John and Bobbi Robinson of Vanderbilt, PA write:
“Unity, a Journey of Hope, is our nonprofit that grants wishes to adults with a life-limiting illness.
“We take them to concerts and sporting events, introduce them to people they want to meet, send them on vacation with a friend or family member, or send them on trips to meet relatives they haven’t seen in awhile.
“It has been impossible to get our story onto the local Pittsburgh TV stations. Coverage in the local newspapers has been awesome. But the TV stations are like a fortress. If your Hounds have any ideas on how we can pitch an idea to the local stations and get on the air, their help would be appreciated.”
First, as someone in remission from lymphoma, I heartily applaud this program. You MUST get the word out about it.
Joan is right about emphasizing the visual. This story needs a very personal touch. TV stations are more willing to run footage they take themselves. Extend individual invitations to memebers of your TV stations to accompany you on these outings. If you get no takers, ask just one of their team, to go along, perhaps the weather person. A good reporter will also want to talk to participants about what the program means to them. This is an incredibly touching story that cries out for coverage. Good luck!
Roberta Stein, Skokie, Illinois
With a family’s permission, invite one of these television reporters to accompany Unity to an event with a local recipient. Suggest that reporters to talk to the family, someone from your organization and a physician (doesn’t have to be the individual’s doctor, but one that treats life-limiting patients) about how these outings and trips help them forget about their health challenges and simply focus on a good time.
Try pitching the morning news/feature shows in Pittsburgh, including the weekend shows. They’re often easier to get onto than the weekday news, where you’re facing more competition from hard news stories.
If you’re granting a wish that ties into Thanksgiving, like sending someone to see their relatives on Turkey Day, pitch that a few days before Thanksgiving. Likewise with Christmas.
Having had success in the Pittsburgh market, I can say for certain that you must study each television station and contact the reporter who is most likely to cover your inspiring and newsworthy story. Several health related reporters come to mind as well as a new morning anchor who just published her second book on caregiving tips. Follow the savvy advice above and just keep plugging at it! Good luck and God Bless!