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- From : W6HIR @ WA6NWE.#NOCAL.CA.USA
- To : RACES @ ALLUS
- Msgid : $RACESBUL.183
-
-
-
- TO: ALL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES/OFFICES VIA THE ARS
- INFO: ALL RACES OPERATORS IN CA (ALLCA: OFFICIAL)
- ALL AMATEURS U.S. (@ USA: INFORMATION)
- FROM: CA STATE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES (W6HIR @ WA6NWE.CA)
- 2800 Meadowview Rd., Sacramento, CA 95832 (916)427-4281
- RACESBUL.183 DATE: August 19, 199
- SUBJECT: PRESS-PUBLIC RELATIONS, Part 2/5
- The point is that the world is looking at ham radio from a
- new perspective. Hams have had their play.....and.....until new
- Mt. Everest's have been conquered.....and....we can tell our
- story in terms that are understood.
- Hams in today's news environment need a "new peg" in order
- to make the news pages. We need to tell our story. The story of
- the good we do. The story of the public services we
- perform.... with new and enlightened vigor...and patience.
- Remember a few minutes ago when I told you about my public
- utility feeding the press pablum? That's what we have to do.
- Only ours needs to be oats and honey and perhaps a pint of warm
- cream.
- So how do we perform this miracle? "It ain't gonna be easy
- McGee," as Molly used to tell the Fibber. But it can be done!
- What we are fooling with here is the basis for a textbook
- case in public relations. We don't need new twists in the PR
- aspects, it is just that we have to understand the need to tell a
- complicated electronics story in terms that a person with a
- seventh grade education can understand. Preferably with
- pictures.
- Remember the old Chinese proverb...."A picture is worth one
- thousand words?" If we can successfully "sell" a picture before
- it is taken, then we have the basis for a "photo opportunity."
- All we need to do is get hold of the local newspaper, radio and
- television station and tell them in graphic terms what is about
- to come down...or what is happening.
- I have gotten the horse before the cart...but I have not
- left the barn door open.
- Good public relations for Amateur Radio begins by
- cultivating the press. That is accomplished by careful care and
- feeding. Very short telephone calls -- or personal --
- conversations with the City Desk, or Assignment Desk of the local
- newspaper or TV, or radio station.
- That conversation might go something like this:
- Ham: "Hi. This is Joe Doakes. I am an amateur radio
- operator -- a ham -- and I thought you might like to know about
- X, Y or Z." Make it short. Be credible.
- (to be continued)
- EOM
-
-