Category: Media skills / Media tips / Media literacy
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Our new #MakeItSO Media Clinic offers free media and marketing advice to Southampton’s community organisations
What’s your media and marketing challenge? That’s the question we’re asking community organisations in Southampton and we’re providing a free drop-in consultancy to help. In partnership with Southampton 2025, our #MakeItSO Media Clinic is part of our joint mission to amplify the city’s community voices and showcase the great things happening in our communities and […]
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Help us amplify black voices: Organisations invited to sponsor a media skills workshop
We’re inviting organisations to sponsor a Mobile Storytelling workshop so that more people can learn digital media skills to amplify their voices and tell their own stories. Our Version Media is on a mission to equip people from black – and other under- and mis-represented – communities with digital media skills to tell their own […]
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Using your smartphone to record a news story
By Bill Shepherd Why, and in which situations, do you think it is better to film with a smartphone instead of a traditional camera? There is an old saying, the best camera is the one you always have with you. Journalists carry their smartphone all the time, which allows them to do three things: record […]
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6 impactful ways to share your video online
1. Use your social media channels Share your video on social media. This is a great way to let people know what your organisation is doing and how it is helping the community. Tweak captions per platform because, as well as word count restrictions, each might have different audiences. For example, your Twitter followers might […]
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7 reasons journalists don’t respond to your press release
1. Your motivation was wrong You wanted free promotion or advertising. You didn’t care about news. You just wanted a journalist to promote your project, service, product or event, otherwise known as a “puff piece”. Send one too many of those and you’ll end up on the “Spam” list! Next time, find a real story […]
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10 steps to get you filming stories with your mobile
1. Rethink your views about video Stop visualising making a flashy video. You’ve been busy serving your community, not working as a videographer. No-one, not even you, should expect you to create a top quality video. That fear will stop you from giving it a go and prevent you from telling your stories. So grab […]
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7 easy and effective ways to promote your community event
1. Don’t waste time writing a press release You’re running a community event and you want to promote it. You send a press release and sit back waiting for your event to hit the news. Guess how many of their 1000s of viewers, listeners and readers will hear about your event? None. Zero. Why? Because […]
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3 words to never use in your press release
1. Amazing Being passionate about your project or service is great but, just because you say it’s “amazing” doesn’t mean it is. Using that word is lazy. Plus what’s “amazing” to you, may not be “amazing” to a journalist, or their audience. Instead, explain what it is you do that makes it “amazing.” Show it, […]
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Diversity Calendar
Southampton City Council’s Tenant Engagement team has put together a Diversity Calendar. It’s packed with key dates, such as national and international awareness days, UN commemorative days, and fun days. It’s a great tool if you’re looking for dates to “hook” your story onto and to help with story and content scheduling. Calendar downloads from […]