The Institute for Youth Development KULT held an NGO MeetUp on the topic of NGOs in the public media space, as one of the Localworks activities. The MeetUp hosted editors from public broadcasters BHRT, FTV and TVSA. Our guests shared advice, their experiences, and opinions with participants, helping establish stronger cooperation between NGOs and the media. Participants asked questions and learned useful tips, including the different ways of reaching out to the media.
The recommendations below stem from discussions with Dejan Petrović, BHRT’s news editor; Ivica Pjanić, FTV’s morning and cultural program editor; and Mirzo Sulejmanović, TVSA’s head of news and education programming.
We offer 11 useful tips below:
- Organize events before noon!
In the morning slots, broadcasters have more capacity, the press teams have not yet left to do field reports so they are more likely to be free to come and cover your events!
- Use simple language in press announcements!
Using simple language guarantees that your audience understands you. No matter how specialized, specific or niche your topic is, describing it in simple words will allow each of the editors/journalists to understand what you are trying to convey and what your ideas and goals are.
- Rotate people who represent your organization!
This can be challenging depending on your human resources but try to make sure you are represented by different people in the media. In addition to the president/director, make sure that other employees, members, or volunteers appear in the media, depending on the topic. New faces make for a less monotonous experience and will make you more interesting both to the media and the audience.
- Send event announcements as early as possible!
For broadcasters to be able to include you in their schedule, it is important to announce your event as soon as you have confirmed the time and venue. Editorial board meetings are held in the morning, usually at 9:00 am, which is when capacities are discussed for the day and decisions are made on what to cover. If you have not announced your event beforehand, do it no later than 9:00 a.m. on the day of the event!
- Never organize events on Wednesdays or Thursdays!
Wednesday and Thursday, or the middle of the week, have the highest proportion of government events that public broadcasters are required to cover. Government sessions and other political events keep the media occupied, and you are unlikely to get media space during this time. The beginning or end of the week is ideal for events organized by civil society organizations.
- Organize events in other cities and branch out from Sarajevo!
As much as you want to organize your event in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, you must be aware that Sarajevo is sometimes oversaturated with events. Public broadcasters are required to cover events from other cities, and these are often scarce. By organizing events in other cities, you increase your chances of receiving media coverage. Public broadcasters have their correspondents in cities throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Always be available to the media!
Befriend editors and journalists so you can better promote your organization. When they invite you, try to be available and flexible. They will remember this and reciprocate when you need their support the most.
- Feel free to use personal acquaintances to reach your media space!
Due to the hustle and unpredictability of working in television, editors and journalists sometimes, despite their best efforts, don’t have time to read all their emails. Because of this, your event announcement can very easily end up as an unread email. Don’t hesitate to use private phone numbers and personal contacts if you happen to know someone who works for public broadcasters.
- Use the reporting guidelines – answer WHO?, WHAT?, WHEN?, WHERE?, WHY?, HOW?
When writing a press release, try to answer the questions WHO?, WHAT?, WHEN?, WHERE?, WHY?, HOW? in a few sentences. These are the basic principles and guidelines for media communication. By providing straightforward answers to these questions, you will give the journalists basic information about your event.
- Don’t send walls of text!
Detailed explanations and long texts when presenting your event do capture editors’ attention. Long texts can be time-consuming and confusing and are often dismissed. Describe the event you want covered by the media clearly, concisely, and in just a few sentences.
- Invite journalists and editors to your trainings!
Even though editors and journalists are good researchers who strive to gather all necessary information about the field and topic your organization deals with, they still want to learn new things too. Do not hesitate to invite them to your trainings, so they can learn more about your organization.
We hope you find these 11 tips useful for organizing your next event. Be proactive and announce your event on time, using simple language and clear information. Build partnerships with the media!
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