Chris Robinson has kept the NW Peace & Justice / NW Greens in touch with their local media.  He explains how it's done in a letter to a supporter:

First, and most important, you have to build a relationship with the media. That means you have to talk to the reporters/columnists/editors regularly. I really mean talk -- via the telephone -- until they know who you are. Hopefully they will come to trust that you will give them good stories to follow, good quotations to use in articles, and good contact numbers for people they can interview. You want to become THEIR SOURCE.

Second, I only use email for press releases. I know that many people say that you have to FAX the press releases, but I have found that reporters and editors respond to my emails, and they are cheaper than FAX. Give it a try, and see what you think.

Third, it is a waste of time to telephone the press, unless you are phoning a specific person. The reason is that you first have to build a rapore with each individual reporter/editor/columnist. I think that a telephone follow-up to a press release is only of value if the reporter/editor/columnist knows who you are.

Fourth, you have to prioritize. Obviously, you can (and should) send a press release to all of the media contacts on your Excel spread-sheet, and some of them may even use it. But there is no way that you will have enough time to build a relationship with such a large media list. So, it is now time to start chopping out some of the dead wood. Your best bet, I think, is to keep the contacts where you have a specific person's name, phone number, and email address. Then start by telephoning them once a month with some hot peace-movement news for them to report.

Good luck, buddy. It is a big task, but very rewarding.

Chris 215-843-4256