LA SALLE, Ill. — Tom Doran recalls covering events by many speakers while on his beat as a newspaper reporter in northeastern Illinois.
"It was frustrating at times," said Doran, who will be one of three experienced journalists to speak during a Oct. 21 webinar, designed to help farmers and others involved in agriculture to successfully capture and use media attention.
"So many times the speakers spoke to their audiences from pre-written speeches," he said, "however, they would not give copies of the speeches to the news media who were covering the event. They wouldn’t say why – they just wouldn’t do it.
"Handing out copies would make it much easier for reporters to understand the topic under discussion and getting their facts and quotes straight in their stories about the event."
Doran is field editor for AgriNews Illinois, a LaSalle publication that specializes in news concerning the agriculture industry. Joining him on the webinar will be Mike Nowak of the "Mike Nowak Show," a Chicago program on gardening and environmental radio, and Drew Thomason, former statehouse reporter for "Illinois Statehouse News" and outreach coordinator for the Illinois Stewardship Alliance (ISA).
Entitled "The Inside Scoop: A Webinar for Working With the Media to Tell Your Farming Story," the program aims to help those in the ag community learn the best practices for obtaining earned media attention and publicity.
The three journalists will share personal insights and advice on topics such as what makes a compelling news story, effectively working with members of the media and on giving an interview. The webinar, beginning at noon, is open to all farmers and ag-related organizations looking to learn more about best practices when working with the media. To register, go to http://bit.ly/1GqVsWk
Marketing is an essential part of all successful businesses, including farms and agriculture-related organizations, according to webinar cosponsors University of Illinois extension and the ISA. To contact the ISA, go to www.facebook.com/ilstewards
