FD Calendar
June 2013
Vol 11 No 6
June 2013
In this issue:
· Video opportunities bear repeating
· New international web radio plugs ARRL and hams
We had a very good activity level in May as you can see on http://www.arrl.org/media-hits-c But June is the busiest month for PR work with Field Day coming up fast. The generic Field Day release is on the web release page at http://www.arrl.org/press-releases .
Lots of other FD material is in the Field Day page http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2013/2012%20FD%20PR%20info.pdf
We already have a couple of state level proclamations sent in to us and posted in the main HQ corridor. I expect many more will be coming in soon. This is the time for the PIOs and PICs to shine! On a national scale, ham radio is being shown in a very positive role in several TV shows and in commercials. The general tone around the country has been quite supportive. While there is increased interest in the new things that hams are doing, even the “old radio” references have changed in many ways and are now seen as something interesting and, in several cases, coming through when the new technologies fail. So you have fertile ground to plow. But as we’ve written before – “All news is local.” If you agree that it takes a ham to make a ham, then this is the time to do your best outreach and also prepare the way for any responses. It won’t do just to say “Come to our club meeting next month.”
Get your guests on the air, get them excited. Partner them with someone who will follow up personally with them. Look good and be ready with your facts and “elevator speeches.” This is the time. We have the opportunity, the event, the publicity. Go for it!
This one bears repeating!
As you know, the ARRL will be celebrating our Centennial in 2014. One part of it will be gathering as many short pairs of video clips as we can get showing radio amateurs in their “normal/work” settings saying “I am ___name___. I like ___activity___ and I am the ARRL” and then another clip of the same person using or working with radio gear. For example, a shot of a car mechanic in coveralls working over an engine looks at camera and says “I am Henry Smith, N0XCC. I like to talk to strange countries and I am the ARRL” and a paired shot of him at home talking on the radio. Or a lab technician in a white coat, a doctor with a stethoscope, a teacher in a classroom, a cook in a kitchen – you get the idea. We are “that guy down the street” and we are the ARRL.
These clips will be gathered and assembled into one video that we expect will be shown at the national convention. We will be holding a drawing from the names of submitters for many prizes, including a top winner of a mini-library of major ARRL publications such as the ARRL Handbook, Antenna Book and more! (One “ticket in the hat” for each usable paired clip submitted.) With Field Day coming up three months, that’s an ideal place for getting both Part A and Part B clips as long as those being video recorded bring with them their "work costume" and the shooter knows how to be a little creative with creating Part A. Part B clips are just a matter of grabbing a shot of the person at one of the Field Day stations -- shooting each from a different angle, etc.
If at all possible, the clips should be shot in 9:16 format (widescreen) and 720 or higher definition. MP4 or .mov files preferred. No VHS tapes as we cannot use them.
As usual, ARRL must have the full rights for use of the video clips submitted. Releases for the participants shown can be found at http://www.arrl.org/adult-picture-release-form
And –
A second contest that just about everyone can take part in.
30 second PSA
PIOs are among the more creative folks in our community, and here’s a chance to show off a little. We soon will be having a contest to see who can create the best video public service announcements on the topic of “Ham Radio – new friends made daily.” While the full rules are not finished yet, a few things we know already are:
(a) while we hope you will shoot it in high resolution (MP4 or .mov) formats, we will accept whatever is the best you can do as we don’t want to keep anyone out. So even if it is just with your smart phone – go for it.
(b) it needs to be dead-on 30 seconds black to black.
We will be looking for creativity and your ability in getting the message across that ham radio is fun and interesting.
(c) Submissions need to include form giving full permission for the ARRL to freely use the material as it chooses. Releases for people in the videos are at http://www.arrl.org/adult-picture-release-form
(d) there will be prizes! – good ones! Judging will be done by the ARRL Public Relations Committee.
So dust off that video camera and try your hand at a 30 second Public Service Announcement.
ARRL commercials on RADIO NETWORK - 59, 73, 88
Venci Ristov, Z39Z, has started an online “radio network” mixing music and Amateur Radio. It’s an interesting concept and obviously took a lot of computer work on his part.
Ven writes,
Its me again and just want to say that finally I decided to activate Ham Radio Network and in Monday June 3 rd - HRN will start. If you have free time please listen and tell me what you think about this. During the day I will put all ARRL commercials which are good to promote ARRL and HAM Radio all taken from web.
The idea is to promote ARRL on this radio stations... About Radio 59 and Radio 88 will work like every other professional radio stations and the program will be only with radio amateur information (DX, HISTORY and other NEWS interesting for ham radio population)... PSA’s will be without any changes and I must say they sound great.
There are many web based media outlets now “out there” relating to Amateur Radio. Most are directed at the amateur community itself – talking to people that are already hams. That’s good, but being a PR person I really appreciate most of all the ones that are directed to the general population and this one looks like a class act.
Allen, I watched the TV premier of “Space Warriors” tonight on the Hallmark Channel. It was pretty hokey, as we ought to have expected, being targeted at 15 year-olds; but ham radio shared in the heroics. I was pleased that my vintage gear (DX-100, HQ-129X and a D-104 mic) looked pretty good, but what might be more important was that the movie itself promoted science and technology as ‘cool’ stuff. The 15 year-old nerds won (saved NASA’s butt, actually), and my old gear was a part of it! Who knew?
Any kids joining our ranks on the basis of that movie will need a little adjustment, though; and as a NASA retiree who actually worked on and in some of the simulators at Space Camp (they got ‘em after we were finished with them) I’m amazed! We had no Idea our old hardware could make such magic! Only on the silver screen!
Chuck Lewis, N4NM
I remember when the Hallmark Channel showed nothing more racy than "The Waltons" re-runs. (G'night John Boy) This is interesting and reinforces the point that if there IS an interest shown by teens, we need to have something to respond to them already prepared. The coming "Last Man Standing" with Mandy getting licensed also will draw in the same population. Then there is the coming show in which a town is put under a dome of some kind by aliens - and once again ham radio will save the day. How will we respond to any interest shown by teens or others triggered by these and other national TV shows?
Definitely, this is a topic we need to explore.
This article was a bit of a surprise to me. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-05-31/business/ct-biz-0531-sun-times-photographer-layoffs-20130531_1_sun-times-media-group-chicago-sun-times-timothy-knight The Chicago Sun Times laid off ALL of its photographers. While there has been a trend towards more and more “citizen journalism” in the past few years, a major paper going totally this way was news. But as more and more newspapers cut back on professional reporters and photographers, we have a growing opportunity as PR people. Be sure to add a digital camera to your PR jump kit. Stories with pictures get noticed.
Tracy Stevens, KI4OZG, writes:
I was asked to share the following of some of the ways you can promote the hobby of amateur radio by several means.
The other day on Popular Communication's Facebook page they posted a request asking people to share pictures and description of their SWL/Scanner monitoring set up. I posted a picture of my station and they LIKED it and wanted to publish it in their magazine.
The editor contacted me by email for more information and said he'd include that I am the Public Information Officer for the Calhoun County Amateur Radio Association, the Public Information/Relations Officer for the Calhoun County ARES/RACES Group, and the Electronic Media Public Information Officer for the Alabama ARRL Section.
I’m not sure if it will be in next months issue or not, but it should be in an upcoming one at least. But it is a GREAT way to share and promote our hobby. Look out for opportunities like this and jump on them any chance you can!
We note that Tracy Stevens was also a guest on WDNG Talk Radio 1450 AM in Anniston, AL
“Thank you!”
I just want to say again “Thank You!”
No one person could do this work and the corps of volunteers is amazing. I really hope to see all of you at the ARRL Centennial celebration in summer 2014. (The plans for it are really impressive!)
Allen w1agp
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