
of the latest scams and product recalls, and a
calendar of consumer-related events. Visitors can
read, print out, or save the current Catalog and the
full text of all the publications listed.
Consumeraction.gov features the full text of the Consumer Action Handbook. The Handbook offers tips on topics such as buying and leasing cars, protecting your privacy and yourself from fraud, and
shopping from home. It also includes links to hundreds of other Federal websites; state, local and county consumer agencies; FCIC corporate publishing partners; consumer organizations; and corporations and
trade associations with ongoing consumer programs.
USA.gov is the official U.S. gateway to all government information. This site
pulls together more than 180 million Federal, state
and local government web pages. Here, citizens can
get easy-to-understand information and services
from the government 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. They can also use an e-mail form to send
questions and comments for a response within two
business days. The public can use USA.gov’s
Citizen’s Gateway to access information on such
topics as Social Security, filing taxes, buying surplus
Federal property, and more. The Business Gateway
links to information on business opportunities, laws,
and regulations. The Government Gateway connects
to important resources for Federal, state, local, and
tribal governments.
In addition, FCIC operates kids.gov,
the official interagency children’s portal
to the U.S. government, linking kids to all the children’s
resources of the Federal government. The site
features more than 400 kid-friendly links in one
easy-to-find place. Links are organized by topic
area and by whether they are a government agency,
school, private or commercial organization. The
links are safe and age-appropriate.
Consumer Information
Catalog
The Consumer Information Catalog is the way
that many people learn about booklets available from Pueblo, Colorado
81009. The free Catalog is published quarterly, and it lists lists nearly 200 free and low-cost federal booklets on everything from employment
to health, money management to housing, food to getting Federal benefits.
Complimentary Review Copies of
Booklets
Members of the media can order complimentary review
copies of both free and sales publications. Our most requested publication is the Consumer
Action Handbook. For a copy of the Handbook, the
Consumer Information Catalog, or to request
copies of specific publications, call the Media Hotline at (202)
501-1794 or fax (202) 501-4281.
New for Consumers
Releases
FCIC regularly sends New
for Consumers news releases to print, web and broadcast
outlets. The
releases give tips from publications listed on our
website and in the quarterly Catalog. A “New for
Consumers” release can be used to offer a publication
to your audience, or the substantive information
in the release can be incorporated into a column or
feature story. Many Action Line columnists use
these releases to answer readers’ questions. For
selected major articles in large circulation newspapers
or magazines, FCIC can give your promotion a
unique address and count the number of orders your
story generates. You can choose to have hard copies
of our “New for Consumers” releases mailed to you,
or you can receive them electronically via FCIC’s Media E-mail List.
Public Service Advertisements
The Federal Citizen Information
Center produces public service advertising for television,
radio
and print media.
The PSAs motivate consumers
to visit FCIC’s various websites or to call for
selected free information. The TV and radio spots
are professionally produced to be entertaining as
well as informative, usually with a humorous theme.
They are available in 60, 30, 20, 15, and 10-second
lengths. The TV spots are available on 3/4”, 1”, VHS,
DVC Pro, and Beta SP formats. The radio spots are
available on CDs. The eye-catching print ads come
in multiple sizes, ranging from one-half column inch
to a full page and are in black and white and color.
FCIC can satisfy any special printing or electronic
requirements for print ads.
Special Addresses for the Media
The Federal Citizen Information Center
maintains a variety of special addresses to help speed the processing of orders
received in Pueblo. The addresses given in the New
for Consumers releases are set
up especially for media-generated orders.
The addresses listed in the Consumer Information
Catalog are for booklets ordered only by using the
Catalog order form. If you plan to list one or more
booklets from the Catalog, please call the Media
Hotline at (202) 501-1794 to get the correct mailing
address, telephone number, and/or website address
for the online order form and to make sure FCIC’s
distribution facility in Pueblo has enough copies of
the publication to meet your audience’s needs.
Printer-friendly version
Updated February 2006 |