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 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 »

HOW CAN NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS GET MEDIA ATTENTION DURING AN ELECTION YEAR?

Given that news about various political campaigns will consume much of the media’s ink and air time during an election year, Kevin Lampe of Kurth Lampe, a public relations and political consulting firm based in Chicago, offers his advice on how nonprofit organizations can gain media attention for the important community issues they are addressing. He suggests:

Nonprofits can use an election season to deliver their message through political campaigns. Read the rest of this entry »

Photo by jochemberends on Flickr.com

After several months of relative calm in the Chicago media landscape (with thankfully few layoffs), activity has picked up significantly in the last few weeks, with lots of announcements, many of which strike us as very promising developments for the future of news coverage in Chicago.  Several of the announcements involve the creation of actual new outlets altogether, staffed at least in part with former daily newspaper folk.  Below we will try to cover all the changes that have occurred:

First off, the Sun-Times has gotten a new owner/savior in Mesirow Financial’s Jim Tyree.  He and his investor group seem willing to pour resources into the long-starved daily.  Here’s hoping that they succeed. Read the rest of this entry »

Check out some pics taken at our CommuniCamp Open Space un-conference from Thursday October 29th at Film Row Cinema at Columbia College. View the photo gallery

Were you there? Do you have photos you want to share with us? Email cmw@newstips.org and we’ll add them to the gallery.

Also, check out the notes taken from the break out sessions on our Adventures in Nonprofit Communications site.

Recognize these brands? The Red Cross, United Way and the YMCA…

There’s a conscious effort for nonprofits to build their brand. If your nonprofit needs a jump-start, we’ve got the training for you! Register for Branding for Nonprofits.

Tell us who you think is doing a great job branding their organization. Does your logo speak well to your mission? Does your messaging use the right metephors? Tell us…

New updates and a few corrections to the 2010 Media Guide have just been posted on the User Forum. You must be a registered user of the site to gain access to the updates.

If you are already a member, you can check out the updates here or you can register as a new network user here.