Drive the Message Home: Work with the Media
Reach out to reporters who cover education and/or parenting issues at radio and TV stations, local newspapers, popular community newsletters, and neighborhood blogs. Give them stories about teen leaders who are offering solutions to teen driver safety.
Use these resouces to develop your story ideas.
"10 Things People Don't Know About Teen Driving"
Share the Drive handouts
Web resources
After developing your basic story idea:
- Practice using your own words to talk about 2 or 3 big ideas.
- Think of the section of the paper that might cover your story — news, metro, entertainment, sports, or the commentary page.
- Locate the right reporter for your pitch — Pay attention to bylines. Look for reporters who have covered similar issues, such as school safety, graduated driver licensings laws, and recent traffic accidents.
- Have background information ready (the who what, where, when, and why of your story or event).
Use some or all of these tools:
- News Advisory — This is an invitation to the media to cover your event. Provide just the who, what, when, where, and why.
View a sample news advisory - Press Release — This should read like a newspaper story
View a sample press release
Detailed tips on writing a press release - Letter to the Editor — This is a response to an article that ran in a particular publication.
Sample student letter
Sample adult/advocate letter - Op-ed — This is the newspaper page next to the editorial page where opinions by guest writers are presented. To express your opinions about teen driving safety, use well-documented facts and add little-known facts. If needed, ask a school administrator, PTA president, or other community leader to author the op-ed piece to ensure acceptance.
Sample op-ed - Press Conference — This is a presentation of information or announcement of a new initiative to a group of reporters. At a press conference, reporters are often given the opportunity to ask questions, either in a Q & A format or during a scheduled time following the presentation.
Organize a press conference:
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Schedule a time when reporters can come. (Mid-morning and mid-week are generally best. )
- Schedule an event for them to cover, as well as the press conference, such as the Share the Drive Pledge Wall or Raid the Streets.
- Do a small study/poll of teen driving habits, perceptions and issues in your area and use the press to share the results. Call reporters personally and encourage them to come. Think about where the TV cameras should be placed.
- Provide reporters with take-home materials as a "press kit." The press kit should include a press release, news advisory, background on your school or organization, and photo/contact information.
- Ask the media to sign in at the press conference. Then follow up with them, asking them if they need additional help with the story.
