There are several questions you should ask yourself before reaching out to the media with your story. Spring Break, Prom, Graduation, Homecoming, Thanksgiving and the winter holidays are ideal times to approach the media because they are also the times of year when underage drinking and impaired driving seem to be at their worst. Think about the timeliness of the story.
Chances are that if a story is timely, it is also relevant and appropriate.
Consider the messages you are trying to send to each audience. Try to select media outlets that speak directly to your audience. If it doesn't, find out why. If you answer yes to these questions, then you have a good change of obtaining positive media coverage . If the answer is no, your news release probably won't be used.