8. Paraphrase the following statements:

1) Typically, the local angle is in the lead and top half of the release.

2) A journalist may focus on the plight of one welfare family...

3) ... you must be alert to clues and hints as well as hard facts.

9. Explain the grammatical structure of the following sentences.

Think of your own sentences with the same structure using the active words and expressions.

1) A requirement that filling stations install equipment to reduce the amount of gasoline vaporized into the atmosphere was of minor interest to the public.

2) People would rather listen to the problems of a welfare mother in her own words than view a series of bar charts showing the decline in state funding.

3) If a situation or an event is likely to affect a substantial number of people, it is significant.

10. Insert prepositions:

1) An increase..........the price..........heating oil is significant..........the North-East.

where many homes are heated..........oil.

2) A journalist may focus..........the plight..........one welfare family.

3) When two or more groups advocate different points ..........view

..........a topic..........current interest, this creates news.

4) Organizations get coverage when they state a point..........view that is contrary

..........other points..........view.

5) You should constantly search..........something "new".

6) Talk..........a variety..........people, ask a lot..........questions, and constantly

be..........the lookout..........something new or different.

7) Public relations writers and personnel should be constantly..........the

alert..........events or situations that can be applied..........the employer or client.

11. Find in the text the expressions with the noun "coverage".

Translate them and give your own sentences with each of them.

12. Explain the following statements:

1) Another aspect of timeliness is offering information within the context of events and issues that are already on the public agenda.

2) Consumer groups also use the context of Christmas to issue warnings about the safety of some toys.

3) Surveys have shown that the news releases most acceptable to media gatekeepers are those with a local angle.

4) Whenever possible, it is important to "1 о с a 1 i z e" information.

5) Unusual events and situations are often created solely for the sake of publicity.

6) Reporters often fuel the controversy by quoting one side and then asking the other side for a comment

13. Comment on the following statements and illustrate them:

1) News stories don't necessarily come to you, you must come to the stories.

2) The news media are getting somewhat distrustful of claims that a product or service is "new".

14. Topical questions:

1) Do you know any unusual events or situations solely created for the sake of publicity?

2) What moral norms should be observed when a journalist focuses on the lives of the people?

15. Develop the following points:

1) To be considered newsworthy, information should have one or more of the following attributes: timeliness, prominence, proximity, significance, unusualness, human interest, conflict, and newness,

2) The first step in preparing publicity is to be thoroughly familiar with the company or organization.

3) A public relations writer should constantly monitor current events and situations that may affect the organization or provide opportunities for publicity.

UNIT

THREE

A.

Generating News

Action generate news. When an association holds an annual meeting, the media report on the general nature of the meeting and usually run feature stories based on speeches, discoveries, and statements by participants. Such coverage doesn't happen automatically; it takes a lot of work by public relations personnel to set up interviews, provide copies of speeches, and otherwise orchestrate the flow of information.

If you can't find anything going on, it may be time to make something happen

to find a creative opportunity.

The Creativity Factor

Generating news often takes imagination and creativity, coupled with a strong ability to solve problems. For example, how does one get media attention for a can soup?

Campbell's solved a problem for its new cream of broccoli soup by linking it with President Bush's dislike of the vegetable.

The company decided to sponsor a recipe contest called "How to Get the Presi- dent to Eat Broccoli". Of course, one rule was that the soup be used in the recipe

Creativity and imagination are essential attributes for writers and publicists. H ever, these things are difficult to teach and even more difficult to learn.

Trend Stories

Many organizations get media placements because they have learned to relate their activities or products to trends.

The news media are often criticized for their "herd" instinct, but the fact remains that certain topics are "hotter" than others.

The surveys found that the topic of health generated the most interest on the part of editors. In descending order were the topics of senior citizens, medicine, agriculture, environment, food, education, consumer issues, recreation, and finance.

Creativity and imagination can help you use such topics as an angle for your client or organization. AIDS, for example, is a health topic. Perhaps this is where you develop a news story or feature article about what your client or employer is с about AIDS education in the workplace.

□ Words and word-combinations

1. to report on smth -— сообщать о

2. to run a feature story — напечатать очерк

3. to set up an interview — организовать интервью

4. creativity — творчество

5. the fact remains — факт остается фактом

6. to generate interest — вызвать интерес

7. angle — точка зрения; аспект, подход

Special Events

There are two kinds of events: those planned primarily to generate publicity . those that produce publicity as a by- product.

At times, things that occur on a routine basis can become the focus of a special event. A new store may quietly open its doors for business, or it can make it a special event by having a "grand opening" and getting a celebrity to cut the ribbon. Ground- breakings are similar. You can start construction on a new office building without

fanfare, or you can have a groundbreaking ceremony with the mayor and other digni­taries attending. In both cases, the situations would have happened if there were no publicity, but they benefit from the by-product.

You must look at every possibility in your organization with an eye toward public­ity. Can something be done? Can a meeting be held? Can the organization stage an open house, a plant tour, a parade? Can it give an award or a scholarship? Can it sponsor a contest or a team? Can it help other organizations? Can it help the local schools? If it is a large organization, can it do any of these things on a national or regional scale?

For any event there can be publicity both before and after. For a continuing event, there may be a stream of publicity throughout it.

Rallies and Protests

Few television stations or newspapers can resist covering a rally or a protest dem­onstration, each of which has high news value from the stanpoint of human interest and conflict. Moreover, rally or protest is event oriented and has action, which is ideal for television coverage and newspaper photographs.

In almost all cases, a demonstration is planned in advance. The manuals of activist groups, for example, point out that supporters should be asked to participate and bring placards and signs. In addition, the media should be contacted in advance to assure coverage. Prominent people and celebrities, if possible, could be asked to joint the march or give a talk at a rally. Prominence, as activists know, is another important news value.

□ Words and word-combinations

1. to generate publicity — привлекать внимание широких слоев населения; вызывать интерес

2. by-product — побочный продукт

3. a celebrity — знаменитость

4. to break the ground — начинать новое дело

5. to hold a meeting — проводить собрание

6. to stage an open house — провести лень открытых дверей

7. to stage a plant tour — провести экскурсию по заводу

8. on a national scale — в масштабах страны

9. in advance — заранее

10. manuals — учебники, руководства

11. a groundbreaking ceremony — церемония закладки здания

C

Product Demonstration

The objective of a demonstration is to prove something. When General Electric demonstrated a new superconductor process, it got nationwide publicity. Lear garnered extensive media coverage by demonstrating a new general service aircraft, explaining that new materials had reduced the weight and a new design had increased the speed, making the new plane remarkably fast and fuel-efficient.

Contests

A common device for generating news is the contest. In fact, it is often advised that "if all else fails, sponsor a contest".

How successful each of these is in generating news often depends on the city and the scope of the local media. Most major newspapers and broadcast outlets ignore most of these contests, but weekly papers in smaller towns often thrive on such material.

Personal Appearances

Two kinds of personal appearances generate news. First is the kind where news is incidental to something else. Second is the appearance where news is the only objective Most typical of the first type is the situation where someone makes a speech to an organization. If the president of a company addresses the local chamber of commerce. he will be heard by all who attend the meeting.

The audience for the speech, however, may be greatly increased if the media are supplied with copies of the speech or news release summarizing what was said. As a general rule, every public appearance should be considered an opportunity for news both before and after the incident. And, of course, there should always be an effort to get reporters to attend the meeting and get the story themselves.

□ Notes

Campbell-(Campbell Soup Co) — компания по производству пищевых продук­тов, зарегистрирована в 1922 г., свою историю ведет с 1869 г. Управление корпорацией находится в г. Калуене, шт. Нью-Джерси. General Electric —

" Дженерал Электрик", компания по производству элект­ротехнического оборудования, основана в 1892 г. Правление находится в г. Фэрфильде, шт. Коннектикут.

Lear — Уильям Лир , инженер-электронщик и промышленник. В 1962 г. осно­вал корпорацию "Лир Джет" (Lear Jet Corp.), которая стала ведущим произ­водителем частных реактивных самолетов.

□ Words and word-combinations

1. to get nationwide publicity — получить известность по всей стране

2. contest — соревнования, конкурс

3. broadcast outlets — теле- и радиоканалы

4. public appearance — появление на публике

5. to address the chamber of commerce — выступить перед торговой палатой

EXERCISES

1. Look up the pronunciation of the following words:

to orchestrate, automatically, broccoli, descending, routine, fanfare.

2. Give English equivalents:

получать выгоду от ч.-л., в национальном масштабе, побочный продукт, типичный для ч.-л., присудить премию, учредить стипендию, участники, поток информации, мэр, предоставить копии речи, суммировать.

Reproduce them in situations from the text.

3. Give Russian equivalents

general nature of a meeting, to orchestrate, to relate smth to smth, trends, dignitaries, celebrities, to cut the ribbon, groundbreaking, to resist doing smth, fuel-efficient, to thrive on smth, the scope of smth.

Use them in situation of your own.

4. Translate in writing:

1) The first paragraph of the text

2) The second paragraph of the sector Rallies and Protests

5. Give synonyms:

essential, to link with smth, in advance, an aircraft, to reduce the weight, remarkably, fast, incidental.

6. Give antonyms:

descending, senior, to benefit, to increase the speed, appearance, typical, ability.

7. Answer the questions:

1) Action generates news, doesn't it?

2) What should be done if you can't find anything going on?

3) What contest did Campbell's sponsor?

4) What topics generate the most interest on the part of editors?

5) How can these topics be used?

6) Are all the events planned primarily to generate publicity?

7) What are the possibilities of an organization to make publicity?

8) Do rallies and protest demonstrations have high news value from the standpoint of human interest and conflict?

9) Are demonstrations usually planned in advance?

10) What is the objective of a demonstration?

11) Is The contest a common device lo generate news')

12) What are two kinds of personal appearances?