2012 Publicity Committee Report
By Val Paget
SSA Media Kit and The Soaring Publicity Handbook
I continue to work with members as they use these two tools for promoting soaring. Members can request copies through the SSA headquarters. Denise Layton has promoted the CDs through ads in Soaring.
News Releases
I continue to support local efforts to gain media attention and assist them with news releases and media campaigns.
The Publicity Committee was not invited to participate
In the two major soaring events of this century, my committee was neither invited to participate nor were we consulted. Both the World Championship and the Soaring100 media campaigns handled their own coverage. I did volunteer to work with the Soar100 group, but they had their team set up. As requested, I prepared an early press release for the Worlds. I understand that coverage was handled by a professional group. Some discussions of the media coverage followed theses events. A few have thought that the SSA’s Publicity Committee was involved. I have no way to clear up this misperception.
OLC – A new approach to promoting our member’s achievements
One of my objectives for 2012 is to develop new release templates for OLC achievements and promote the use of these templates.
Our pilots are flying amazing flights that deserve national and local coverage. My committee will work to develop a program to encourage pilots to publicize their accomplishments. Not only are exceptionally long flights worthy of attention, but accumulated distances by individuals and clubs can make headline grabbing stories.
I also would like to add an OLC section to both The Soaring Publicity Handbook and the SSA Media Kit CDs. In the next few months, I will create a news release template and add a section about the online contest to the Media Kit.
Soaring Articles
I continue to write for a variety of media outlets. This summer I wrote an article about soaring for JET Magazine that is published in China. The publication, written in both Chinese and English is a magazine widely distributed around the Pacific Rim. You can read the article on my web site: valpaget.com.
I am working on a follow-up piece to “Soaring Above Obstacles” that was published in Atlantic Flyer, a publication that has a widely distributed along the Eastern Seaboard. In the article I addressed the results of a research project that produced a list of obstacles women pilots face. I have written about ways that soaring solves many of the obstacles. I will take that information to a wider audience.
HYPERLINK "http://www.aflyer.com/1109_f_soaringaboveobstacles.html" http://www.aflyer.com/1109_f_soaringaboveobstacles.html
Publicity Homepage
I have asked the SSA webmaster to add sections of the SSA Media Kit and The Soaring Publicity Handbook to the site. There is still work to be done. I hope that this year the webmaster will include information and highlights from the two disks that preview the contents of both.
Ideas and tools for Attracting Media Attention
Creative ways to promote soaring and tools to make the job easier are posted on the SSA Publicity Committee Homepage. Easier editing of the home page would enable me to add the many creative ways that clubs are promoting soaring.
Recognize Members Who Bring Media attention to Soaring
Members of committees and board members hear about the wonderful ways clubs and commercial operators are bringing media attention to soaring. We need celebrate these efforts with public recognition, and inspire other clubs to take similar actions.
At the 2010 SSA Convention, I requested that a member who had made good suggestions to me receive a Certificate of Appreciation. He was the only one recognized. All of you know someone that deserves such recognition. It only costs one sheet of paper and a handshake. Why not give them a pat on the back?
Connections with Other Aviation Organizations
My committee has developed strong connections between the SSA and the 99s and other organizations. Neita Montague worked with the local organizers of the WSPA annual camp. She promoted the use of the Publicity Handbook and SSA Media Kit to attendees.
Promoting Bertha Ryan’s Book, Soaring Beyond the Clouds
I worked with Bertha Ryan and Denise Layton to promote Soaring Beyond the Clouds, a book about Einar Enevoldson. I have created press releases that have already been used by the media in California and other places. This is a must-have book everyone interested in aviation and the spirit of adventure. It is Bertha’s hope that the narrative, filled with so many adventures, will inspire youth, as well as adults, to try our sport. Bertha is giving the profits from the book sales to the SSA.