Is your idea media worthy:
When deciding whether or not your idea has “legs” in terms of potential media impact, the first step is to call the PR and Communications Office. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the potential of a news item with all faculty, staff and students and want all Kettering community members to contact us if they are unsure whether or not an idea has media potential or merit. If, however, you are unable to contact the office and wish to try and decipher whether or not an idea is news worthy, consider the following questions.
- Who is involved?
- What has happened?
- Where did this occur?
- When did the thing take place?
- Why did it happen?
- How did it come about?
The PR and Communications Office can assess your idea and determine its fit with regard to the type of news item it may fall under. For example, the Office provides feature-length stories, hard news stories and a blend of the two depending on topic and potential for media spread. A story about a faculty member engaged in alternative energy research that could save consumers millions of dollars could enjoy a larger readership and represents an opportunity to develop a longer feature piece. The one question we often pose to faculty when they are determining whether or not their activity or research is worthy of a story is as follows: if someone is walking past Kettering on the sidewalk right now unaware of your research, how would you show them the tangible impact of this research on their lives?
In addition, ask yourself if the item you wish to promote to the greater media has the potential to positively influence a student’s decision about attending Kettering, or an individual’s thoughts about whether or not to support the institution financially. This is of critical importance now and in the future. How we best position Kettering to all constituents—but in particular to students—is an important consideration.
