PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING

1. PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING

2. PR and Electronic Media VNRs PSAs Podcasts In-house channels

3. Video News Releases (VNRs) A broadcast-style version of the printed press release. These can be used to promote products or services, particularly if they can be tied to news, corporate announcements, or to assist media in covering a crisis story. 

4. VNRs normally include A VNR usually looks like a news story (a complete package with words and video) and is followed by b-roll, which is video without sound or with natural sound. These may be accompanied by a suggested script. This lets the journalist use the VNR as is, read the script with the B roll, so the package includes his or her voice, or create his or her own story using the b-roll as background.

5. Ethical consideration It is always the PR person�s responsibility to identify the source of the VNR when it is presented to the media It is also the news organization�s responsibility to indentify the source on air Video should never be edited to create a false impression MimyX: http://www.prwatch.org/fakenews/vnr10

6. Public Service Announcements (PSAs) Short messages produced on film, video, or audiocassette and given to radio and television stations. Generally sent as ready-to-air audio or video, although radio stations (especially community or public stations) sometimes prefer a script their announcers can read live on the air. �

7. Pros and cons of PSAs Pros They are free and can be very effective. (Remember �This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs�.Any questions?) Can be a great tool for nonprofit public relations, particularly if they are things everyone can get behind. � Cons Like a release, there is no guarantee they will run. The competition for free air time, as you might imagine, can be a bit stiff. They may not run at a time that you think is ideal because that time is very desirable among advertisers willing to pay; they are often used as fillers at odd times

8. Podcasts A digital audio or video file delivered through a non-streamed webcast Companies and organizations longer have to rely on media to deliver audio and video directly to their publics. They can use their own websites to post their podcasts (audio and video) or post to YouTube or other video sites E.g. http://www.youtube.com/user/JNJhealth

9. In-house channels Some organizations provide their own channels for employees or other publics E.g. JagTV or NavyTV http://www.jag.navy.mil/news/jagtv/jag_tv.htm http://www.navytv.org/maintenance.cfm E.g. NASA channel http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

10. Writing for broadcast Difference between print and broadcast Broadcast is written for the ear; print is written for the eye Broadcast content has to be simpler, because if people don�t understand something, they can�t refer back to it. People look to broadcast news for quick up-to-date information. The focus, then, is on current information, rather than detail (as in print).

11. Writing for the listener Broadcast is more conversational; sometimes uses contractions, second person, even sentence fragments. Sentences are shorter � no more than 20 words � are simple and active. Stories use words like �today,� �tonight,� �this afternoon.� Numbers are rounded off to the second digit so they are easier to remember. Professional titles are shortened Unfamiliar names are delayed until the story can catch the audience�s attention

12. More writing for the listener No middle initials Descriptions, ages and identifications come before the person�s name Attributions come before the person�s name Direct quotations are avoided. Paraphrase unless using an actuality. Pronouns are avoided Descriptive language used sparingly Avoid lists

13. Writing for the announcer Add phonetic spellings (. . . .) tells the reader to pause Hyphenate words that go together in a group Spell out numbers up to and including eleven Use a combination of numerals and words for large numbers (e.g. 40-thousand)

14. More writing for the announcer Use words instead of abbreviations or symbols. Hyphenate abbreviations on second reference (e.g., F-B-I ) Do not hyphenate acronyms that should be read as words (e.g., NASA) Avoid alliteration, tongue twisters, or lots of S sounds or P sounds Read all copy aloud for awkward sounds

15. Leads for broadcast Broadcast leads do not try to cram the who, what, where, when, why and how into the lead, because that is too much for a listener to take in.� Listeners generally miss the first few words of a story, so the lead is meant to capture the listener�s attention before the information starts coming through. i.e., "On the New York Market today...," �

16. Writing the lead The CBS handbook suggests:� Give the meaning or significance of the story in the first sentence. Then the viewer has a reason for listening to the basic facts in the second sentence. For example: � "Hopes for three new city schools suffered a jolt today. The city budget manager said there is no current city revenue will support the construction."

17. Types of broadcast leads Soft lead i.e. Borders was slow to get the message as the big-box retailer lost book, music and video sales to the Internet and other competition. The result: It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Wednesday, and will close nearly a third of its stores. Hard lead i.e., Borders Group has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and plans to close 200 of its stores and reduce its staff, the nation's second-largest book retailer said Wednesday. Throwaway lead i.e., After weeks of speculation, Borders has made it official. The bookstore chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Wednesday in a federal courthouse in New York. �

18. Body of broadcast piece Broadcast stories use an inverted pyramid format. The most important info comes first, second most important second, and so on. Because stories are shorter, every sentence is important. They should be tight, with no extraneous information.

19. Writing for TV (with visuals) Many words for camera, few for film (words dominate when camera is on announcer, but words are supplementary during visuals) Write to video Let the picture describe Nothing is more irritating than hearing detailed descriptions of scenes you can see clearly Moments of silence are OK

20. PSA length Most stations prefer 30-second spots For TV, keep the announcer's copy 2 or 3 seconds shorter than the entire length of the PSA.

21. PSA format Copy should be typed, double-spaced. You can put more than one spot per page for the shorter ones, but with 30 and 60 second spots, put them on separate pages. The top of the sheet should list: how long the PSA should run (i.e., "FOR USE: November 18 - December 20" or "IMMEDIATE: TFN" [til further notice]) length of the PSA what agency or group the PSA is for, and title of the PSA. Script should be split into two columns; the left lists directions, camera angles, sound effects, etc. and the right column lists all dialogue. Bottom of the sheet should be marked with "###"