Media Guide 1 - What is Media?
The term ‘media’ is used to cover national and regional newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and the Internet.

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What is Media?

What is Media?

National Newspapers
National broadsheets such as The Times, The Guardian and The Telegraph tend to cover serious stories in depth. In general, these papers will not be interested in local community stories unless they are also of national significance or tie in with a topical national news story. These newspapers and their associated magazines also have dedicated space for arts, music, gardening etc which can be used as an alternative route to raising an issue.
Tabloid newspapers (eg The Sun, The Mirror) tackle subjects in less depth. They tend to be more scandal and outrage than policy and issues. However, they are read by a great number of people and many have supplements on health, women etc where you may get coverage.

Local Newspapers and free sheets
Local newspapers cover community-based news for specific areas.
Your local media is probably the most effective channel through which voluntary and charitable organisations can communicate their message to a mass local audience. As members of the communities they serve, local press and broadcasters are able to respond to local issues, news and events more quickly and willingly than their national counterparts. Running smaller stories of local significance is what they are all about.
83% of all adults in the UK regularly read a regional or local newspaper. This means your local press, while not so glamorous as the national dailies, is the most widely-read medium in the country.

Trade Press
The voluntary sector trade press is important for charities and voluntary organisations.
Also, included under this sub-heading are corporate newsletters and magazines, these can reach hundreds of people employed in your area. There are dozens of other possible outlets for your information – train magazines, hospital radio, student publications, local authority newsletters.

Radio
Both local commercial and BBC radio stations have a remit to provide a certain amount of local news. The BBC is the quality press of the airwaves. Longer news bulletins and dedicated discussion programmes provide extensive opportunity for in-depth coverage and analysis.

Television
Television is one of the most effective ways of gaining recognition and exposure for any organisation. Over 70% of people quote TV as their main source of news, and for young people it is almost six times more popular than print.
As well as the news and current affairs department of any TV network, there will be specific researchers and journalists producing magazine programmes, daytime TV, social action broadcasting, and documentaries. Any of these could be possible outlets for your story, news or feature.
The teletext service is produced for ITV and channel 4 by Teletext Ltd and includes national and regional news, and may other pages of specialist information.
The Community Channel is an exciting new Sky digital channel devoted exclusively to promoting the work of charities and voluntary organisations. For further information log on to www.communitychannel.org or call 020 7874 7626.

Internet
Most newspapers are now also published on the Internet which allows them to be updated instantaneously. Internet editions also have much more information than their paper counterparts.
Many other websites and service providers offer news and feature services. As with any other media, see who is covering your area and add them to your contact list.

Deadlines
The media work to tight deadlines; you have more chance of getting coverage if you work to these deadlines also.
Evening papers – first editions print as early as 10am. They are desperate for stories to be supplied the previous afternoon.
Dailies – can take material up to around 7pm the day before, however, the earlier you get it to them the better.
Weeklies – generally have a deadline the day before publication. This is usually for front-page news, other pages will be laid out several days previously. Call to find out what timescales suit the newspaper you are targeting.
Radio and TV news can respond quickly to events, but for the main part, you’ll be looking for coverage in the features and general programming ideas. For this you need to give as much notice as possible, many are planned weeks in advance.
Other important factors will affect whether you get coverage – number of releases sent that day, journalists competing for space, big stories breaking which will wipe out everything else, eg the Asian Tsunami.