Apple Usergroups Events Calendar

MUGs around the world can publish their meetings and special events here.

apple usergroups events calendar

ABC Radio

ABC Radio have Events Calendars for various regions in their Backyard section.

abc radio

From O’Reilly Books

This appeared in a recent mailout from O’Reilly’s;

What do you have going on with your group that we should know?

Send me the details, web site, date, and anything else handy. We’re looking for things like code camps, events, projects, and joint ventures with other groups to highlight.

We’ve started a new blog at O’Reilly and I’m looking for UG activities to include. Here’s the link to check it out:

o’reilly blog

Update on the UG wiki: You now have to use a password and user name to update our UG wiki. We are getting wikispam and some of the content was removed (but we fixed it!)

To update your info or add your group contact Marsee at O’Reilly’s and she’ll provide you with the login details.

o’reilly wiki

Local Papers

Each state has its’ own local newspaper chain with regional editions that are probably crying out for new and different stories.

Even if you aren’t based in a particular region you can often get a story included in an issue by offering a unique outlook on a topic.

Below are listed the Primary site for the major local newspaper groups in each state. There may be others, but this is a starting point and they all break off to specific regions and provide contact names and methods of contacts. Most also offer a free Events Calendar submission form like this one offered by Leader Newspaper in Victoria;

leader calendar

NSW – Cumberland
VIC – Leader News
QLD – quest community news
SA – Messenger Newspapers
WA – Community News
NT – Northern Territory News

Some Reading Material

If you want to get coverage in the media, either online, printed press or even radio or TV, there are some things that you’ll need to understand first, including;

• The importance of having a actual Public Relations Officer in your group
• How to write an effective Press Release
• Whom exactly to send it to (and why you don’t just send it to the Chief Editor)
• Timing of the release for maximum coverage
• and most importantly, how to FOLLOW UP your release

There are some great books out there covering all of these points and more, and a few I’ve recently read have included;

Publication Relations Handbook for Clubs and Associations, The
Author: Jim Macnamara
ISBN: 1 86350 073 1

How to use the Media in Australia
Author: Iola Mathews
ISBN: 0 14 014467 6

How to do your own P.R.
Author: Ian Phillipson
ISBN: 978-8172246884

Promote Your Business
Author: Mary Morel
ISBN: 1 86508 931 1

But also check your local library, or better still contact the various publishers who support User Groups, and see what titles they have available on this topic.

An other really useful resource is the Margaret Gee’s Australian Media Guide, which provides over 25,000 media contacts in Australian TV, Radio and Print. More information can be found online at www.mediaguide.com.au and most public libraries have a fairly recent copy in stock, even if it is in their Reference section and can’t actually be borrowed (but you can certainly read it in the library and jot down some notes)

Feedback Welcomed

If you have any other avenues or ideas for promoting Australian MUGs, let me know and I can pass them on in future updates.

In particular, areas I don’t know much about is Radio and TV opportunities…so if you have hints on how we can all tap into these media groups, particularly the Community stations, let us know.