988 PARKS 



Many departments of the newspaper can give you publicity news 

 columns, cartoons, editorials, advertising columns, woman's page, sports 

 page, letter columns. 



Photographs for newspaper publication must have animation, sim- 

 plicity of composition, and the appearance of truth that is, the picture 

 must actually portray what the caption describes. 



Newspapers appreciate any courtesy shown to them or their reporters. 



The newspaper is a business enterprise. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES IN PUBLICITY 



Accuracy is of fundamental importance. Do not exaggerate. 



Publicity should be educational. Just to be known, even widely, is 

 not enough. 



Reiterated impact is an important principle. 



Good publicity is measured by the amount that sticks in the mind. 



Attempt only those things which can be done effectively. 



Express appreciation of individuals and organizations who help. 



Keep yourself, as director, in the background. 



Appeal to civic pride. Hammer hard at home-town stuff. 



Do not promise the public too much. 



Appeal to curiosity. 



Get personally acquainted with the editor. Make a point of thanking 

 him for any publicity given by his paper. 



It is not commonly recognized, but the owners, managers or editors of 

 a very large number of newspapers throughout the country not only print 

 news, and feature stories, concerning public park and recreation activities, 

 but they also play an important role in actively promoting desirable recrea- 

 tional activities, while at the same time giving an enormous amount of 

 space to publicity concerning the particular activity or activities. Examples 

 in point are zoological and botanical identification contests such as those 

 conducted by the Park and Recreation Department of Dallas, Texas, 

 which is actively aided by the local press; the promotion of marble tourna- 

 ments in several cities; of handcraft activities through bird box construc- 

 tion and pushmobile contests, and of athletic leagues and tournaments. 



(h) Publication of bulletin-newspaper, whether in mimeographed or 

 printed form. In the larger systems, and especially in those systems where 

 an extensive program of recreation is carried on, a weekly or monthly bulle- 

 tin is very effective, not only in keeping a selected list of citizens informed 

 as to what is going on, but in serving as the medium for acquainting each 

 division of the department of the activities of the others, thereby keeping 

 alive esprit de corps by personal mention of the achievements of different 



