Media Contacts and Tips

Tips on Responding to the Media  It is important to submit letters regularly. A few short lines expressing your measured feelings or thoughts about something you have read or heard is very important. The more letters that are submitted, the more likely it will be that one such letter expressing a similar point of view will get published. Encourage your friends and relatives to make a habit of writing letters and calling news outlets to express their concern, frustration or disappointment (never anger) about what has been published/broadcast. When writing letters to the Editor, keep responses short and respectful. Most publications won’t print more than three paragraphs. Back up statements with facts. Feel free to personalise the issue (put a human face to it), but don’t get emotional. Avoid anger that removes the focus from the facts and undermines your credibility. If you write directly to the journalist (as opposed to the Letters Editor) keep in mind that you are writing to correct fact and impression. Point out the omissions or distortions. Never be personal and never attack a journalist’s character. If your letter gets printed, write a short note thanking the Editor for allowing your concerns to be heard. Make the time you spend letter-writing even more valuable by sending/emailing copies to other appropriate people. For example, if you are writing about an unbalanced report on a television network, write to the reporter, but also send a copy to Head of News Programming. Another way to add value to your letter-writing is to revise it in order to submit it to the Australian Jewish News. If you have a hot topic about which you would like to educate the Jewish community, call the Editor of the Australian Jewish News and ask if you can write an opinion piece for the paper.

1. Television         ABC - 4 Corners       ABC - 7.30 Report       ABC - Foreign Correspondent       ABC - Lateline       ABC - News Online       ATN Channel 7       Network Ten       SBS TV       Sky News Australia       TCN Channel Nine - 60 Minutes       TCN Channel Nine - A Current Affair       TCN Channel Nine - National Nine News       TCN Channel Nine - Sunday   2. Radio         2JJJ News       ABC (2BL - 702)       ABC News Radio       ABC Radio National       MIX106.5       Radio 2GB       Radio 2UE    3. Daily Newspapers         Sydney Morning Herald      Letters submissions to letters@smh.com.au      Editorial feedback is to readerlink@smh.com.au       The Australian Letters to letters@theaustralian.com.au          The Australian Financial Review Letters to edletters@afr.com.au       The Daily Telegraph Letters to news@dailytelegraph.com.au   4. Weekly Newspapers         The Australian Jewish News Letters to ajn@jewishnews.net.au       The Canberra Times Letters form at http://www.canberratimes.com.au/content/writetous       The Sun Herald Comments form at http://newsbreak.com.au/contact.ac#contact       The Sunday Telegraph Letters to news@dailytelegraph.com.au   5. Local Newspapers   Hills News Liverpool Champion Northern News North Shore Times Parramatta Sun Penrith Star The Glebe and Inner Western Weekly Letters to bilicJ@cng.newsltd.com.au The Leader The Manly Daily Letters to stickneyS@cng.newsltd.com.au The Mosman Daily Letters to GridleyB@cng.newsltd.com.au

6. Online media - opinion forums

Crikey New Matilda Online Opinion Unleashed