| Course | MKT 438 Public Relations (MKT/438) |
|---|---|
| Week | 2 |
| Paper type | Media relations and publicity plan |
| Length | about 1,017 words, 4 double-spaced pages plus title page and references |
| Format | APA 7 student paper |
| School | University of Phoenix |
| Program | BS in Business |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for MKT 438 Week 2
Earning the Story: Media Relations and Publicity Tools for a Local Grocery Chain's Food Rescue Program
[Student Name]
University of Phoenix
MKT/438: Public Relations
Week 2 Assignment
[Instructor Name]
[Date]
Northgate Markets, its program and media contacts are composites written for a model paper.
Northgate Markets, the composite 14-store Milwaukee grocery chain, is launching a food rescue partnership with a regional food bank. Each store will donate unsold but safe produce, bread, dairy and prepared foods daily, picked up by food bank trucks and distributed to pantries. The company expects to donate about 1.2 million pounds of food in the first year. After criticism over a store closure, Northgate also wants to show its commitment to food access. The story is worth telling only if it is told honestly; a food rescue program presented as an apology will be judged as public relations in the worst sense. This paper plans media relations and publicity for the launch.
Agenda Setting
McCombs and Shaw (1972) studied voters during a presidential campaign and found a strong relationship between the issues media emphasized and the issues voters considered important. Media do not tell people what to think as much as what to think about. Coverage of food waste and hunger can raise the importance of these issues in the community.
Agenda Building
Kiousis et al. (2006) found that the issues emphasized in candidates' news releases were reflected in media coverage, which in turn related to public opinion, showing how organizations can help build the media agenda. For Northgate, well-prepared materials can influence how the story is framed: as a community solution to waste and hunger rather than a corporate promotion.
Journalists and Practitioners
Sallot and Johnson (2006) studied relationships between journalists and public relations practitioners and found that journalists estimated that a substantial share of news content was influenced by practitioners, while valuing practitioners who provided accurate, timely and newsworthy information and criticizing those who sent irrelevant material or were unresponsive.
Starting Point With the Media
Northgate begins with a weak position. Its only recent coverage was the store closure story, in which the company's two-line statement was quoted alongside criticism from neighbors and a city council member. Reporters who covered that story may approach the food rescue launch skeptically, and some will ask about the closure. That is fair, and Northgate should prepare honest answers rather than hoping the subject will not come up. A new program does not erase the closure, but transparent handling of both can begin to rebuild credibility.
The Media Map
Target outlets include the city's daily newspaper and its business section, four local television stations, two public and commercial radio stations, a local business journal, neighborhood newspapers and online news sites. Food and sustainability reporters and community affairs desks are the main contacts.
What Makes It News
Newsworthy elements include local impact, with food reaching thousands of families; numbers, with 1.2 million pounds; human interest, through pantry volunteers and families; timeliness, with rising food prices; and a sustainability angle, keeping food out of landfills.
Angles by Outlet
The daily newspaper may cover food waste and hunger as a community issue. Television needs visuals of trucks loading and pantries distributing food. The business journal may focus on how grocers reduce waste costs. Neighborhood papers will focus on local pantries. Radio may interview the food bank director.
The News Release
Headline: Northgate Markets and Food Bank Partner to Rescue 1.2 Million Pounds of Food for Milwaukee Families. The lead will state what, who, when and why in one sentence, followed by quotes from Daniel Kowalski and the food bank director, program details and contact information.
Pitches
Each pitch will be short, personalized and focused on the reporter's beat. The food reporter will be offered a behind-the-scenes look at how stores sort donations. The television assignment desk will receive a visual schedule.
Preparing for Hard Questions
Spokespeople will prepare for questions such as: Is this a response to the closure? How much does Northgate save by donating instead of disposing of food? Will the company reopen a store in the affected neighborhood? Answers will be truthful. For example, Daniel Kowalski will acknowledge that the closure hurt the neighborhood, explain that the food rescue program was planned before the closure and describe a mobile market pilot under discussion with the city. Avoiding these questions would undermine the whole effort.
Media Kit
An online kit will include the release, fact sheet, photos, video, biographies and contact details.
Launch Event
A morning event at a neighborhood food pantry will feature the first delivery, short remarks, a pantry volunteer and families who agree to speak.
Timing
The release will go out at 6 a.m. on a Tuesday, a day with fewer competing events, with the launch event at 9:30 a.m. so television crews can return footage for noon newscasts. Embargoed details will be offered to the daily newspaper's food reporter a day early in exchange for a more detailed story.
Owned Channels
Northgate's website will host a page with updates on pounds donated. Social media will share stories from pantries, with consent.
Social Media and Influencers
Local food writers and community figures may share the story. Any paid partnership will be disclosed clearly, following the code adopted after last year's undisclosed blog posts.
Spokespeople
Daniel Kowalski, a store manager and the food bank director will be trained to speak clearly and honestly.
Honesty
Numbers will be estimates labeled clearly. Northgate will not claim credit for the food bank's work.
Beyond the Launch
One day of coverage is not the goal. Northgate will share milestones, such as the first 100,000 pounds donated, and offer stories about individual pantries over the year. A year-end report will give reporters data for follow-up stories on food waste in the region.
Measuring Results
The company will track coverage, tone, inclusion of key messages, audience reach, website visits and food bank volunteer sign-ups.
Building Relationships
Northgate will provide timely answers to reporters, share quarterly updates and offer access for follow-up stories.
Conclusion
Research on agenda setting, agenda building and journalist relationships guides Northgate's plan. A media map, newsworthy angles, a release, tailored pitches, a media kit, a launch event, owned channels and honest messaging give the food rescue program its best chance to earn fair coverage.
References
Kiousis, S., Mitrook, M., Wu, X., & Seltzer, T. (2006). First- and second-level agenda-building and agenda-setting effects: Exploring the linkages among candidate news releases, media coverage, and public opinion during the 2002 Florida gubernatorial election. Journal of Public Relations Research, 18(3), 265-285. https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532754xjprr1803_4
McCombs, M. E., & Shaw, D. L. (1972). The agenda-setting function of mass media. Public Opinion Quarterly, 36(2), 176-187. https://doi.org/10.1086/267990
Sallot, L. M., & Johnson, E. A. (2006). Investigating relationships between journalists and public relations practitioners: Working together to set, frame and build the public agenda, 1991-2004. Public Relations Review, 32(2), 151-159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2006.02.008
What the MKT 438 Week 2 instructions ask
The second MKT 438 assignment usually asks students to develop media relations and publicity strategies for an organization or event. Common requirements include identifying target media, explaining what makes a story newsworthy, describing tools such as news releases, media kits, pitches, press conferences, events and social media, building relationships with journalists and evaluating results. A sample release or pitch is often part of the task. Use research on media relations, apply tools to a specific announcement and cite sources in APA style. Prepare for hard questions as well as friendly ones. Explain why each outlet would care about the story, since journalists ignore pitches that serve the company more than their audience.
How this MKT 438 Week 2 example is built
A grocery chain launching a food rescue program with a regional food bank wants coverage, and the paper plans how to earn it. Research on agenda setting shows that media coverage shapes what people consider important, and research on agenda building shows that organizations' materials influence coverage. Studies of journalists and practitioners show that journalists value accurate, timely and newsworthy information. The paper maps television, radio, newspaper, neighborhood and online outlets, identifies angles such as tons of food saved and hunger in the city, writes a release and tailored pitches, plans a launch event at a food pantry and sets measures for coverage quality and community response, while preparing honest answers to questions about the earlier store closure.
MKT 438 Week 2 grading rubric: where the points go
Strong media relations papers match newsworthy stories to the right outlets and use tools that journalists find useful. Instructors credit a clear media map, an accurate explanation of news values, appropriate tools, tailored pitches, attention to relationships with journalists and measures that go beyond counting clips. Papers that include sample materials, such as a release headline and lead, show applied skill. Reviewers look for research on media relations and agenda building, links to the organization's publics and ethics and realistic plans. Plans for handling skeptical questions earn extra credit. Clear sections and careful APA referencing let readers trace how each tool supports the communication goal.
MKT 438 Week 2 help: mistakes to avoid
Students often send the same release to every outlet. Tailor angles for each. Another frequent gap is assuming the company's news is interesting. Identify what makes it newsworthy to readers and viewers. Students also forget visuals; television and online outlets need images and video. Build relationships before you need coverage. Offer spokespeople who can speak clearly. Be honest about numbers and label estimates. Use owned channels, such as the website and social media, alongside earned media. Measure tone, message inclusion and audience reach, not just clip counts. Finally, follow up with journalists respectfully and thank them for fair coverage, whether or not the story was entirely positive.
Related MKT 438 sample papers
Other MKT 438 week samples
- MKT 438 Week 1: Public Relations and Ethics
- MKT 438 Week 3: Building Stakeholder Relationships
- MKT 438 Week 4: Crisis Communication
- MKT 438 Week 5: Public Relations Campaign Plan
More BS in Business sample papers
- MKT 353 Week 2: New Product Development
- MKT 421 Week 2: Consumers and Market Segmentation
- MKT 431 Week 2: Evaluating Growth Opportunities
- MKT 435 Week 2: Perception and Motivation
MKT 438 Week 2 questions, answered
What does MKT 438 Week 2 usually cover?
It usually covers media relations and publicity tools: target media, news values, news releases, media kits, pitches, events, social media, journalist relationships and measurement.
Where can I find a free MKT 438 Week 2 sample paper?
A full media relations plan for a grocery chain's food rescue launch is shown above, and writers can create one for the announcement in your course.
What makes a story newsworthy?
Common news values include timeliness, local impact, human interest, novelty, conflict, prominence and significance to the audience.
What is a media pitch?
A short, tailored message to a journalist proposing a story idea, explaining why it matters to their audience and offering sources, data or visuals.
What is agenda setting?
The idea that news media influence which issues the public considers important by deciding which topics to cover and how prominently.
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