News Media

The Office of Public Affairs works to enhance the public image of the University by identifying newsworthy USM programs and services and making editors and reporters aware of them.

To inform the media of those programs and services the office:

• researches, writes and distributes news releases on a range of topics.
• researches and writes news advisories and letters that are targeted to specific media outlets and designed to generate coverage of a specific program or service.
• distributes public service announcements on USM public events to radio, TV and newspaper calendar sections.
• arranges interviews between reporters and those USM faculty/staff who have expertise on the topic of a particular news story.
  
• works with faculty/staff members who want to write guest editorials on a specific public policy issue.
• arranges meetings between reporters/editors and USM representatives to provide background on major USM initiatives.
• responds to media requests for information on campus issues.
• coordinates the institution's public response to controversies.