[stylist] Blind driver challenge

Thu Feb 3 22:31:10 UTC 2011

Hi Bridgit,
In doing things in your own area, you are assisting all of us. In 
separate messages, I will copy the press release I sent out about Denice 
Brown. The formula is the same as those I used in which we got local 
coverage for our Scholarship winners in PA, and I will post one of those 
as well. Of course, the thing here is that Denice went, but they may not 
have seen that as valuable because she didn't drive. A subject line like 
"Local Blind Teen Wins Scholarship" is more enticing than just about 
anything else. I should point out that there was an announcement to the 
Blind Driver Challenge attendees from the NFB just before the event, 
urging them to contact their local media and offering to do phone 
interviews for radio from the track. I'm afraid most of them had no clue 
and no time to find out how to do this, which I find upsetting. I should 
note that I did these press releases in accord with my position as Media 
Specialist for the NFB of PA, and we use the format used by Chris 
Danielsen at the NFB's main office, which is what I also use for the 
Performing Arts Division. If a person is the head of a local chapter, 
obviously, they would use that information in the contact section. My 
personal preference is to keep them between 250 and 500 words.
Donna

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www.padnfb.org

On 2/3/2011 3:55 PM, Bridgit Pollpeter wrote:
> Donna,
>
> I agree that we need to double our efforts to really push the media to
> recognize stories that exhibit the positive influence the Federation
> continues to display.
>
> I have written news releases for local efforts here, but the media does
> not always consider the story news worthy enough.
>
> I would love to assist you, or any other Federation group or person,
> with writing news releases.  As you know, there is a very specific
> formula for news releases, and I think when we follow the professional
> standards established by the media, they will pay more attention to
> material that they recognize.
>
> Anyway, I commend you for your efforts to promote the Federation and get
> the word out there.
>
> Bridgit
>
> Message: 9
> Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2011 09:11:53 -0500
> From: Donna Hill<penatwork at epix.net>
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List<stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Blind driver challenge
> Message-ID:<4D4AB7A9.2080801 at epix.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> 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
>
> Read Donna's articles on
> Suite 101:
> www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/donna_hill
> Ezine Articles:
> http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=D._W._Hill
> American Chronicle:
> www.americanchronicle.com/authors/view/3885
>
> Connect with Donna on
> Twitter:
> www.twitter.com/dewhill
> LinkedIn:
> www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
> FaceBook:
> www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.
>
> Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
> cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
> Apple I-Tunes
> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=25924437
> 4
>
> Check out the "Sound in Sight" CD project
> 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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