What makes a media story?

Annual milestones on the education calendar - such as UCAS deadlines or clearing - present opportunities for partnerships to promote their own activities to the regional and local media. As do national announcements with regard to widening participation and student finance.

Events that involve activities are often newsworthy, particularly if they present good picture opportunities e.g. children learning to cook as part of a summer school. Getting local VIPs – such as the town Mayor or a member of the local football team – to open or attend an event can help add news value. Publicising events in advance through your local newspaper or the ‘what’s on’ section on websites can help to increase attendance.

Announcements of new ways of partnership working or new schemes such as mentoring will often make the news pages, particularly if you can support them with a case study. Facts and figures about outcomes – such as numbers of young people entering HE in your area – also have news value.

Click on examples of local media coverage to view some of the various regional and area partnership activities that have generated newspaper stories. You may also want to start a ‘good ideas’ file of things that other organisations have done successfully to raise their profile or hold a creative brainstorm about possible news stories with representatives from local schools, FECs and HEIs.