52 Coral Reef Stories for the World Press

[Coral Health and Monitoring Program]

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE REEF (IYOR) MEDIA OUTREACH PROPOSAL 

IUCN/NOAA/IYOR PROPOSE HIGHLIGHTING WEEKLY STORY IDEAS IN INTERNATIONAL 
MEDIA 

IUCN/World Conservation Union, U.S. Department of Commerce's National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the International Year 
of the Reef (IYOR) invite your contribution to an international media 
strategy to highlight the urgent need for conservation and sustainable 
use of coral reefs.  IUCN, NOAA and IYOR propose a coordinated 52 weekly 
story idea calendar to be distributed to international media outlets 
throughout the year to promote the outreach and educational goals of 
IYOR. 

To implement this strategy, a true partnership is required among 
agencies, IUCN members, and IYOR if the heightened public awareness is 
to encourage action at local, national, regional and international 
levels. 

IUCN requests its marine-oriented members to submit story ideas to NOAA 
by October 30. 

Each group that responds with ideas will be responsible for drafting a 
release for the story idea, providing background materials and for 
listing a contact on the subject matter.  See attached format. 

NOAA will assist in distributing these story ideas to the international 
media. 


                             ~~~ TIMELINE ~~~ 

-- SEPTEMBER -- 

*  IUCN and IYOR will solicit story ideas  and submit to contact points 
by October 30. 

*  The first 1997 quarter's set of stories are agreed upon in November 
by IUCN, NOAA and IYOR and the parties responsible are notified of 
selection and due date of release,  background and contact person. 


-- OCTOBER through DECEMBER -- 

*  The remaining 52 week calendar stories are proposed and release dates 
are sent to all participating groups. 

*  Press releases and background information for the first two months are 
due December 1. 

*  NOAA will contact media outlets and begin promoting the 52-week program 
for the coral reef 
initiative in late December. 

*  The release calender is made available to the media outlets. 


-- JANUARY 1997 -- 

*  Beginning January 6, 1997, every Monday morning, a new story idea is 
sent to local, national and international media markets interested in 
coral reefs and the IYOR. 

*  NOAA's Office of Public and Constituent Affairs will facilitate media 
outreach on story ideas including distribution of materials and 
background information. 


WHAT IS A CORAL REEF STORY IDEA? 

A story idea or "tip sheet" is a media teaser.  It is not a press 
release or news article.  It is a paragraph or two that gives a broad 
outline of a newsworthy topic and gives the reporter the name and number 
of the person to contact for more information.  The contact person will 
provide the reporter the background information and expert list needed 
to write the article. 


WHAT IS A NEWSWORTHY CORAL REEF TOPIC? 

Diverse newsworthy story ideas will be considered addressing the broad 
range of themes of the International Coral Reef Initiative and IYOR: 
coastal zone management, capacity building, research and monitoring. 
Some examples might include the launch of new coastal area management 
planning at a site, project successes/failures, cyanide fishing and 
other destructive fishing practices, research, e.g., human impacts on 
ecosystems, regional monitoring networks supporting the global coral 
monitoring network, public involvement and empowerment, application of a 
new technology, ecotourism and carrying capacity, transforming paper 
parks into operational coastal/marine parks, etc. 


EXAMPLE: 

CORAL BLEACHING IN BELIZE IS CAUSED BY WARMER WATERS 

Coral bleaching caused by environmental stresses is threatening the 
Western Hemisphereas well as other areas of the western Caribbean and Gulf 
of Mexico. The 
same warm waters that spawned or strengthened hurricanes in the western 
Atlantic last year also are associated with this occurrence of coral 
bleaching.  From August through October, NOAA satellites detected 
elevated sea surface temperatures spanning much of the Gulf of Mexico 
and the western Caribbean basin from Belize to Jamaica, Honduras and 
Venezuela. 


FOR MORE INFORMATION AND LIST OF SUBJECT EXPERTS, PLEASE CONTACT: 

Matt Stout 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Voice:  (202) 482-6090 (U.S.) 
Fax:  (202) 482-3154 
Email:  mstout at rdc.noaa.gov 

or, 

Paul Holthus 
Voice:  41-22-999-0251 
Fax:  41-22-999-0025 
Email:  pfh at hq.iucn.org