[stylist] Blind driver challenge

[Donna Hill]

Hi Bridgit,
Thanks again. I would encourage people to contact their local media 
about this and other stories that concern us. I'll be writing a letter 
to the editor of our local papers today, and I think as writers, it 
would benefit the NFB, the public and the cause of all blind people, if 
we, as NFB members, would set aside some time to attempt to engage the 
media.  For instance, the Today Show has ways for viewers to give them 
feedback as do other shows, papers and magazines. The stories that have 
been run have comment sections on their sites where you can voice your 
thanks that a story was covered, explain things that were left out of 
the story or -- in the case of media that hasn't covered this or other 
NFB stories -- urge them to do so. Often you need to register, and I 
have signed up at several sites including NPR, the New York Times and 
the Washington Post so I don't have to do that, when something comes up. 
I urge anyone who is dissatisfied with the media's coverage of blindness 
issues to take advantage of  these opportunities, which are usually 
accessible for screen reader users.

I know it gets frustrating, when you write and nothing happens, but PR 
is a game of small percentages resulting in big benefits. As media 
relations specialist for the NFB of PA, I wrote to 40 journalists in the 
Philly area, for instance, telling them that a local retired teacher and 
the president of the Philly chapter of the NFB went to Daytona. To my 
knowledge, none of them picked up the story. That is a disappointment to 
me, but it wasn't the first time and it won't be the last. Someone is 
reading those press releases, and maybe it'll take ten press releases or 
a hundred for that person to wake up, but that's the way it works, so I 
just grit my teeth and do it. I do wish I knew that other people in the 
rank and file of the NFB were working on this, though.
Donna

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Donna is Head of Media Relations for the nonprofit
Performing Arts Division of the National Federation of the Blind:
www.padnfb.org


On 2/2/2011 10:53 PM, Bridgit Pollpeter wrote:
> Lori and others,
>
> I know CNN and MSNBC ran stories on the Blind Driver Challenge too.  It
> is nice to see writers like Donna, though, who have the opportunity to
> relay the story from the perspective of a blind person.
>
> I was disappointed that The Today Show did not touch on the story at
> all.  I would say a blind man driving a car at the Daytona Speedway is a
> rather news-worthy story.
>
> I notice that many Federation stories go unnoticed by major news
> syndicates except for those on the east coast that have a working
> relationship with the Federation.  A lot of our stories and initiatives
> are rather big in terms of world events and human interest yet we do not
> always get the proper attention.  Wonder why?
>
> Thankfully, we have people like Donna, and others, who are dedicated to
> "getting the word out."
>
> Bridgit
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
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