Thank you guys for replying. Jen, I'm sure the TRC board is glad to
have you around!
I had given lots of consideration to Bike to Work Week when I was in
Lewiston, but since I couldn't get the board members to even ride to
work that week, I sat on the plans. Kleeburg, taught me several
things about the media- and he had his shining face on the KLEW TV
cameras two or three times each year when he was president!
Write a news release for them- essentially do their work for them. Do
try to the meet the sports editor; that was part of Kleeburg's
success. They knew who he was and how to get hold of him. Seems like
the sports editor I met was just before I did the Lewis-Clark Route.
He wanted to know a little about us and always thought he'd someday
ride somewhere with us, and typically they're young guys getting their
foot in the industry who try to move to bigger markets. They all like
local news, but they'll do nothing with a any national news release
unless TRC puts a local slant on it with what's going on in the
Valley- that's what peaks their interest.
As much as possible have your events during their workday. That's
difficult, but they're much more apt to show up during their regular
work time than they are to put in overtime filming something for the
bike club.
Always sound fun, excited, and try to get the facts right- in that
order if your before the camera. I think my natural inclination is to
come across as wanting the facts right and secondarily trying to be
fun. If you sound like you're making Lewiston a better more exciting
place to live, they and their audience will be more forgiving of
errors in the details- because the news is that funs stuff is
happening there- not the nitty gritty details.
Remember, there's usually a shortage of local news, so they do want to
hear from you especially if you put something they can use in their
lap, and for them to use it, it has to be local happenings- not hoped
for stuff and not news of what's happening somewhere else- that
actually makes Lewiston look like a bad place to live- which they try
not to do. However, no news agency up there (or maybe anywhere) is as
good as that as all Boise networks at making the local area look
desirable! If you have something local going on, you should be able
to get an article or a brief news bite out of it without resorting to
the letters to the editor.
The morning disc jockeys are also a good source. They have to keep
talking about something and can usually be entertaining even if
they're complaining about climbing 17 St Grade on a bicycle to get to
work! I never did a thing with them in Lewiston, but I've heard them
down here talk about their cycling to work during bike to work week
most years. One used to live in Uniontown, challenge him and offer to
ride home with him! That may have changed, but I'm sure you get the
idea.
I don't know how to use it, but when cycling home thru Portland on the
L&C route, the bridge I should have used was closed, so I had to
divert to downtown. Although morning rush was over by the time I
arrived, some cycling advocate group was still passing out doughnuts
to all cyclists headed to work, and that bridge was a natural choke
point where they offered me a doughnut and started talking. I wasn't
his target audience by any means, but we did talk for a while about
what they were trying to accomplish, and I think I ate a doughnut! I
think the encouragement thing is in the right direction, but I'm not
sure I support handing out doughnuts. Most of the people would be
thinking they need to drop a few pounds, and their ride wouldn't be
long enough to burn the doughnut calories. However, you might be able
to turn that idea into something.
I do like your other ideas though! Remember, Lewiston is a blue
collar sedentary place where people see "reward" as a big cushion to
sit on while they drive something motorized! Celebrate your small
successes there and don't get discouraged!
I'm excited to hear of so much going on up there! Maybe when I
return, you'll have turned it into a cycling friendly town of the
Northwest- like Portland, Eugene, or Seattle! Well, I'd settle for as
cycling friendly as Boise- which is well below those others!
Steve
Thank you guys for replying. Jen, I'm sure the TRC board is glad to
have you around!
I had given lots of consideration to Bike to Work Week when I was in
Lewiston, but since I couldn't get the board members to even ride to
work that week, I sat on the plans. Kleeburg, taught me several
things about the media- and he had his shining face on the KLEW TV
cameras two or three times each year when he was president!
Write a news release for them- essentially do their work for them. Do
try to the meet the sports editor; that was part of Kleeburg's
success. They knew who he was and how to get hold of him. Seems like
the sports editor I met was just before I did the Lewis-Clark Route.
He wanted to know a little about us and always thought he'd someday
ride somewhere with us, and typically they're young guys getting their
foot in the industry who try to move to bigger markets. They all like
local news, but they'll do nothing with a any national news release
unless TRC puts a local slant on it with what's going on in the
Valley- that's what peaks their interest.
As much as possible have your events during their workday. That's
difficult, but they're much more apt to show up during their regular
work time than they are to put in overtime filming something for the
bike club.
Always sound fun, excited, and try to get the facts right- in that
order if your before the camera. I think my natural inclination is to
come across as wanting the facts right and secondarily trying to be
fun. If you sound like you're making Lewiston a better more exciting
place to live, they and their audience will be more forgiving of
errors in the details- because the news is that funs stuff is
happening there- not the nitty gritty details.
Remember, there's usually a shortage of local news, so they do want to
hear from you especially if you put something they can use in their
lap, and for them to use it, it has to be local happenings- not hoped
for stuff and not news of what's happening somewhere else- that
actually makes Lewiston look like a bad place to live- which they try
not to do. However, no news agency up there (or maybe anywhere) is as
good as that as all Boise networks at making the local area look
desirable! If you have something local going on, you should be able
to get an article or a brief news bite out of it without resorting to
the letters to the editor.
The morning disc jockeys are also a good source. They have to keep
talking about something and can usually be entertaining even if
they're complaining about climbing 17 St Grade on a bicycle to get to
work! I never did a thing with them in Lewiston, but I've heard them
down here talk about their cycling to work during bike to work week
most years. One used to live in Uniontown, challenge him and offer to
ride home with him! That may have changed, but I'm sure you get the
idea.
I don't know how to use it, but when cycling home thru Portland on the
L&C route, the bridge I should have used was closed, so I had to
divert to downtown. Although morning rush was over by the time I
arrived, some cycling advocate group was still passing out doughnuts
to all cyclists headed to work, and that bridge was a natural choke
point where they offered me a doughnut and started talking. I wasn't
his target audience by any means, but we did talk for a while about
what they were trying to accomplish, and I think I ate a doughnut! I
think the encouragement thing is in the right direction, but I'm not
sure I support handing out doughnuts. Most of the people would be
thinking they need to drop a few pounds, and their ride wouldn't be
long enough to burn the doughnut calories. However, you might be able
to turn that idea into something.
I do like your other ideas though! Remember, Lewiston is a blue
collar sedentary place where people see "reward" as a big cushion to
sit on while they drive something motorized! Celebrate your small
successes there and don't get discouraged!
I'm excited to hear of so much going on up there! Maybe when I
return, you'll have turned it into a cycling friendly town of the
Northwest- like Portland, Eugene, or Seattle! Well, I'd settle for as
cycling friendly as Boise- which is well below those others!
Steve
So Steve had lots of ideas:
1. Contact the local radio stations for some interest and volunteer
to appear with some information on biking to work in our area... any
volunteers? I'd talk if I had a script or text.
2. Have some kind of gathering for bike to work week that we could
invite other riders....
3. A challenge to the community... how about T shirts...Gold Gym wants to
be part of our club... maybe they could donate or help subsidize
shirts?
