Jim Mulvey, KS1A has some excellent ideas and an example
  of how to get publicity for YOUR ham event in this article.
  -----------------------------------------------------------
  
  From Billerica Amateur Radio Society
  123 Any Street
  Your Town, State
  Phone: 508-555-5555
  
  
  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
  
  
         Next Saturday June 24th, a complete working Amateur
  
  Radio "field" station will be setup on the grounds of the
  
  Lowell Sportsman's Club. Over the next 24 hours, Billerica
  
  Radio Amateurs will race to contact thousands of other
  
  amateur stations setup across North America!
  
  
  
         During the devastation of Hurricane Hugo and the
  
  California earthquake, the world depended on Radio Amateurs
  
  using emergency power to get reports into and out of the
  
  stricken areas.
  
  
  
         All are invited to visit the working Amateur station
  
  and learn about the role "ham radio" plays right here in
  
  Billerica.
  
  
  
         "Hams" are licensed by the Federal Communications
  
  Commission.
  
  
  
          More information about this exciting community event
  
  is available by calling 508-555-5555.
  
                                                   (more, see pg 2)
  
  KS1A  article
  page 2
  
  
  
  When the local club's FIELD DAY publicity didn't make it into
  the newspaper or radio station, the PUBLICITY CHAIRMAN
  couldn't understand why! After all he wrote a press release
  and mailed it with plenty of time to spare. Still, it was
  passed by. Why? Because there are very specific steps you
  must follow to insure that:
  
         1) The right person actually reads your release.
            Most are thrown out after a quick look!
  
         2) They print it.
  
  STEP 1. KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST
  
  First, the old days of the spartan "JUST THE FACTS" press
  release are over.  At one time all you'd need do is a
  straightforward "Who, What, Where, When and Why" in the first
  paragraph with no editorializing. It's still being taught in
  journalism school. IT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S DONE IN THE REAL
  WORLD!
  
  
  STEP 2. YOUR BIGGEST PROBLEM IS HAVING YOUR RELEASE THROWN
  IN THE GARBAGE.
  
  At every media outlet (newspaper, radio station) there is ONE
  person who opens the press release mail. They can get a ton
  of releases every week. They are gathered up and opened by
  hand, one by one. They are almost all fluff from companies
  announcing the upgrade of their new improved food container.
  The person makes a QUICK decision as to the importance of
  each one. They only read the first paragraph. They are
  usually standing over a wastebasket. Get the picture?
  
  You must make sure the release is of interest to their
  readers. If you're town paper is the Billerica News then make
  sure "Billerica Radio Amateurs" is mentioned prominently!
  
  You must catch the person's attention with the first couple
  of lines in your release or it out it goes! Worse than that,
  the person who opens the releases is already making a
  decision based upon what your envelope looks like. If it's
  very amateurish looking you may not even get a serious look.
  
  When writing the release, walk the fine line between making
  it exciting and keeping it factual. (see example)
  
                                            (more, see page 3)
  
  KS1A article
  page 3
  
  
  
  STEP 3. DELIVERING YOUR RELEASE TO IT'S TARGET.
  
  A good way to get it thrown away is to just drop it in an
  envelope and mail it to your media outlet. That's not enough!
  
  Call the station or newspaper and ask for the name of the
  person who "does the Community Happenings" section or
  "Community Calendar". Get a name. Then, ask for the
  newspaper's FAX number.
  
  FAX it to them! The fax is the fastest way to cut through the
  protective layers a company uses against their telephone and
  mail. A FAX will get right through. Then, call the person at
  the paper's "Community Calendar". Tell them you had sent them
  a FAX and you just wanted to make sure it had arrived.
  
  BINGO! The right person now has your release. It's separated
  from the usual pack. You have a very good chance of getting
  the publicity you want.
  
  STEP 4. THE CLOSER
  
  Include a contact telephone number. We've had newspapers call
  us back and asked to do a full story on the club!
  
  
  
  
  Getting publicity is more of an art than a science. It's
  important to remember that "just writing and sending it"
  isn't enough. Follow the steps, sound friendly but confident,
  don't try to come off as if you're promoting something as
  important as a medical breakthrough, mention that the site
  looks great for cameras and photographers, follow
  through...and you just may score with every release you send!
  
  Good luck and 73 de Jim Mulvey KS1A, ARRL EMA PIO.
  
  
  (Jim is director of creative production at WHDH in Boston and
  runs his own production company.  His voice and work is heard
  on hundreds of radio and TV stations throughout the country.)
  
  ARRL EMA PIC Reference