BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) generates publications and news releases to inform the public about resource conservation and outdoor recreation in Ohio. The most frequent and popular publications produced by the department include newsletters and special feature publications, brochures and news releases. Newsletter/feature writing, brochures and news releases utilize different content structures.
Newsletters and special feature publications allow for the broadest scope in treating a subject. They generally follow the pyramid structure of news writing, but allow for expanded content that may include sympathetic perspectives and descriptive language not generally utilized in typical news articles that stick mainly to the facts. Newsletters and special feature publications generally include several articles that treat different aspects of a specific topic such as boating, forestry management or fishing in Ohio.
Brochures are small publications that address singular topics such as what to do at a particular park, a description of safe boating practices, or how to recycle specific materials in a local community. They are usually very concise in the information they provide not allowing for expressive language.
News releases are typical news articles that provide news writers in Ohio with information about current events such as the opening of a wildlife area, the initiation of a geological research project or the results of a public survey of state park users. News releases may be used verbatim by media outlets in Ohio, however, most news writers rely on news releases for information in writing their own pieces.
We have emphasized writing feature articles in this activity, but the resources may also be used to gather information for the construction of brochures and the writing of news releases.
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