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HOW TO GET BETTER LOCAL PUBLICITY 
Publicity, referred to more often these days as public relations, is the life-blood of evem 
organization, and especially of non-profit societies which usually have no funds for paid 
advertising. How often conservation groups, whose need for publicity is greatest of all, 
fail to realize this! Seemingly, the attitude of some is that of the well-known financial 
failure, who declared: "I did not advertise, because I never had enough business to pay to 
advertise." 
It is believed that every chapter and affiliate has elected someone to serve as NPress 
Secretary", "Publicity Chairman" or "Communications Representative", Good! But what has 
he, or she, ever done? 
I suggest that the first duty of the member with this responsibility is to call, in persom 
and preferably by appointment, on the Editor of every daily or weekly newspaper and the 
Program Director of every T.V. and radio station in the area served by the group. On this 
first visit it is well to present copy for some article of Audubon news, It is best that 
this should be an item of local interest - such as a meeting, bird walk, recent or scheduled 
for the future, and I.A.S. press release or a news item from the Bulletin or Newsletter. 
On these visits, it is easy to learn whether every news medium in the area receives periodic 
news releases. If they do not, be sure to report this to the 1.A.5S.3; include name of 
Editor or Director (important) and complete address, including zip code. 
It is particularly effective to follow this "get acquainted" contact with a news release, 
the sooner, the better, before your visit is forgotten. Releases about what? About birds, 
people; about conservation projects, local, state and national - and especially about your 
group. Mentioning names of local persons is extremely important. It is a truism, with all 
but the largest city newspaper, that any personal item is worth printing, if it will intemm 
as many as 20 readers, 
One more word, and this our officers consider of utmost urgency, report at once, preferably 
to 1.A.S., 1017 Burlington Ave., Downers Grove, Illinois 60515, all Audubon publicity given 
space in any newspaper, or aired on any television or radio station. If the item appeared 
in a newspaper, include a clipping with the name of the paper and the date clearly indicated 
Do not fail to announce approaching events - bird walks, censuses, and other meetings and 
outings - well in advance, and invite the public to attend. Does anyone know of a better 
way to increase membership? 
Write-ups of meetings must inspire interest. Just to say: " a meeting of the Dickey Birdet 
was held at such a place on such a date" may interest a few people but not many. Such 
reporting will stimulate no more interest than a regular meeting of the Ladies Aid Society 
or Thursday Afternoon Bridge Club, 
Instead, tell what was discussed, and by whom, For example, the subject may have been 
Allerton Park. Remembering the news worthiness of names, one might say: "Spokesman for 
members opposing the high dam was Mr. Trueblood, Vice President, who said (here quote him 
as accurately as possible with his permission)." Then, "proponents of the dam were members 
Mrs. Fairless’ and’ Miss Craven who supported theirepositions as follows] "4. .cec. «<. «occ 
Do not be afraid to report controversy. The public and therefore the news media, invariably 
O14 Ti Caupiet 
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Nearly 151 million visits to National Park Service areas were counted in 1968. 
No other government agency operates as many parklands in or near urban areas as does 
the National Park Service. 

