Getting credit when credit's due
Charities often complain that their stories get picked up and their campaigns get covered but their charity name doesn't get a mention. No matter how careful you are in pitching your story and working with a journalist there's always a risk that your charity name may get cut from an article or a broadcast.
Ways to try and make sure you get a name check
- Make sure to ask the journalist directly for a name check.
- Explain to the journalist why a name check is very important to you. Tell them you want to make sure their readers know how they can volunteer and get involved with your charity. Stress that a name check would be helpful for their readers.
- Be consistent in all your conversations, branding and correspondence with a journalist. Use your charity name frequently so it lodges in their memory.
- If they won't give you a name check, ask if they'll include your website address instead. They usually will.
- If you've produced a research report or a journalist quotes your statistics they'll be forced to credit your charity.
- Magazines tend to be the best at giving credit to their sources.
- News journalists and TV programmes tend to be the worst for giving charity name checks.
- Many radio and TV programmes are over-cautious about crediting charities on air. They refer to Ofcom guidelines. Broadcasters will however include a link to your charity on their programme's website.
- If you or someone from your charity are doing a live TV or radio interview or taking part in a phone-in then make sure to slip in your charity name.
Have a look at the fact sheet Billion Minutes sent to journalists with their press releases. It says "To ensure we reach our 1 Billion Minutes Target it is vital that any coverage includes our call to action.... Pledge your minutes at www.yearofthevolunteer.org"
What if you don't get a mention?
- If you've set up a story for a journalist, introduced them to a case study or given them access to your charity - they owe you. If they don't give you a name check, call them afterwards and ask them if they'll write another article for you in the future. Let them know that they owe you a favour.
- If the story increased the profile of volunteering did it really matter that your charity name wasn't mentioned this time?
- If you know you won't get a name check, think about taking out an advert in that magazine's issue or that days' paper. You can request that the advert is placed on the same page as the relevant article. The charity DebRA purchased advert space in the commercial break of a Channel 4 documentary which was particularly relevant to their work when they couldn't get a name check. Find out more in the article, The A to Z of advertising.
Read the next article in this section.... Case studies
