The Workshop new media associate Marissa Wasseluk breaks down some ways to be an effective blogger and invites you to this year’s Making Media Connections conference. Read the complete post on the NPcommunicator blog!

Blogs share your stories. Across the web, individuals and organizations are doing what paper newsletters did in the past – connecting with an audience of eager readers. Letting advocates know the success of your programs, calling them to action, asking for donations, and garnering new supporters, can all be done more immediately – and perhaps more effectively – with a blog.

The concept behind using blogging as one of your main communications tools is simple: the more content you post, the more real estate you own on the Internet, and the easier it is for your advocates and potential audience to find you.

And how do your readers find you? Post relevant content, often. In the realm of the Internet, content is king.

Effective blog content stems from the following: Read More

Check out our latest blog post about all the tools you need to communicate your story! From our Press Release Generator, Submitting to Community Calendars to our very own Media Guide. Read more to find out what resources are available for FREE!

Getting On Air, Online & Into Print is now available online! Access a wealth of Chicago and Midwest media contacts anywhere online by visiting http://www.chicagomediaguide.org.

Days passes with 100 record exports are now available for $45 and unlimited year passes are available for $495. Contact Maggie Walker at maggie@newstips.org for special discounts for previous subscribers.

From mainstream to multimedia, Ray Hanania works “both sides of the wall”

Growing up on the Southside of Chicago prepared journalist Ray Hanania to wear many labels. His schoolyard detractors wouldn’t take “I’m American” for an answer. So, Hanania sought out his father’s advice.

“Well, geesh, you know, don’t tell them your Palestinian. Tell ‘em you’re Syrian or Lebanese,” said his father. Imagine a time when it was okay to be Syrian or Lebanese, says Hanania.

Hanania returned to school, fearful of being beat up by taunting classmates, and offered the bullies this answer:

“Well, my dad said I’m cereal. But I think my mother is lesbian. I don’t know.”

Closing out this year’s Making Media Connections 2010, Hanania admitted he’s technically not a journalist, but he is “the face of the future.” As an award-winning freelance journalist who writes for 18 blogs, pens a column for several Arab news outlets, hosts a radio show, does comedy, and serves as the spokesperson for Cicero, Hanania said he has no desire to go back to working in mainstream media. Read the rest of this entry »

The panelists for “How Weblogs are Transforming the Media Landscape,” at the Community Media Workshop’s Making Media Connections conference: (left to right) Andrew Huff (Gaper’s Block), Barbara Iverson (moderator, Columbia College Chicago) and Eric Zorn (Chicago Tribune). (Photo by Jason Pettus on Flickr.com)

The web has made it easier for us to get our stories out, but what about our events? Most journalists will admit that covering a nonprofit event such as a fundraiser won’t make the headlines unless you have some untouchable “newsworthy” guest or if you are savvy enough to bridge the event to current breaking news features.

But what most people don’t know is that news sites often have “community calendars” where users can submit their own events or tips to be published on their site and in some cases featured in the day’s news broadcast or news publication. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s many ways to contact news outlets about news they can use. One way is through news outlets’ websites. Submit press releases and media alerts to Chicago and other Midwest news outlets using the links below. A word of advice: Be selective when choosing news outlets to send your news too. Consider the geographic area the outlets cover and the readership/viewers they serve. Consider publications’ frequency. Will your news be timely by the time it might be published?

Chicago-area Outlets

• ABC Television
WLS-TV (ABC7-Chicago) does not accept press releases via email. All documents should be faxed to (312) 899-8019. For a directory of links for ABC New’s various national programs click here.

• American Bar Association Journal
All press releases should be emailed to releases@abanet.org.

• CBS Television
WBBM-FM (CBS2-Chicago) accepts press releases on its Web site. This page should be used to contact all national programs. Read the rest of this entry »

by David M. Freedman & Janice E. Purtell

All firms with more than one employee should have a clearly written media policy that spells out who in the organization may respond to media inquiries, what kinds of information can or should be released to reporters, and what information must be kept confidential.

It’s important to assure your employees that talking to the media, and establishing good relationships with reporters, can and should be constructive. It can help to establish an accurate public perception of who you are and what you do. There’s no need to feel intimidated: Reporters need you as a source of news and background information as much as you need them to give you publicity and clarify your point of view. Read the rest of this entry »

by Debbie Neville

As the corporate Web site becomes a powerful communications center, public relations practitioners should make sure the site effectively supports the media relations function. Here are several strategies to ensure that reporters can easily find your site when they need information about your company, locate useful information within your site, and feel encouraged to contact you.

Make sure the press can find your site. Try to register all possible names for your company. If possible, a Web site name should be the company or organization’s name (or appropriate abbreviation or acronym) followed by .com, .org, or .firm. Most reporters will try that before utilizing search engines. Make sure your meta tags (hidden HTML code that provides information for search engines) include critical key words related to your organization, and ensure that your home page title includes both your company name and major business category. For example, the page title for XYZ Company, which an HR software vendor would access, might read: “XYZ Company delivers HR software solutions to businesses worldwide.” Include your Web site address on everything — business cards, product literature, press releases, e-mail signatures, etc. Read the rest of this entry »