Cohousing-L Mailing List: press release instructions, new Coho Netwk

[Marci Malinowycz (SoDance]

Kay Abrahams is still on the road, so I'll post the press release in a message 
I'm sending at the same time as this message. For those that received a hard 
copy of the press release at the conference, the one I will post contains her 
final edits entered after the brunch plus minor copyedit tweaks by me.

This message contains her instructions, which were on the reverse side of the 
conference handout. For questions about the press release or the instructions, 
contact Kay at kayruth [at] aol.com and (303) 554-1799.

-- Marci



Steps for disseminating this press release


Sept. 21, 1997

Dear Cohouser,

The national transition team and I have prepared this press release to help 
get the word out about Cohousing and the formation of our new umbrella 
organization: The Cohousing Network. As you know, the media is a powerful tool 
and your grassroots effort will surely make a difference.

I suggest the following steps in contacting your local newspaper or other 
media outlets you wish to approach. Telephone the newspaper and ask for 
editorial. Then ask for the news assignment desk. You should then be connected 
to the news assignment editor (or whomever is sitting at the desk at that 
time).

Indicate that you're calling with news about the Cohousing movement. You may 
want to pause and ask if the person is familiar with the concept. Most likely, 
you'll need to say a few lines of explanation: e.g. resident created 
neighborhoods and we're developing one here in _______ (your town). Indicate 
you have a press release you'd like to fax. Pause and ask if they're 
interested in seeing it. If yes, get their fax #, send ASAP, and follow up 
with a phone call, perhaps an hour or two later to:  1) find out if they 
received the release; and 2) would they like to cover the story.

The press release may stimulate the news dept. to assign a reporter to do a 
full feature story on your community and on cohousing in general.

In your cover note for the fax, I suggest you indicate that the national media 
has recently been reporting on the cohousing movement, with recent articles in 
USA Today (July 15), The New York Times (Sept. 7), plus recent broadcasts on 
CNN (Sept. 13) and upcoming programs scheduled for "Sunday Good Morning 
America" on ABC-TV and "Dateline" on NBC-TV. (The press is often more 
interested in a story if other media outlets have covered it first.)

It would be helpful for your local press if you supply them with other 
articles that have been written and you put together a press kit. Suggest you 
include the following stories that are in your blue take-home folder: 
Metropolitan Home (Jan/Feb '97), Vegetarian Times (July '96), Mothering 
(Winter'94), and the growth of cohousing in the U.S. chart. Please feel free 
to delete my name on the press release and type in your own name and number, 
or add your name and keep me as a backup contact.

I am willing to make myself available as a resource if you want help or 
guidance in the media contact process. I am designating Wednesday nights from 
7-9 pm (Colorado time) to take calls at (303) 543-9482. I'm suggesting half 
hour blocks of time per person, and would appreciate if you would call or 
e-mail me by Tuesday morning the day before to schedule a time (e.g. 7-7:30 pm 
or 8:30-9 pm). I'll call or e-mail you back to confirm.

I'm also volunteering to collect, organize and maintain a resource library of 
media coverage of cohousing. If you have any stories, videotapes or audiotapes 
of cohousing reports-both current or in the past- I'd appreciate it if you 
would mail them to me at:

Kay Abrahams
3770 Smuggler Place, Boulder, CO 80303-7248.

Best of luck in all your efforts.
Kay
(e-mail: kayruth [at] aol.com).
(303) 543-9482.