Given Hapunda

180  Implications and recommendations should be supported by evidence presented earlier in the document. References and other resources 5%  Reader can make reference to this information if needed. Adopted from : Jones, (2011) 2. Media publication/press release: This is usually targeted at the general public. It has the main purpose of informing the public and making the research and its findings more visible to the public. The release may be on television, print media or website. It is important that the press release contains information that is news worthy, and has a human interest perspective attached to it. The information must captivate the audience by its relevance, creation of awareness and contribution to society. As you prepare a press release, it is essential to have answers to the following questions: I. The “who” questions -Who are the key players in your press release? Your organisation, stakeholders, donors or community members? Who are the beneficiaries of the press release? Who is the message most targeted at? II. The “what” questions -What will the press release focus on? What new information is it presenting to the audience? III. The “why” questions -Why is this information important to the audience? How is it different from similar information previously presented by other organisations/projects? What value or major contribution does the press release make? IV. The “when” questions -When is the most appropriate time to release the information? Remember timing is everything. You want your article to have maximum impact. It should not be overshadowed by more important events. V. The “where” question -Where will the press release be published? Even though a press release is meant for the general audience, remember that the audience you target when your press release is published in the newspaper or aired on television is different from the audience in a specialised magazine. For example, an article published in the newspaper on an intervention study conducted to improve the growth of maize should be different from one published in an agriculture magazine. The latter is likely to have a more specialised audience.