{"alias":"contentPage","byline":null,"standfirst":null,"content":{"layouts":[{"type":"sidebar","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003EHigh-quality local media work is an effective, engaging, and low-cost method to promote what Scouts does within your community.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EWhat should I contact the media about?\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMedia work can be used to create a local buzz, raise awareness of local plans, promote new opportunities, and celebrate the impact being achieved through Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWarm environment.\u003C/strong\u003E Stories that create a positive local buzz and challenge any inaccurate perceptions of what Scouts does.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPromoting a new Group/Section.\u003C/strong\u003E Using stories to build excitement and awareness about opportunities coming in your community, for both young people and adults.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOpening a new Group/Section.\u003C/strong\u003E Stories designed to help recruit adult volunteers and young people who want to be part of the Scouts\u2019 fun.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECelebration and impact.\u003C/strong\u003E Stories that share what\u2019s been achieved through Scouts, including new skills developed by young people.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EGenerating local media coverage\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEffective communication between organisations like Scouts and local journalists is the key to successfully generating media coverage.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJournalists are busy people. For effective communication, help them understand what Scouts is in simple, understandable terms. Here are some examples:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EScouts are do-ers and give-it-a-go-ers. Yes, we go camping, hiking, swimming, abseiling, cycling and canoeing. But, we also get to hang out with our friends every week \u2013 having fun, playing games, working in a team, and taking on new challenges.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EEvery week we give almost half a million 4 to 25-year-olds the skills they need for school, college, university, job interviews, important speeches, the tricky challenges, and big dreams: the skills they need for life.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EEveryone\u2019s welcome here. All genders, races, and backgrounds. Regardless of your young person\u2019s physical ability \u2013 there\u2019s a Scout adventure out there waiting for them.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EWhere should I start?\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Col\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe prepared and clear.\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;When talking about Scouts, it\u2019s vital to be consistent in what you say and know the relevant facts. Always use inclusive images and plain English.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe relevant and inspiring.\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;The photos and images you use should be relevant to the audience you\u2019re trying to reach. Consider how you say things, and the tone you choose (positive, challenging, friendly, informal, or surprising).\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe consistent and inclusive.\u003C/strong\u003E Scouts is open to all. Any material produced locally should represent and promote this. Wherever we are in the UK, we\u2019re all part of the same movement, it\u2019s important we reflect this in any media work we do.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBe seen.\u003C/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;Scouts offers so much to so many people, we should all feel proud to promote it locally.\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ol\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETake a look at our\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://prod-cms.scouts.org.uk//media/qtapj5gd/media-flow-diagram.png\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022 title=\u0022Media Flow Diagram\u0022\u003Ehow to generate a piece of media coverage flowchart\u003C/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;for a more detailed view of the process.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003EHow do I work with media outlets?\u003C/h3\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"accordion","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","showExpand":true,"items":[{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EMany community outlets will be happy to use positive media stories about Scouts. Be aware that you\u2019re often in \u2018competition\u2019 with other community organisations such as running clubs, fundraisers, and schools. The quality of the information and photos you provide, along with your own level of enthusiasm are very important, in making your pitch stand out to the outlet.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EExamples of community outlets:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ECommunity magazines \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ELocal authority publications \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ESchool newsletters\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003ETown magazines \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003EOther organisations that issue regular newsletters or magazines \u2013 including publications that are released electronically, rather than on a hard copy. Think about religious organisations, colleges, or local communities.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","label":"Community outlets"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELocal community magazines can be harder to research than local newspapers. Look online or talk to residents to discover which outlets they receive in their area. Community magazines are often interested in articles from local organisations. It\u2019s a good idea to build a relationship with the editor, call them before you submit an article to find out about any requirements. If you submit quality items regularly (normally monthly) you\u2019ll build trust with the editor, which should mean they\u2019ll be helpful to you. It\u2019s vital you know the publication\u2019s deadlines and provide all information on time.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ELocal newspapers usually have a limited amount of room for community items. The areas they cover are often very wide, meaning competition for space is high. These papers rely on advertising for income, so there may be little room for general items. Try to get to know reporters, and provide them with good quality stories and pictures. Online news outlets can be linked to a local newspaper, so try asking for your story to appear in hard copy and on their website. Most areas have a local website, looking for a community news stories. These outlets may have their own social media, so remember to ask if they\u2019ll share the content too.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Local newspapers and online news outlets"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWriting a letter to the editor of a local newspaper or community magazine is another good way to get a positive Scouts story into the press. Letters could be submitted by a volunteer from the Group/Unit/District, a parent or carer of a young person in the Group, or a member of the public. Letters might relate to a new Scout Troop opening, or be the words of a parent or carer explaining how their young person has developed skills for life through Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Letters to editors"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhoning the team at a local radio station is the best way to start the process of getting a Scouts related subject mentioned on air. You\u2019ll need to pitch your story and follow it with some hard copy details. Items like Scouts going on a week-long camp probably won\u2019t be headlined, whereas talking about an increase in the number of young people involved in Scouts locally is more likely to get coverage.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBeing able to talk about a general increase in membership across a County is more likely to get coverage than more children at a specific Scout Troop. Sending the radio station an article, to include on their website, may also bring rewards. There\u2019s always the possibility of getting a slot on a radio programme to talk about your subject. Why not ask if you can talk to one of the presenters on air?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s important to remember radio interviews reach different people at different times of the day. School run time is great, as there\u2019ll be lots of people listening in their cars. This type of interview can be an opportunity for young people to talk about their experiences and share a passion for Scouts. You won\u2019t need any special equipment, most radio interviews are done over the phone. Always plan in advance what message you want to get across. Try practising with a friend.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERemember be positive, bold, and proud to be part of Scouts!\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Radio"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWhatsApp groups tend to be hyper-local, often covering just a handful of roads. In reality, they can be hard to discover, but are worth the effort as they\u2019re a powerful way to communicating with local communities. When you know that a WhatsApp group exists, you should try and find local residents happy to share Scouts related messages or information on your behalf.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Community WhatsApp groups"}]},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cbr\u003EWhat makes a good picture?\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EInspiring photography is at the heart of a good story. Our photography should show our diversity, fun, friendship and adventure but above all, give a sense of belonging. The emphasis should be on capturing moments of connection, learning, sharing, achievement and friendship. They should focus on the emotional response to activities rather than simply showing the activities themselves. Here are some examples.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/14017/210510_squirrels_0632.jpg","width":4324,"height":2883,"altText":"A group of Squirrels, wearing red jumpers and scarves, stand in the woods with their leader.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/20440/a-group-of-beavers-running-in-a-game-across-a-fieldmin.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"A group of Beavers wearing blue jumpers and yellow neckers are running around on a field playing a game","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/0fpdll2r/two-scouts-laughing-and-putting-a-tent-up.jpg","width":6990,"height":4660,"altText":"Two scouts putting up a patrol tent wearing their uniforms","caption":"","link":null},{"type":"Promo","cta":"Read our digital safeguarding guidelines","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELearn how to keep children and young people safe when creating and using digital content.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Recording at Scout events","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/staying-safe-and-safeguarding/safeguarding-in-the-programme/recording-at-scout-events/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#ffe627","title":"Managing photographs and video","image":"/media/19893/62224319_2413651045576470_7528971528361213952_n.jpg?cc=0,0.12159083455840371,0,0.05181489557098632\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1daf3d4e033fa10","imageFocus":"","imageId":35916,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EPitching your story to the news outlet\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou\u2019ve written your press release, chosen your picture(s) and know your story inside out. Congratulations, you\u2019re ready to pitch. The way you pitch a story to a local media outlet is vital to whether it\u2019s included in the paper, magazine, or website.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPhone the media outlet and \u2018sell\u2019 the story to them. Introduce yourself and explain the story, it might be that a Scout Troop has recently opened, to meet a demand from young people aged 10 to 14. Or it could be information explaining how, through Scouts, teenagers are gathering the skills needed for university, college, work, or an apprenticeship. Ask for the reporter\u2019s name and email address, so you can send the press release to them. Send your information to the reporter or news desk, and ask if they could include the story on their website and social media channels.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you see the published article, email the reporter thanking them for including it. If the story is on their website, share the link via any social media channels your Scout Group has, and pass it on to your District/County for them to support the story.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf the article isn\u2019t on the outlet\u2019s website within a few days, or doesn\u2019t appear in their hard copy weekly publications, contact the person you spoke to, asking if they need any further information. The journalist may just need a reminder.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3 class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003ENext steps\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp class=\u0022MsoNormal\u0022\u003EOnce you\u2019ve had success, it\u2019s important to keep the good news going. In a few weeks\u2019 time start the process again, with another story. Media work is most impactful when you keep a regular presence, rather than occasional news spikes every few months.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]},{"items":[{"type":"Image top","cta":"Learn how to write a press release","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFind out how to write a press release to local media about a Scout event.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Writing press releases","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/running-things-locally/local-media-and-member-communications/media-toolkit/writing-press-releases/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"How to write a press release","image":"/media/3840/pic-2_497x280.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd315816d0","imageFocus":"Centre","imageId":9306,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"Centre","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Image top","cta":"Learn to use social media effectively","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGet top tips and guidance on how to use social media to engage with people outside of Scouts.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Social media toolkit","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/running-things-locally/local-media-and-member-communications/social-media-toolkit/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Social media toolkit","image":"/media/20438/a-group-of-beaver-scout-sat-on-grass-outside-and-playing-broken-telephonemin.jpg?cc=0,0.028194664959097795,0,0.1281155985935056\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1db7e27733c0820","imageFocus":"Centre","imageId":36713,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"Centre","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Image top","cta":"Discover the member communications toolkit","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELearn to use member communication to build a network of advocates and supporters.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Member communications","id":null,"url":"/volunteers/running-things-locally/local-media-and-member-communications/member-communications/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Member communication toolkit","image":"/media/21192/a-scout-looking-at-a-toasted-marshmallow.jpg?cc=0,0.07253456408230434,0,0.08377651083626231\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1db006625d3e6f0","imageFocus":"Centre","imageId":37824,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"Centre","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Image top","cta":"Organise your community event","body":"\u003Cp\u003ELearn how to organise and promote a local Scouts event.\u003C/p\u003E","link":{"name":"Organise community events","id":null,"url":"/national-events/organise-community-events/","newWindow":false,"target":null},"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Organise community events","image":"/media/aden2fxf/a-volunteer-putting-up-bunting-at-a-local-eventmin.png?cc=0.1546921191145721,0.23201866420534628,0.0046272261879011,0.059427200931510285\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1db3f3a73a46bd0","imageFocus":"Centre","imageId":77408,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"Centre","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":"","pageType":null,"location":null,"browserTitle":"","versionDate":"16 April 2024","reviewDate":"01/01/0001","redirectUrl":"","id":79301,"nodeName":"Media toolkit","title":"Media toolkit","type":"contentPage","image":{"url":"/media/19373/microsoftteams-image.png?cc=0,0,0,0.156671664167916\u0026width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1db7e27670162d0","caption":"Three Cubs smiling making faces","type":"png","size":589594,"width":1000,"height":667,"altText":"Two Cubs are smiling, another one is making a funny face."},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Media toolkit","headerSubTitle":"Learn how to generate positive local media coverage on the radio, in print and online outlets, and via community WhatsApp groups.","headerCta":"","headerCtaText":"","headerCtaLink":"","headerBackgroundColour":"7413dc","showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":[]},"subHeader":"","silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC83OTMwMSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/running-things-locally/local-media-and-member-communications/media-toolkit/"}