Air Quality Contacts
For more information, please contact Victoria Martinez.
"If it weren't for the It All Adds Up spots, we wouldn't be able to run radio ads, because they're so expensive to produce."
Reggie Korthals, Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission, IA
A little advice never hurt anybody...
It All Adds Up turns to the professionals in transportation, marketing, and public relations for tips and advice on the issues that matter most to air quality outreach and education professionals. Below is a summary of what some of the experts have to say, please click on the following articles:
Funding is one of the biggest challenges for communities hoping to implement air quality awareness programs. The CMAQ Improvement Program run by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is one source of funding that many cities, states, and regions have turned to over the years.
What is the CMAQ program?
CMAQ is a federal program that funds state and local efforts to reduce air pollution from mobile sources and thereby contribute to the attainment and maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Established in 1992, CMAQ is a "flexible" funding program that allows us to fund a wide variety of innovative transportation projects to reduce emissions.
How does the program work? What are the requirements?
CMAQ funds are apportioned to states based on the severity of their air quality problems and the number of people who live in the problem areas. The program is administered by the Federal Highway and Federal Transit Administrations in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but state and local transportation agencies determine their funding priorities. CMAQ is a reimbursable program under which the state is reimbursed for authorized activities.
While the majority of funds have gone toward new transit vehicles, transit infrastructure, and ITS programs, education and outreach activities—such as increasing awareness of transportation and air quality connections, advertising alternatives to single occupant vehicle (SOV) travel, and promoting commuter choice options—are also eligible for CMAQ funding. Organizations interested in obtaining CMAQ funding for education and outreach projects should prepare a proposal according to their metropolitan planning organization's or state DOT's procedures. All proposals must document their emissions benefits and the sponsor's required 20% funding match before eligibility is determined. Because education, marketing, and other outreach activities are not easy to quantify, the proposal should include an explanation of the emission reduction contribution, even if it is not strictly quantifiable.
Who has used CMAQ funding for public education and for what kinds of activities?
Many communities, including several of the It All Adds Up communities have used CMAQ funds for public education with great success. The lead organizations are MPOs, State Departments of Transportation, state and local air agencies, and city government offices. Communities have used CMAQ funds for developing, customizing, and distributing ads and outreach materials; creating and distributing teacher/student educational materials; conducting special events; providing employer incentive programs; and evaluating their programs' impacts through pre/post campaign consumer surveys. (These have demonstrated increased awareness of the connection between transportation and air quality, as well as changes in attitudes about alternatives to driving alone.)
We support education and outreach activities as an essential tool to raise awareness and promote transportation/air quality initiatives. We have seen tremendous creativity under the CMAQ program, and I am sure there are many great ideas that just need some funding to get off the ground.
Many transportation projects and programs that contribute to compliance with the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) likely qualify for transportation conformity credit and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Improvement Program funding. Understanding some of the requirements may help It All Adds Up partners in air quality in their hunt for conformity credits and budget support.
The 1990 CAAA set limits on outdoor air pollution in the United States with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQs). Areas with air cleaner than these federal health-based outdoor air quality standards are called attainment areas; areas that don't meet the standards are called non-attainment areas; and areas that were non-attainment and have been redesignated as attainment are called maintenance areas.
States prepare State Implementation Plans (SIPs) to provide for implementation and enforcement of control measures to attain and maintain the NAAQS. SIPs are collections of regulations and measures used by states to reduce emissions from all sources and demonstrate attainment and maintenance of air quality standards.
SIPs can include a wide variety of measures—from the use of new technology to reduce vehicle fleet emissions to public awareness efforts (such as air quality alerts) and initiatives (such as It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air)—on which federal funds may be spent.
The CAAA require that, in non-attainment and maintenance areas, metropolitan transportation plans, transportation improvement programs (TIPs), and projects funded or approved by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) or the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) are consistent with air quality goals. In other words, transportation plans, programs, and projects must "conform" to the purpose of the SIP.
Every metropolitan area must adopt a plan and a TIP. The plan is a 20-year multi-modal list of projects that is updated every four years in non-attainment and maintenance areas. The TIP is a prioritized list of transportation projects the region plans to undertake over the next four years. In non-attainment and maintenance areas, a conformity determination is also required to demonstrate that the total emissions projected for a plan or TIP are within the emissions limits established by the SIP.
Some transportation projects help reduce emissions, while others don't, isn't that right?
Yes, some projects and programs in a plan and TIP may increase emissions, and it's incumbent on regions to find ways to offset them with those that reduce emissions so that, overall, air quality is improved.
Is that how "credit" comes into play?
Yes. Credits help regions stay in conformity or achieve conformity. If you have a program that can help reduce emissions, you could use it as a "credit" to offset projects that may increase emissions. The other benefit is that often there are federal funds to support some of these "creditable" programs-usually CMAQ funds.
To be approved for credits, regions have to demonstrate that the program will result in a reduction in emissions and that they are committed to the program.
What happened in your state?
We were concerned we might have difficulty passing the conformity budget test, so we worked with agencies and organizations in the metropolitan region to develop programs to reduce emissions. One of them was an existing Ozone Action Day program. We enhanced the program; made it more visible; and, with CMAQ funds, expanded it. By working with the regional offices of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the FHWA, we were able to design an action day program that qualified for emissions credit in our conformity determination.
Why did you think your air quality outreach and education program might earn conformity credit?
Well, we knew EPA's guidelines for the voluntary mobile source emissions program say you can take credit in an SIP for these types of programs. We worked with our EPA regional office to verify that the emissions benefits could, instead, be credited in a conformity determination. For regions that are just starting to explore this idea, consulting with their Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and their EPA regional office are good first steps.
But you still had to enhance your Ozone Action Day program to make it "credit-worthy," right?
Yes, we stepped it up. Our Ozone Action Day program is now a year-round outreach and education program in which we collaborate with our transportation management associations, as well as others who work with employees, to get the message out about the connections among transportation choices, congestion, and air quality. We also display Ozone Action Day alerts and information on our highway signage and run radio spots and TV spots-much of the content coming directly from the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air initiative.
How did you get the ball rolling toward achieving conformity credit?
We worked through the Interagency Consultation Process, which includes the other agencies involved in governing air quality conformity in our region. In addition to collaborating with our MPO to increase funding for the Ozone Action Days program, we listed it as a separate project in the plan and TIP, which indicates the region's commitment to the program. The next step was calculating the emissions benefits. In our case, we didn't have any survey data that could serve as a baseline, so we worked through the Interagency Consultation Process to determine how we might estimate the emissions benefits of the program.
Without any survey data or other quantitative information, how did you argue your program's effectiveness in order to calculate the credit?
Working with our partners in the Interagency Consultation Process, we agreed on an initial estimate of how effective the program might be in reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and emissions. Those assumptions, along with data we collected from studies on similar programs around the country, served as a baseline. We estimated that our program would reduce VMT by 1% in both a.m. peak and p.m. peak travel periods. We will be evaluating the effectiveness of the program, comparing the results to our assumptions, and adjusting our projected emissions benefits, as needed.
It sounds as if connecting in the Interagency Consultation Process is the first step.
Yes, the first and most important step is working with your partners in the Interagency Consultation Process to see if they are willing to work with you to "credit" your public education and outreach program for conformity or SIP purposes and, if so, to determine a reasonable estimate for that credit.
It's also important to mention that, although we were able to generate credit for the expanded program without having an evaluation component in place, we committed to evaluating the program. It would be tough to get interagency agreement to allow credit for a public education program that hasn't monitored its effectiveness and adjusted its projected benefits based on that information, without a clear commitment to do so in the near future.
Could our MPO fund our air quality program and then take the credit?
The first thing you should do is approach your MPO, state agency, or regional EPA office to see if there's interest in pursuing conformity credit for public awareness efforts. Ask if you could partner with them to try to generate funding and conformity credit for their public education activities. Right now, I think New York is one of the few states—if not the only—taking conformity credit for an air quality awareness program. That may be because our program is run by the State Department of Transportation, so we are very aware of air quality conformity issues and the crediting process.
There are a lot of high-quality, effective public education and outreach programs out there and they ought to get as much support and credit as they can.
How can the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air materials help me spread my transportation and air quality messages?
First, as you start to plan your outreach activities and materials, think about ways the It All Adds Up core messages—vehicle maintenance, trip chaining, and alternate modes—mesh with your communication needs. Then, preview the materials and tools located in the Free Materials Library and identify where the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air logo, theme, and materials could best be used in your outreach. In addition to the print, television, and radio materials, there's valuable content that can be integrated into your Web site, including five flash animations, online quizzes, as well as static web imagery.
Communities have used the marketing materials in a number of different ways, including:
Event and Activity Suggestions Event and Activity Suggestions (DOC, 44K) Event and Activity Suggestions (DOC, 38K) Event and Activity Suggestions (DOC, 35K)Please use the evaluation research tools to measure and evaluate your progress.
Can we customize the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air materials?
Absolutely. All of the materials are free for you to use and we encourage you to customize them to fit your needs. All of the ads and fliers are available in PDF format with space for adding your logo/URL. If you choose to create materials larger than 8.5" x 11" for professional, commercial-quality results, please use the InDesign files. If you don't have InDesign software, a local printer or designer, or even a copy center should be able to help you.
To create camera-ready copies, print the ads on glossy, photo-proofing paper.
Are there more options for customizing the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air print materials?
The messages and materials were designed to fit with a variety of transportation and air quality programs and issues, so there are many ways to use them. Popular ideas include adding the It All Adds Up logo to brochures and using the print ad headlines and copy in collateral materials, such as live-read radio ads, calendars, gas pump toppers, and event announcements.
Have the It All Adds Up materials been effective?
The It All Adds Up materials have helped regional, state, and community organizations across the country to build coalitions of diverse parties and to develop public education programs that have raised awareness of the connections between transportation choices, traffic congestion, and air quality.
Groups like the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Partners for Clean Air used It All Adds Up materials to replace their previous public education campaign and thereby increase awareness of Ozone Action Days. Other organizations that have successfully used the materials include Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission, the New York City Department of Transportation, the Dover/Kent County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority, the Fayetteville Area MPO, and the Central Florida Clean Air Team, to name a few. To read about these and more success stories, click here.
What are the basic principles to consider in evaluating the achievements of an outreach program?
You need to demonstrate that you have taken the steps necessary to increase awareness and influence the attitudes of your target audience. An effective communications program first raises awareness and then influences attitudes. The ultimate objective should be to affect action.
Understanding this "awareness, attitudes, action" sequence is key. Document how your communications program increases awareness and moves attitudes in a way that creates a positive environment for action. You can use process evaluation and impact evaluation measures to show how your efforts have made a difference in awareness and attitudes. (See the Evaluation Chapter in the Resource Tool Kit for more information and exemplary measurement tools.)
Are there any pitfalls to avoid?
It can be tempting to overly rely on measures of behavior change. It is very difficult to prove that a single communications program was the cause of a reduction in vehicle emissions or traffic congestion. Your program messages interact with a variety of factors, including the enforcement of laws and regulations, the price of gasoline, quality of mass transit, highway conditions, and technological innovations. In demonstrating the impact of your program, don't accept credit or responsibility for factors over which you have no control. Do focus your program where it can do the most good and deliver measurable benefits, i.e., in raising awareness and changing attitudes.
Why do you recommend bicycling as an alternate mode of transportation?
Bicycling is fun, inexpensive, and healthy! More than 22% of all motor vehicle trips that Americans take are less than one mile long, and 50% of the working population commute five miles or less to work, an easily bikeable distance. Every time you bike one mile instead of driving, you burn more than 100 calories, as well as save money.
A good bike can cost you as little as $200, and in less than six months will save you that much in gas money and gym expenses. Plus, the only thing you're emitting into the environment is sweat!
What is the League of American Bicyclists doing to promote bicycling?
The League of American Bicyclists promotes cycling through education, advocacy, and promotion. Our members and staff lobby Congress and the states to include cyclists in their city plans and budgets, and to make bicycle-friendly roadways a priority.
We reward cities through our Bicycle Friendly Community program, which gives cities status as a bronze-, silver-, gold-, or platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community. Currently, there are 49 recognized communities around the nation, and more than 100 communities have applied. It is a rigorous application process, with evaluations from people in the city and bicycle advocates across the nation. This program helps cities, even the ones that don't receive status, learn how to implement bicycle-friendly community programs. The Bicycle Friendly Community program is sponsored by generous grants from the Bikes Belong Coalition. New Bicycle Friendly Communities are announced in the first few weeks of October.
The league is the primary sponsor of Bike Month, which is held every May. Shimano, Inc., is a partner, helping us encourage Americans to take their bikes out of their garages during May and try commuting, riding to do errands, or just riding around the neighborhood. The third week in May is Bike to Work Week and that Friday is Bike to Work Day, celebrated by clubs and riders across the country with breakfasts, free T-shirts, community gatherings, and more. To learn about Bike Month, please visit their Web site.
Our National Bike Summit is an annual meeting where advocates and cyclists gather on Capitol Hill to speak to legislators about the importance of cycling and how it helps people and communities stay healthier. In addition, we have an annual ride with our members and other cyclists where we speak about the league. Please consider joining us!
What challenges have you faced in promoting bicycling as an alternate mode of transportation? How have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge we continue to face is getting the public and the media interested in bicycling as a transportation option, not just as a fitness-related or fun activity. We have been successful when we highlight transportation and air quality concerns in our press releases and newsletters. We also have found it is important to communicate with key audiences as often as possible.
In addition to using the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air print and broadcast materials on bicycling, what else can organizations do to promote more bicycling in their communities?
I would recommend that communities look beyond the typical bicyclist when identifying their audience, and promote bike riding as a family activity and practical transportation option. Your messages should be understandable and relevant to the general public, not just bicycling enthusiasts. I encourage you to look into becoming a Bicycle Friendly Community.
For more information on bicycling, please visit the League of American Bicyclists' Web site.
For more information on bicycle safety, please visit the Federal Highway Administration's Web page.
Some people are telecommuting and others are teleworking. What's the difference?
Teleworking is using telecommunications to work anywhere—a car, the airport, a telework center, a branch or satellite office, your hotel room, etc. People who telework aren't necessarily avoiding the use of transportation; they just aren't working at a company's central location. Telecommuting uses telecommunications to avoid the use of transportation to travel to and from work, which obviously is the best choice for reducing air pollution and traffic congestion. The terms are often used interchangeably, perhaps because managers' business-case proposals and cost-benefit analyses tend to be more readily accepted when the term telework is used.
We know telecommuting offers bottom-line benefits for employers, employees, and the community. So why aren't more people doing it?
The corporate culture still has to get over its notion that employees will be less efficient if they telecommute. It simply isn't true. Companies that offer telecommuting enjoy improved productivity of 7% to 20%, or more. With today's technology, there's really no excuse for employers not to offer a telecommute program. For example, with smart phones, managers can easily communicate with their staff in real time. For a list of the many benefits of telecommuting, read the It All Adds Up "Why Telecommuting Works" fact sheet (adapted from the Telework Coalition) and the GSA web publication "A Guide for Managers, Supervisors, and Telework Coordinators."
How could a public outreach team encourage employers to recognize the air quality benefits of a telecommute program?
It's very important to first pitch the benefits of telecommuting to a business's bottom line, because employers must see the business case before they'll even consider establishing a telecommute program. For example, the flu season presents an opportunity to talk about telecommuting as a way of maintaining continuity of operations. A telecommute program would allow employees to work from home when they, or their family members, get sick. Periodic transit strikes, bad weather, traffic incidents, and increased security due to terrorism threats at transportation hubs might also prompt employers to think about setting up a telecommute program. For helpful information to give employers, see the GSA web publication "A Guide for Managers, Supervisors, and Telework Coordinators."
To get the environmental standpoint in the minds of employers, use the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air winter Flash animation or trip chain/telecommute Flash animation in an email that explains the air quality and gas savings benefits of telecommuting. Include a link to the Telework Coalition air pollution calculator so managers can easily see the positive impact they would have on the air if they use telecommuters. That can be very empowering and satisfying for an employer. Another great calculator tool that breaks down the monthly or yearly costs of a person's commute is available from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (WASHCOG). Finally, be persistent and follow up with employers to reemphasize that telecommuting is not a fad, but a sound business strategy that benefits the employer, employees, and the entire community.
So, are most employees already on board with the idea of working from home?
Yes and no. One of the things we've found is that people would rather switch jobs than lose their telecommuting privilege, especially among people 40 years and older. The baby boom generation is particularly eager to telecommute and stay committed to it. We think one of the reasons some people, especially younger people, don't stay committed is that they like to socialize at work. That was actually the case with my daughter. So I told her to take the time she would have spent commuting to meet her friends and socialize. She tried it and it's working very well for her.
There is a huge pent up potential for more telecommuting. In WASHCOG's Commuter Connections "State of the Commute" survey report, it found that (on top of the 14.6% already telecommuting) an additional 18% of workers have jobs that would allow them to telecommute and would be interested in telecommuting. Atlanta's Clean Air Campaign 2003 survey found that 28%-50% of those who don't telework would be interested in teleworking at least one day per week. So, you see, the potential for more telecommuting/teleworking is enormous.
How do you reach the employees who still need convincing?
One of the most impressive results of working from home is time saved. The study, "Federal Telework: No Free Ride" (November 16, 2005) shows teleworking just two days a week allowed the average federal employee to recoup 98 hours in free time and $4,372 per year. That's like getting extra vacation days from your employer and a lot of extra money in your pocket! Who wouldn't want more time and money in their life? You could share that information at events and in ad campaigns. Ask workers to multiply their round-trip commute time by the number of days they might telecommute/telework so they can see how many hours they would save each month or year.
To show the environmental benefits of telecommuting/teleworking, the Telework Coalition's or ( WASHCOG's air pollution calculator) on a laptop computer at clean air events could work well. Take the opportunity to discuss the environmental benefits of telecommuting, and if you can get online access, let people do the calculations themselves. Print cards with some It All Adds Up telecommute facts; leave a few blank spaces to write in the gallons of gasoline that person would save and how much air pollution they would eliminate if they worked from home.
To help employees approach their supervisors with a request to telecommute, have plenty of printed resources on hand, such as the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air "Telecommuting and You" and "Why Telecommuting Works" fact sheets. For other tips on how employees can make the business case to their employers, read GSA's "A Guide for Managers, Supervisors, and Telework Coordinators."
What steps must an employer take to implement a telecommute program?
To implement an effective and efficient telecommute program, employers should take the following steps:
What is the Telework Coalition doing now to promote telecommuting?
We are working to get Congress to abolish the double taxation of interstate telecommuters. We're also trying to get legislation passed that would give telecommuters a $500 tax credit. To learn more, visit the Telework Coalition's Web site. We consult regularly with local and international corporations and governments on the benefits of teleworking and telecommuting. We also offer in-house courses on implementation of telework programs and managing remote workforces and regularly hold conferences for senior executives, managers, and their teams.
The answer is a resounding "Yes." Publicizing your air quality efforts is a great way to build support for your program and increase your likelihood of success. Fortunately, getting the media attention your program deserves is easier than you think. In fact, every year thousands of stories about air quality outreach and education programs such as yours appear in regional media, with local project staff generating many of them.
You don't have to be a media pro to get good coverage—you just need to do your homework!
Sounds good ... how do I get started?
The first steps are to become familiar with the newspapers, magazines, and news Web sites for your area, and to study local radio and television programming—to learn what media outlets are available and who covers your topic or topics related to it. Then decide which reporters and editors you should target.
The first place to check is your public affairs or press office or that of one of your partners. If you don't have access to such a resource, you have several options. You can check the Yellow Pages, although it won't have the names of the reporters, program directors, or general managers. You will find them in the "Broadcasting and Cable Yearbook," which is at most libraries and is only available in hardback. Note: It only covers stations within city limits.
If you're not sure which newspapers are in your area, you can find a good listing of U.S. papers and their Web sites at the U.S. Newspaper List. For a good listing of broadcast media, see the list of State Broadcasters Association.
Once you have this information, use it to build your media contact list. This important directory should include the names of editors, reporters, and producers and their mail and email addresses, phone/fax numbers, and pertinent notes and reminders. An Excel spreadsheet is a simple, efficient way to organize and update the information.
You might also consider hiring a public relations (PR) firm to develop your list for you. They purchase powerful databases, such as Bacon's, that can quickly find the information you need. One directory of PR firms and ad agencies is O'Dwyers.
I've completed my media list. Should I start calling everybody on it?
Not so fast. Now that you know the media that serve your area, you need a plan. Start thinking about your public relations goals—what are you trying to accomplish? Do you want to increase program awareness, get people to take an action, build public support?
When thinking about that, you'll need to identify your audiences—both the ultimate audience, which is the reader/viewer, and the one that receives your materials, the media. You also need to designate a spokesperson for your program and determine his or her availability for interviews. If possible, also try to have someone who can speak about your program in another language—someone who represents a heavily populated non-English speaking community in your region.
Now is also the time to pull together your press packet/media kit—any materials you have, such as a fact sheet, brochure, photographs, and press releases on your previous outreach events, logos, and other resources.
Once these items are organized, it's time to decide on your message.
A great way to get your ideas flowing is to write the headline of your dreams, which should point you in the right direction. Once you know what you'd like the news to be, you need to back it up. Reporters love facts, numbers, and data, which is a perfect opportunity to use the It All Adds Up facts and information you've gathered in your evaluation efforts. (See the It All Adds Up seasonal fact sheets (below) or the Education Center for more information on evaluating your program.)
Fall Fact Sheet on Alternate Transportation
Tips and statistics you can use "as is" or incorporate into your collateral materials
Winter Fact Sheet on Trip Chaining and Telecommuting (DOC, 39K)
Tips and statistics you can use "as is" or incorporate into your collateral materials
Now you're in good shape to start making some lasting media connections.
Should I approach each news medium differently?
Yes. There are many media outlets, which is why it's important to know which media your target audiences are likely to use. The goal is to focus your efforts where they will have the greatest effect. In addition to radio, TV, and newspapers, people also get their information from newsletters and the Internet, each of which requires a different approach for getting the best results.
Newspapers, whether daily or weekly, focus on "who, what, when, where, and why." Reporters want to know, "What is the news and how does it affect our readers?" It's most important to answer the question, "Why should I care?" because newspaper reporters have short lead times to develop stories and must choose quickly from a large pool of news items. Think like a reporter and you're more likely to get results.
Magazines have a longer lead/development time. In other words, it could be months between the time you've successfully pitched a story and the publication date. That means you need to plan way ahead. Think about stories that are best suited for the magazines you are targeting. Magazine articles are more feature oriented. Think of profiles, notable program results, or a particular angle that might be compelling to the magazine's readers.
Television news stations, including the local affiliates of national networks, always focus on regional issues, so be sure to contact them about your initiative. The most important thing to remember about television is that it is a visual medium—viewers need something to look at. Television is the perfect opportunity to get your public outreach events and activities publicized-because people are doing things.
Radio is another great medium for placements. One of the most effective ways to get out your message is by using a 10-second ad to sponsor the traffic and weather reports during peak drive times (see the It All Adds Up ads below):
These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
Winter Radio Ad Scripts (DOC, 28K)
These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
Radio Ad Scripts in Spanish (DOC, 26K)
These ads can be easily customized with local information and then taped or read live by community leaders or radio personalities
If your local station includes talk radio, you may be able to place your spokesperson on a show, especially if you can tie your news to trends or statistics (for ideas, see the It All Adds Up seasonal fact sheets.
Radio DJs are an invaluable resource for helping you spread the word to the public before and during air quality fairs and activities. DJs provide great, spontaneous ways to draw to your event listeners, especially drivers, who otherwise wouldn't have known about it.
Web sites are another good way to reach today's audiences. Most newspapers, TV stations, and magazines also have an online publication, which is frequently updated. The editors and writers of the online versions are often different from those of the traditional versions, so you may need to make separate pitches. Remember, as with all media outlets, it's important to understand who the Web sites target and what information they cover.
Daybooks are another important tool for you. Daybooks give the media a calendar of events in their area. News services, such as the Associated Press, maintain daybooks and distribute them to journalists. Assignment editors frequently check them to decide what to cover. You must pitch the daybook editors about a week in advance—pointing out what is newsworthy and what makes your event appealing to the media and provide the event schedule. Your listing will be very simple—no press releases or media kits required-just who, what, when, and where, along with contact information.
Is there anything I should avoid doing or saying when pitching to the media?
Before you call the media to pitch your story, you need to be prepared to speak competently and quickly about your message. The best way to do that is to develop a set of pitch points—the main ideas you will convey during your call. Have facts and figures to back up your story, along with your list of spokespeople. Keep your calls upbeat and helpful. Always be informed, resourceful, and friendly.
Know when to pitch. If you sidestep this critical factor, you risk losing the eyes and ears of busy editorial teams. Newspapers have short lead times. Magazines have long lead times. Radio talk programs often book guests well in advance. So make calls early to find out your media outlets' lead times.
To publicize an event, get started a month or two ahead. About a week before the event, fax or e-mail a news advisory to everyone on your media list. Then, follow up with phone calls to gauge interest. The day before, send the advisory again and make a few last calls.
If you don't get the coverage you were seeking, give it one more shot by faxing or e-mailing a news release immediately following the event. It's still possible to land a day-after story.
I want my program featured in the big regional papers—how do I make that happen?
First, don't underestimate the value of small newspapers! Newspapers—big and small—are a great way to reach a broad audience, including area residents, decision-makers, elected officials, and business leaders. Believe it or not, the rules for pitching to small and large newspapers are similar: familiarize yourself with the paper, send a press packet/media kit to the right reporter, then give them a call.
When you call, resist the urge to immediately ask if they received your materials and if they plan to use them. Instead, take the opportunity to introduce yourself and your organization. Let them know how you can be a resource to them. Mention a few facts and figures to grab their attention. The It All Adds Up seasonal fact sheets provide dozens of compelling facts worth their ear.
But don't go overboard! Your main objective is to use the call to build a relationship and develop a good rapport. Be sure to check back from time to time to keep the reporter in the loop about your program. The idea is to make the reporter receptive to news about your campaign. Finally, remember that getting a placement in any newspaper is an accomplishment that will further the success of your program.
What additional resources do you recommend?
The It All Adds Up Web site and AirShare are two of the best resources available for air quality and transportation professionals who are planning a media outreach campaign.
The It All Adds Up seasonal press release templates (below) are excellent time savers to help get you started:
I especially recommend the It All Adds Up comprehensive media and public relations Resource Tool Kit. The kit is chock full of useful information featured in a user-friendly, step-by-step format.
