April 13, 1989
TO: DIRECT MARKETING COMMITTEE NO. 12-89
PUBLIC INFORMATION COMMITTEE NO. 11-89
SALES FORCE MARKETING COMMITTEE NO. 13-89
RE: Television Usage of the Institute's 3-part Video
News Release
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Last spring we produced a 3-part video news release on the
basics of mutual funds. Video news releases are short reports
that look like news stories, and can, in fact, have news value.
However, they are produced by enterprises other than news
operations. We distributed the releases to television stations
throughout the country for their free use in their newscasts.
Frequently the stations would have their reporters narrate our
stories so they would look as though they had been originated
locally. In some cases, reporters may actually change a story.
For example, the station might add interviews of people from its
area.
Attached is a list of the TV stations that notified us that
they had used, or were interested in using, the news release.
Some additional stations probably used the reports, but did not
notify us. The stories included interviews with investors and
financial planners talking about such basics as setting financial
goals and selecting funds to match them. The releases answered
such questions as how to buy a fund and how to track its
performance.
We distributed the tape in two ways. We sent a tape and
script to the television reporters we have worked with in the
past. I offered each reporter exclusive use in his or her town.
If there was more than one reporter in a town, I selected one to
receive the tape. A business reply card was enclosed to notify
me that the pieces were being used. Only about one in every four
or five stations will actually return these cards.
I also mailed letters to the "business editor," of the
network affiliates in the remaining TV markets. I described the
stories and enclosed a business reply card to return if the
reporter wanted to preview and/or use the pieces. Not everyone
who asks for the tape will use it.
Burrelle's clipping service also monitors television
stations. Attached are some of the versions of the stories
Burrell's transcribed.
Kathryn Morrison
Director, Broadcast
Information Services