So many news stories about the Church or Church members could be written that no exhaustive list could be compiled. See Recognizing Local Media Placement Opportunities. Recognize story opportunities that promote your public affairs annual plan and local priesthood leader objectives.

As you read through the following examples, you can check the box next to each type of news story that you might be able to use in your area.

• Stories That Make a Difference—The real measure of Church members is what is termed the “the depth of our religion.” Rather than measuring the Church’s size or scope, journalists and the general public would understand it better if they carefully considered its mission to “change hearts.” The Church’s real work is about changing people for the better—helping individuals find personal peace, the purpose in life, learning who they are, and using the powerful principles in the gospel of Jesus Christ to effect that change. Consider these examples and how you might recognize opportunities to interest journalists in these stories and how they locally impact members’ lives:
  • Family and personal prayer
  • Family home evening
  • Home and visiting teaching
  • A bishop who knows his “flock”
  • A sense of community through mutual caring
  • Welfare services for the needy
    
    
• Missionary Stories
  • A local missionary departing or returning: "Two years of work without pay"
  • Missionaries with unusual professions, accomplishments, or background
  • Sister missionaries and older couples, a contrast to the usual image of missionaries
  • New mission president or a profile of an experienced president
    
    
• Leadership Changes
  • New bishop (the title "bishop" might generate news media interest)
  • Relief Society or other auxiliary president (for Relief Society: "New Local Leaders in One of the World's Largest Women's Organizations")
  • New member of a stake presidency
  • Other calls of general public interest; for example, family history director
    
    
• Meetings and Events
  • Area Presidency visits (including media interviews, if approved)
  • Conferences (especially talks containing newsworthy comments)
  • Special firesides (what is said might be of general interest)
  • Cultural, sporting, or social events of an unusual nature
  • Seminary classes (held before school)
  • Relief Society meetings (with noteworthy activities identified)
    
    
• Church Buildings
  • Groundbreaking or start of construction
  • Progress reports, such as the placement of a cornerstone
  • Meetinghouse opening, first service, or dedication
  • Major renovations or extensions
  • Planned open houses sponsored by the stake or ward/branch
    
    
• Members
  • Temple weddings, where the general readership does not understand the concept
  • Baptisms and blessings
  • Member achievements, where they are significant and where Church membership is relevant, such as when a noteworthy talent is learned at church
  • Stories about unusual personalities or events that teach a gospel principle

Many leaders and members are unaware that some of their activities are potentially newsworthy and suitable for general release. The information from which news stories are shaped will come from a number of sources. Such sources might include:

• Members of public affairs councils who are alert to stories in their own wards.
• Area Presidencies, Area Seventies, stake presidencies, and mission presidents.
• Local leaders who make decisions or statements that are significant to the public.
• Selected agenda items from administrative meetings.
• Events listed in stake calendars.
• Speakers who make comments of public interest at meetings.
• Bishops who know about newsworthy events or members.
• Other DPAs, who are a prime source for stories of interest.

• “Top Stories”

A few times a week a new “Top Story” is added to the newsroom at www.newsroom.lds.org. The “Top Story” features a news story written about the Church that might be of interest to journalists to use and localize for their readers, listeners or viewers. Stories often focus on topics such as early morning seminary, family history, and the missionary program. For example, many journalists featured the Church’s emergency preparedness program after recent hurricanes along the Gulf Coast of the United States. A story gains credibility when journalists see it written about by other journalists.