Identifying Newsworthy Club Activities

How Do I Determine What is Newsworthy?

News offers information about activities or events that are of interest to, affect or involve the public, such as the dedication of a new Lions park. Some projects, although worthwhile, may not be “newsworthy.” To determine what is newsworthy, ask yourself, “Would a non-Lion find this interesting or useful?” Public service gives information about a specific topic to help or assist the public, such as describing the warning signs of diabetes or encouraging volunteerism.

Decide which activities are unique and may be of interest to the media. To be considered newsworthy, they should be about timely events or activities that:

• Enhance your local community (parks, school programs).
• Involve the general public or other community groups (fundraisers, eyeglass collections).
• Perform a public service (vision/health screenings, drug abuse education).

Read local newspapers, watch television news programs and listen to a variety of local radio stations to get a feel for what is likely to be covered by your news media.

Get involved early in the planning of Lions projects to determine their PR potential. The following are examples of club activities with possible news value:

• Service projects aiding community groups such as the visually impaired, disabled and elderly.
• Eyeglasses recycling/Recycle For Sight.
• Programs for youth/Lions International Peace Poster Contest/Scholarships.
• Special fundraising events/club anniversary events and major donations.
• Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) grants/disaster aid.
• Club elections/volunteer recognition/Melvin Jones recognition.
• Holiday projects.