
                                Ŀ
                                News Products
                                

                                 News Releases

              News Releases can be among the most effective tools you 
         use in your public relations efforts.  This may seem hard to 
         believe, but much of what we read, hear or see in the news is 
         prompted by a news release.  The News Media really does want 
         to know what is going on in the community and News Releases 
         provide valuable tip-offs for stories.

              Among other things, News Releases can be used to make 
         yourself "The Expert" in the field.  There is much attention 
         being paid in Washington D.C. to the National Data Highway.  
         By making yourself the expert in computer communications, 
         local media might contact you for local reaction to a story 
         about the National Data Highway or other topics, including 
         computer pornography.  





                                                          BBS-PR pg 10










              On any given day, a news department can receive dozens 
         of News Releases.  If you send a News Release to a Newspaper, 
         or Radio or TV station, don't assume it will be used.  Lack 
         of a local angle, lack of timeliness, and obvious business 
         promotion are among the reasons most are thrown away.  The 
         biggest portion of those that are thrown out, though, are 
         News Releases that are poorly written.

    Ŀ
                      Topic Ideas for News Releases                   
                                                                      
    New BBS                                          Major New Feature
    Millionth Caller                                 Meetings/Seminars
    Public Service performed by BBS                  Awards           
    Recent Membership in National Organization       Crisis Management
    Change in Ownership/Management                                    
    Unusual or Controversial Message Threads or Files                 
    Local Angle to National Story                                     
    

              Anyone who has watched tv dramas about reporters knows 
         that the basics of a news story are Who, What, When, Where, 
         Why.  Those are also essential to a News Release.

              You should also strive for clarity and brevity.  Even if 
         you consider yourself a poor writer, if you include all of 
         these factors, your News Release will probably be at the very 
         least readable.

              A News Release should have a Headline, a release date 
         (even if all it says is FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE), and contact 
         information in addition to the news itself.  Put the news 
         release on your BBS stationary and include a business card.  
         Even if your News Release is thrown away, the business card 
         might be put into someone's rolodex.

              Focus on your information.  What exactly is it you want 
         to convey?  The best news releases usually have one specific 
         point to make and everything else supports that one point.  
         Think logically.  Your first paragraph, or the lead to use 
         journalistic jargon, should make your point clear.  The 
         second paragraph should have more information that supports 
         the first, the third should support the second and first, so 
         on and so on.  

              Write simply.  Don't use "big" words unless you 
         absolutely have to.  They won't impress anyone.  You should 
         also write short simple sentences.  Long complex sentences 
         are harder to read.  Newspapers are written at an eighth 
         grade reading level.  Broadcasters have only one chance to 





                                                          BBS-PR pg 11










         make the listener/viewer understand the story.  If you have 
         the media confused you will be ignored.

              Avoid the use of computer, modem or telecommunications 
         jargon.  Jargon that is used should be explained in simple 
         terms.  For instance: "GIFs are pictures that can be viewed 
         on a computer screen."  That may be oversimplified, but it 
         works.

              One page is usually sufficient for a News Release.  Two 
         pages are acceptable, but more than that is pushing the 
         patience of the person you sent it to.  However, if you have 
         material to support your News Release, such as a graph or a 
         table, include that also.  If they want more information they 
         will call you.

              Even if your News Release does not become recycling 
         fodder, it may not be used immediately.  It may be put into a 
         file for future use.  

              The file PR-SAMP.TXT includes sample news releases along 
         with explanations of how and why they were written.


                         Public Service Announcements

              Radio and TV stations devote some programming time to 
         Public Service Announcements, or P.S.A.s.  Newspapers may not 
         call them that, but they run them as well.  These are a bit 
         trickier to write than a News Release mainly because there 
         are fairly strict rules concerning what is or is not a PSA.

         The litmus tests for a PSA are:

         1.  Is the group mentioned a profit organization?

         2.  Is the topic of the PSA controversial?

         3.  Is the group mentioned controversial?

         4.  Will the reader/listener/viewer feel they are hearing an 
         ad as opposed to a PSA?

              If the answer to any of those is "yes" that doesn't 
         necessarily mean it is not a PSA.  Chances are, though, it 
         won't qualify.

              PSAs have much in common with News Releases in that they 
         will include Who, What, When, and Where, but might not have a 
         Why.  If there is a cost involved, that needs to be included 





                                                          BBS-PR pg 12










         as well.

              PSAs will normally be sent to the PSA Director at Radio 
         and TV stations.  PSAs sent to Newspapers can usually be sent 
         to the Editor, who will know which department to send it to.

              Many PSAs can be sent on a postcard.  The file PR- 
         SAMP.TXT has a sample PSA.


                               News Conferences

              My first thought on holding a News Conference is not to 
         hold one.  Unless you have something of extreme importance or 
         of a compelling nature, a News Conference probably won't be 
         necessary.

              There are only two reasons I can think of for a BBS to 
         hold a News Conference.  One is when a BBS is launched, but 
         even that is of marginal news value. The other is Crisis 
         Management.

              Whichever the case may be, you need to be fully 
         prepared.  Have copies of your statement and support 
         materials available to distribute to members of the media 
         that attend.

              If I am hesitant to recommend a News Conference, I am 
         adamantly against a Sysop holding a question and answer 
         session only.  If you have a News Conference, you had better 
         have something specific to say or you are going to alienate 
         those attending.  

              Although it is acceptable to read directly from your 
         printed statement during your News Conference, you need to 
         practice it several times beforehand so you are completely 
         familiar with it.  You might even want to practice the entire 
         News Conference.  This can be accomplished by having some 
         friends or business associates listen to your statement and 
         grill you afterword.  Chances are many of the same questions 
         a reporter will ask will be asked by this "practice group."

              Why do you need to answer questions following your 
         statement?  There may be something in your statement that was 
         unclear, or maybe needed to be expanded.  Sometimes you might 
         even be asked to repeat certain sections.  But when things 
         appear to be slowing down, don't be afraid to call an end to 
         the News Conference.  Make yourself available for individual 
         interviews following the News Conference.  TV or radio 
         stations might want a more intimate sounding discussion of 





                                                          BBS-PR pg 13










         what the News Conference was about instead of the formal 
         statement.  A reporter might have a question he/she didn't 
         want to ask in a group setting.

              Your News Conference will be competing with all the 
         other news events going on throughout the day.  Don't waste 
         time and don't expect everyone invited to attend.  I've found 
         early afternoon or mid morning to be the best times to hold 
         News Conferences.

              News Conferences can be a very productive method of 
         getting your message across.  But they are also quite 
         misused.  Hold a News Conference only if you feel the need is 
         absolutely imperative.



                             Ŀ
                             Handling the Media
                             


              Timeliness is a very important factor when sending 
         material to the media.  

              Most News Releases that are not dated can be mailed at 
         any time.  If they are going to be for release on a specific 
         date, they should be mailed one to two weeks before the date.  
         Public Service Announcements and Event Schedules should be 
         sent two to four weeks before the event.

              This gives the media plenty of time to schedule 
         reporters and other resources.

              I do not recommend calling an Editor or reporter asking 
         when your News Release or PSA will be published or aired.  
         They might consider this badgering.  However, you might call 
         and ask if they received it and had any questions.  That 
         doesn't guarantee that it will be used, but it might increase 
         its chances, and you might even find out when it would be 
         used.

              The Media is not the enemy.  When you are talking with a 
         reporter or a group of reporters there is no need to be 
         nervous.  Be friendly but professional.  Treat them as you 
         would your co-workers.

              Generally, be calm but assertive.  You have the 
         information they want.  Because computer communications is 
         still a burgeoning field, reporters may ask what you think 





                                                          BBS-PR pg 14










         are dumb or inconsequential questions.  Just answer them 
         patiently.  Offer information you think is pertinent to the 
         issue.  The more facts they have the more accurate the story 
         will be.

              If you read, see or hear a news story that you feel was 
         unfair in its coverage of the BBS Community, don't be afraid 
         to call or write the Editor or News Director and complain 
         about it.  Don't be angry, but point out what you feel was 
         unfair.  The worst thing you can do is get into an argument 
         with a member of the media.  Any headway you've made 
         previously can be destroyed.  You are more likely to be 
         listened to by being candid but keeping your head on your 
         shoulders.  They might make a retraction to the offending 
         story or offer you the opportunity to set the record 
         straight.  If nothing else, you got it off your chest.

              Video cameras are so ubiquitous these days that you 
         shouldn't give them a second thought.  You should be aware of 
         their presence though.  A dark sport jacket with a light 
         colored shirt works best on camera.  Flashy or very colorful 
         clothes can be very distracting.  The viewer might pay more 
         attention to what you are wearing than what you are saying.

              Never, ever, at any time knowingly tell a falsehood.  
         You'll be caught and you'll be hung out to dry.  If you say 
         something that later turns out to be incorrect, then you can 
         honestly admit your mistake.  In addition, if there is 
         something you don't know, admit that also.  It's always 
         better to admit a lack of knowledge than it is to dance 
         around a question with a pseudo-answer.  You can always look 
         up the correct answer and call the reporter later.

              Drawing on that same theme, if you have gotten into a 
         situation in which you feel you have gotten in over your 
         head, defer the issue to someone you feel comfortable has the 
         proper skills and knowledge.  In most cases, a reporter will 
         accept your suggested replacement.  The only time it might 
         not work is when the reporter is asking about something that 
         directly impacts you or your BBS.  

              This may seem obvious, but you should return calls 
         promptly.  Reporters are always under some sort of deadline 
         pressure.  The sooner you can return their calls, the more 
         they will appreciate you.










                                                          BBS-PR pg 15










                               Ŀ
                               Market Research
                               

              Who needs to do Market Research?  You do.  The days of 
         opening up a BBS with a few file areas and some message bases 
         are numbered.  Successful BBSs will be those that plan 
         carefully with an eye toward what users really want-- not the 
         desires of the noisy few.

              While online questionnaires are quite useful, they often 
         don't go far enough or have a large enough base for you to 
         make long term decisions.  The biggest problems are low 
         response rates and questions that answer themselves.  Very few 
         online surveys that I've seen provide enough qualitative 
         information for anything other than short term planning.

              If you are planning on pulling in some new message 
         bases, but want to know which ones will actually be read by 
         users, then online questionnaires are quite sufficient for the 
         job.  But if you plan on opening a new BBS, a major change in 
         image or thrust, or becoming a larger player in the BBS 
         community you probably need to do more than question your 
         active users.

              But there are still times in which you must simply go 
         with your visceral instincts.  If you have just done the most 
         extensive survey in the history of the industry, you may just 
         have to do what your gut tells you to do, even if it is in 
         total disagreement with what the research says you should do.

              The easiest, least expensive, and probably the most 
         effective research for BBSs to do is call-out research.  Pick 
         up the phone and start dialing.  But you must have a method.


                               Creating a Survey

              Depending on what you want to find out, you'll want to 
         angle your research in different directions.  A person 
         setting up a new BBS is going to need information different 
         from that an established Sysop would need to consider whether 
         to expand or add services.

              For our purposes, let's assume you want to do some basic 
         research on the group of people that use modems.  To make 
         things as easy as possible, we'll assume you will be 
         conducting 100 surveys.  This does NOT include people who 
         hang up on you or you terminate because they do not fit the 
         demographic profile you are looking for.





                                                          BBS-PR pg 16










              The first thing you'll need to determine is the 
         demographic breakdown in your community as a whole.  What is 
         the percentage of men and women and their age groups?  This 
         information can easily be found at your local library.  Use 
         the most recent census data available.  Take those 
         percentages in each age/sex demo and conduct the same number 
         of surveys (23% women aged 25 to 32 in your community, then 
         23 surveys with women in that age group).

              The first thing you need in the survey is a set of 
         Terminal questions.  These questions help you determine the 
         age and sex groups you need, whether they own computers, 
         whether they own modems and how often they use modems.  If 
         they don't answer any of the questions in the appropriate 
         manner, you break off the interview.  These people are NOT 
         included as part of your 100 completed surveys.

              If you want an overview of the BBS community compared to 
         the community as a whole, you will need to keep track of the 
         people that are terminated.

              Since we are developing a profile on the modem using 
         public in your community, we need a set of questions to 
         determine how often they use them and in what manner.  We 
         then need some questions to find out what services they use, 
         what activities they participate in, and what they might see 
         as any shortcomings. 

         Finally, some questions on their hardware and software.

              All these numbers can be inserted into a spreadsheet 
         program.  From there you can make pie charts or bar graphs to 
         represent just about anything and help you make planning 
         decisions.

         There is a sample survey in the BBS-SAMP.TXT file.

              Here are some terms that are in the sample survey that 
         you might want to know:

              PROMPT-- Ask about listed items.  Subject may offer one 
         or more.
              QUERY-- Ask for more, do NOT specify.  Ask "Anything 
         else?" and write down responses
              (see XX)-- Depending on response to a question, then go 
         to the question with that number (eg: see 5B)
              SPECIFY-- Subject may offer an answer.  If not, ask.
              TERMINATE-- Bring to an end.







                                                          BBS-PR pg 17










                                Making the Call

              You don't need to buy a list in order to make call out 
         research.  All it takes is a phone book or city directory.  
         City directories are helpful in that they will have phone 
         numbers and addresses that may not be in the phone book.  
         City directories are also expensive, especially when compared 
         to that phone book you received when you ordered a phone 
         line.

              Starting with the first residential listing, keep 
         dialing down the column until you are able to get a completed 
         survey.  Skip the rest of that column, next column and start 
         at the top of the following.

              For example, if you have a three column phone book (most 
         are), you get a completed survey on the tenth call in the 
         second column.  Skip the remainder of the second column, skip 
         the third column, and then start again at the top of the 
         first column on the second page.  This will give you a fairly 
         random sample.

              Also make sure you do not purposely call business 
         numbers.  Businesses get irritated when people make 
         unsolicited calls.  Many individuals do as well.  Expect a 
         lot of people to hang up on you.

              ALWAYS thank the person at the end of the interview, 
         even if you terminate them after the first question.



                              Ŀ
                              Crisis Management
                              

              The first thing to remember about Crisis Management is 
         to avoid creating one.  That isn't always possible.  In that 
         case, the second thing to remember is "Don't Panic."  You 
         simply don't have time.  Always keep your head.

              It's quite unlikely BBSs will be responsible for 
         volcanic eruptions or toxic waste dumps.  Most crisis a BBS 
         would be involved in are legal in nature.  If that's the 
         case, you'll need to contact your attorney at once.

              In fact, you might even want to consider keeping one on 
         retainer or having a pre-paid legal plan.  Your attorney 
         should be familiar with communications law and First 
         Amendment Issues.  Your local Bar Association should be able 





                                                          BBS-PR pg 18










         to help you find one.

              The media has easier access to prosecutors than to 
         defendants.  That is why in most criminal cases it appears a 
         suspect has already been convicted and hauled off even though 
         the case has not yet been brought to trial.  The good news is 
         that more defense attorneys are becoming media savvy and are 
         willing to make statements to reporters.

              Most of the time, the best thing to do is to let your 
         attorney do your talking for you.  Among other things, that's 
         what you are paying him for.  He will know what can and 
         cannot be said in public and is in a better position to deal 
         with legal intricacies that may come up.

              For now, the online community tends to rally around BBS 
         operators who have been accused of improprieties.  Unless 
         your counselor objects, you can begin drumming up support 
         from within the industry.  Among other things, you can make 
         legal documents available in computer readable form.  Contact 
         industry magazines such as BOARDWATCH, BBS CALLERS DIGEST and 
         CONNECT and let them know what is happening.  But you should 
         always advise or consult your attorney before doing any of 
         this.


                                Friendly Faces

              I've made this point before and I'll make it again.  
         Reporters assigned to cover a story involving BBSs or other 
         online services may not fully understand the industry.  Some 
         of them may even be technophobes.

              With that in mind, there is another position you can 
         work yourself into.  That is the position of the Local 
         Expert.  For sake of example, another Sysop has run into 
         trouble with the law.  You could make yourself available to 
         help explain what some of those complicated technological 
         terms are all about, making sure you stay clear of the legal 
         issues involved.  You may not get your face on TV or your 
         name printed in the paper, but you will be providing a 
         valuable service to your local media.


                              The First Amendment
                                    at Risk

              The online community is under attack.  There are many 
         in government who apparently believe First Amendment freedoms 
         should not be extended to BBSs and other online services, 





                                                          BBS-PR pg 19










         even if they don't explicitly state this.  The Clipper chip 
         is just one example.

              The battle lines are being drawn in the courts and in 
         the mainstream media.  Solid wins in the justice system will 
         help ensure a place for the First Amendment in the future.  
         Diligent and deft manipulation of the media will help ensure 
         public support for the online community.



                               Ŀ
                               Out of the Box
                               

              Many Sysops set up a BBS in a cloistered room, hunch 
         over a brightly lit screen late at night tweaking here and 
         tweaking there.  "Heh!" they think, "this new door game will 
         bring me a few more callers!"

              Wrong.

              You can be assured that new game is A) already on 
         another BBS in town, B) the potential new callers won't know 
         for sometime that you have it or C) potential new callers 
         won't care that you have it.

              The game can wait 'til tomorrow.  Do something that is 
         more likely to bring in potential callers to your BBS in 
         particular and into the BBS community generally.  Get out of 
         the house.

              Chances are your BBS or the local BBS or Sysops' 
         Association sponsors a picnic or some such at least once a 
         year.  Although this is a good idea, it usually is a 
         gathering a modem users.  You need to become more involved 
         with the community as a whole.

              There are many, many opportunities to create a good 
         public relations image within the community.  Even though the 
         mainstream media should be a part of your public relations 
         efforts, you do not have to rely on them to tell your 
         message.

              Your local Chamber of Commerce probably has some sort of 
         monthly or annual list of events going on in the community.  
         There should be several that you can attend or co-sponsor on 
         behalf of the BBS.  You can also make yourself available to 
         talk to Service Clubs and Youth Groups.






                                                          BBS-PR pg 20










              Have you thought of conducting a seminar?  Let's face 
         it, BBSs are not among the easiest computer applications to 
         use.  You could teach users and potential users about 
         telecommunications and BBSing.  With more and more BBSs 
         connecting to the Internet, a seminar on how to use the 
         Internet could be quite valuable.  As an aside, you might 
         even be able to bring in a few bucks by conducting seminars.

              Schools are another place to make your mark.  Donate 
         your time to teach a class or be a guest in a class.  You 
         might even consider donating your old equipment to an 
         elementary school when you upgrade to newer equipment.  That 
         might even bring you some good press coverage.

              If you have a laptop or an older computer you wouldn't 
         mind toting around, take it with you with a scaled down 
         version of your BBS to show people what it looks like.  Very 
         few things work better than a good visual aid.  

              If you produce a newsletter for your BBS that is mailed 
         to users on a regular basis, add the local media outlets to 
         your mailing list.  Just as with News Releases, most 
         newsletters will be thrown out.  But sometimes someone will 
         grab an idea from one and produce a story from it.  By golly, 
         you'll probably be the first person they call.

              Everyday thousands of cars go past yours or you pass 
         them.  Bumper stickers are moving billboards.  Make them 
         available anytime you are out meeting the public.  Because 
         you must make a quick impression, just have the name of your 
         BBS and the data phone number printed on them.

              Coffee mugs and t-shirts are good promotional items that 
         can also bring in some money.  Sale items such as those are 
         really best for larger commercial systems, though.



                               Ŀ
                               Final Comments
                               

              I am quite conscience of the fact that I did not discuss 
         paid advertising in this manual.  Among the reasons:
              1.  This was intended to be only a brief discussion of 
         Public Relations.
              2.  Paid advertising can be quite expensive, and most 
         BBS do not have the money to do it.
              If there is demand for information about advertising for 
         BBSs, it will be included in future editions.





                                                          BBS-PR pg 21










              Thanks to Fred Ayers of Paradox of Arkansas BBS, Steve 
         Prado of Jackalope Junction BBS, and Mary McGuire of KMAG-KWHN 
         Radio, all of Fort Smith, AR.  Their comments, suggestions 
         and complaints are greatly appreciated.

              The current edition of BBS-PR (BBS-PRxx.ZIP) will always 
         be available on Paradox of Arkansas BBS (Fred Ayers, Sysop) 
         and Jackalope Junction, (Sysop, Steve Prado).  I will answer 
         E-Mail, snail mail and even discuss some problems on the 
         phone.

              I am also available for private consultation.  See the 
         file PR-RATES.TXT to see what services are available and at 
         what cost.  Even though News Analysis is one service 
         available, I encourage you to send copies of News Releases, 
         newspaper articles, and audio and video (vhs) tapes of 
         broadcast stories with no obligation to engage my services as 
         a consultant.


                               About the Author

              Robert Parson is a Broadcast Journalist with over 15 
         years experience to his credit.  He is a former Contributing 
         Editor for "International Online Magazine," a magazine door 
         available from Arkansas River Valley BBS, Russellville, AR 
         (501 968 1931).  Robert is an active participant in his local 
         BBS Community.

              This Guide is dedicated to the First Amendment.  Freedom 
         of Speech is our single most important Constitutional 
         Guarantee.


         Robert Parson
         2501 Phoenix
         Fort Smith, AR 72901
         501 646 9332 (voice)
         Paradox of Arkansas BBS 501 484 0944 or 501 484 1043
         (Fred Ayers, Sysop)
         Jackalope Junction BBS 501 785 5381 (Steve Prado, Sysop)
         R.Parson (GEnie)
         R.Parson@genie.geis.com (Internet)
         Fido  1:3822/1











                                                          BBS-PR pg 22


