How should your organization pitch an idea for a news story or op-ed? What are common pitfalls to avoid? Paul O’Donnell, Opinion and Features Editor for Religion News Service, offered his editorial expertise and insights on how to make effective pitches to the D.C. chapter of the Religion Communicators Council during the November meeting.

Some communicators may assume that the most appealing pitches to editors are graphically-designed, perfectly formatted pieces expertly written and ready to be published. O’Donnell cautioned RCC members to refrain from sending pitches that are pre-packaged, solely focused about their organization, and sent repeatedly or too frequently. It’s key for those pitching to avoid a common blind spot of not knowing the history or context of an issue beforehand and thinking something is new when, in fact, the issue is the same old story repeated years later.

Instead, O’Donnell encouraged those looking to share a story idea to send a personalized pitch which describes in a short paragraph why it would make an interesting story. He said editors usually care less about stories about an organization – instead, it’s more intriguing when people from an organization say something interesting and relevant to the news today. For instance, if an organization were to submit a pitch about a successful online petition effort, O’Donnell said that learning about the number of signers or supporting organizations is not as important as the organization’s unique take on the relevant issue. In addition to submitting story pitches through Religion News Service’s online submission form, O’Donnell said an effective way to send a pitch is through a personalized email.

For op-ed pitches specifically, O’Donnell said that the best pieces often have a basic format: “I am a (blank) and believe (blank), and here is my issue or problem.” He suggested organizations can position themselves well to be published or called upon in the future when they are proven experts in a specific topic, have their facts checked, write well-written arguments and can deliver an op-ed piece quickly if called upon. Furthermore, he encouraged RCC members not to solely measure the success of published op-ed pieces based on the number of clicks or website traffic; the level of reader interaction and the types of publications reposting their pieces are additional measures of impact.

For more than 85 years, Religion News Service has served as a reliable news source of global news on religion, spirituality, culture and ethics. Thanks to a new grant from the Lilly Endowment, Religion News Service is now partnering with the Associated Press and The Conversation to form a global religion news initiative that hopes to expand religion news reporting both in the U.S and around the world.

As the Opinion and Features Editor for Religion News Service, O’Donnell has more than 20 years of experience and has served as editor for a variety of news organizations, including Newsweek, Condé Nast, CNBC, and Washingtonian magazine. To learn more about RNS and read articles, visit https://religionnews.com.

Set your next project up for success by starting with a simple one-page communication plan, which can make all the difference. Marketing and digital strategist Heidi Thompson shared her experiences and insights on crafting this tool with the D.C. chapter of the Religion Communicators Council for the September chapter meeting.

Thompson drew on her varied experiences to discuss the power of designing simple, one-page communication plans for future events, campaigns or product launches. Many communication professionals have experienced being left out of the planning of major events or campaigns until the last minute. So, what do you do when, once invited to the planning, you realize the projects you’re being asked to promote lack a clear set of communication goals or are depending on gimmicky outreach tactics? Coming to the table with a simple plan allows you to define success, choose clear priorities, identify key audiences and collectively decide on the best strategies and tactics from the outset, bringing all the stakeholders together. This also can lead to crucial buy-in from the rest of the staff, allowing a higher chance for success for everyone involved.

Any plan starts with clearly defining the goals and strategy for the specific assignment, including how success can be proven. Thompson said that once a clear goal is set, the focus then shifts to defining the key audience, choosing a clear message that captures the relevant hurt or hope being addressed, deciding which channel(s) should be used for that audience, and brainstorming the timing, cost and relevant logistics necessary to get the job done.

Once your goals and strategies are laid out, Thompson recommends creating a “Tactical Punch List,” which breaks the larger goal into smaller milestones and lists the tactics, audience, task owners and deadlines into a one-page format that creates clear accountability and action steps.

Thompson currently serves as a marketing and digital media strategist for a number of regional and national faith-based publications. She brings decades of experience to the conversation from her previous experiences as publisher and CEO of Religion News Service and the vice president for marketing and publisher of Sojourners magazine. She is leading a workshop on this topic at the 2020 Religion Communications Congress, held March 17-21 in the greater Washington, D.C. area. Visit https://www.rccongress2020.org/ to learn more.

The Washington, D.C. chapter of the Religion Communicators Council held their January 2018 meeting at the National Press Club.

RCC members had lunch at The Reliable Source restaurant and toured the storied building, which includes a full service broadcast studio, a piano scandalously sat on by Lauren Bacall in 1945 as Vice President Harry Truman played it, the city’s first post-prohibition liquor license, and other assorted memorabilia.

The National Press Club has more than 3,500 members, including journalists from every major news organization. And, each day, there are journalists doing their work at the Club.

See more photos on the RCC Facebook page

The Washington, D.C. chapter of the Religion Communicators Council held their January 2018 meeting at the National Press Club.

RCC members had lunch at The Reliable Source restaurant and toured the storied building, which includes a full service broadcast studio, a piano scandalously sat on by Lauren Bacall in 1945 as Vice President Harry Truman played it, the city’s first post-prohibition liquor license, and other assorted memorabilia.

The National Press Club has more than 3,500 members, including journalists from every major news organization. And, each day, there are journalists doing their work at the Club.

See more photos on the RCC Facebook page

Just days after the 2018 midterm elections, the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Religion Communicators Council sat down for a roundtable on how the results impact the faith sector’s work. Several religious organizations and denominations have offices in Washington, D.C., and the community is constantly keeping up with Congress and advocating on a wide variety of issues.

Three speakers shared their observations and experiences to start the conversation: Amelia Kegan of the Friends Committee on National Legislation; Sofi Hersher of the Religion Action Center of Reform Judaism; and Shahid Rahman of the American Muslim Institution.

“If you’re not podcasting, you should be,” said Steven Martin during the October 2018 meeting of the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Religion Communicators Council. The DeRose-Hinkhouse winner for podcasting in 2017 led a conversation on the art of creating content for this audio-only medium, which brings you to your audience.

Martin serves as the director of communications and development for the National Council of Churches, and he hosts the National Council of Churches Podcast. He has a breadth of experience with a variety of traditional and digital media, including video editing and filmmaking, podcasting, social media strategies, and more.

The National Association of Broadcasters and the National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation are spearheading an initiative to provide a toolkit for local television and radio stations when they report on religion. The toolkit is also being made available to university journalism schools across the country. At the June meeting of the D.C. Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council, the leaders of NAB and NABEF shared the vision for the project and the progress they have made.

The Pope’s 2015 visit to the U.S. was one of the biggest religion stories of the year. Little did Julie Zauzmer know that it would also serve as the gateway to her role as religion reporter for The Washington Post. Addressing the D.C. chapter of the Religion Communicators Council on February 15, 2017, Zauzmer offered advice for more effective public relations with the media and shared her personal experience and perspective as a religion reporter.

Though relatively new to the realm of religion reporting, Zauzmer served as the managing editor of the Harvard Crimson and had a brief stint at the Philadelphia Inquirer before joining The Washington Post staff in January 2014. She spent her first two years on the local beat before taking on her current position.

Danny Hall, Jackie Fuller and Jazmine Steele represented the chapter at the fair. They provided membership information to participants and encouraged them to sign up for the email list to learn more about the professional development and networking opportunities.

For more information about the summit, visit http://ifcmw.org/summit/.

America’s story cannot be told without mentioning religion, and Peter Manseau has been tasked with telling that story at the Smithsonian. The Lilly Endowment Curator of American Religious History spoke to the D.C. Chapter of the Religion Communicators Council about how he works to bring religious history to life.

Manseau earned his doctorate in religion from Georgetown University, and is the author of several books, including One Nation, Under Gods: A New American History. He joined the Smithsonian team in 2016.

The museum’s first religion curator since the 1890s, Manseau is implementing innovative exhibit ideas and organizing concerts and theatre programs to expose guests to the many intersections of religion and history.