Ready, Set, Talk!

"Ready, Set, Talk! is the most 'no-BS, this-is-how-the-media-really-works' book of its kind that I have ever read. As someone who spends her time explaining this to clients, activists and others, I am glad to have it as a resource. I will recommend it to all my clients and at any media training I present."

—Cathy Renna, Renna Communications

A Must-Have Resource for Campaigns of All Kinds

A complete handbook on using talk media to promote an issue, a product, or a candidate—a guide to success in campaign 2006.

Ready, Set, Talk! will help anyone—from the novice activist to the sophisticated public relations professional—develop a talk media message, prepare a campaign, and roll it out. The authors demystify the process of identifying and analyzing potential media targets and opportunities, and show readers how to develop media events for maximum attention and continuing exposure on talk media.

Rich with real-life examples and anecdotes on how to—and how not to—execute a successful campaign, this revealing media manual pulls no punches. Ratner and Scarrah analyze the conservatives' success on talk media and explain how anyone can do the same, not just by creating their own show, but also by going head to head with others on highly successful existing shows.

Ready, Set, Talk! is a roadmap to putting the internet, podcasting, and videocasting to work for ideas, causes, and candidates. It includes guidelines for print and television interviews; a step-by-step guide to selecting, booking, and preparing a spokesperson; a comprehensive idiot-proof promotional checklist; and advice on how to manage crises in the media.

Proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to the Mt. Zion Education Center Project.

About the Authors

Ellen Ratner

Ellen Ratner is the White House Correspondent and Bureau Chief for The Talk Radio News Service, covering the White House and providing exclusive reports to talk radio stations from the Congress and government agencies. Ms. Ratner is a news analyst on The Fox News Channel where she has a weekly segment entitled "The Long and Short of It" with Jim Pinkerton. She is heard on over 500 stations across the United States representing individual stations as well as syndicated shows on both commercial and public radio venues. In addition she writes a weekly column "Liberal and Proud" for World Net ...

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Kathie Scarrah

Kathie Scarrah is an independent international television news producer for Associated Press Television, Voice of America Television, the U-S Department of State and the US Army. Her news productions have aired on all U-S commercial and cable network news channels as well as major networks in Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. She has been honored with critical acclaim for her long-format news productions at several international competitions.

She was appointed the Director of the Office of Broadcast Services at the US Department of State for the final year of ...

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