The Ever-Changing Industry

Keeping up with the latest media trends in a particular industry is crucial for success. Public relations is one of those fields that is always changing, so it is essential to be continuously updated on different ways you can get your message out to the public. There are many different media outlets a nonprofit organization can utilize, but knowing which ones will benefit them the most is key.

The impact of the internet and the new technology it provides means individuals have more control, as well as responsibility, in getting their message out. I believe the internet would be a great tool to take advantage of when promoting Safe Harbor and domestic violence awareness. Not only can the internet reach millions of people, it is also more affordable than many other media outlets out there. Since being a nonprofit means not a lot of extra cash to spend on marketing and promoting, the internet would be a great solution, especially the use of blogs. Bloggers, known sometimes as "citizen journalists", are changing the way news is being viewed and covered.

The chapter in the book mentions developing a good relationship with local wire services. I noticed that one of the wire services highlighted in the book was Women's eNews. This wire service would be beneficial to Safe Harbor, since they deal with stories of particular concern to women. Anything from religion to economics, to health and science, they offer a story on it. On the website, they offer a section devoted to domestic violence awareness. Safe Harbor could have an article published on the wire service, so not only would they be contributing to the cause, but they would earn recognition. Women's eNews also offers a YouTube channel, which I thought would be a strong and powerful way of sending the message to the audience. 

Another great media outlet I believe could benefit Safe Harbor, would be the use of magazines, especially articles found on their website. Many articles that are on a magazine's website are not found in print, and they tend to offer more opinion, commentary, and analysis. On Cosmopolitan's website, I found this article about domestic violence. Underneath the article, they offer a place where you can comment on the article and even email the editor asking questions. This is a great way to spread the word and see what other people are saying about a topic, as well.

I was surprised to find out that radio has progressed even further than television over the years. With the latest technology of i Pods, MP3 players, and satellite radio, messages can be sent to numerous people through audio platforms. There has even been an expanding audiences, since radio shows will usually direct their audience to their website for more information. By finding a local radio station willing to work with us, we could produce messages about Safe Harbor and the events we have planned for them. This particular satellite radio station I found online is based around women topics, so it would be ideal to find a similar radio station offering the same kind of views for Safe Harbor.