Having watched closely the media mentions of JBS, I was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face popping up repeatedly this year. I had met Bob McCune in Minneapolis at the home of a fellow Bircher during a break in the Rally for the Republic activities last year. The fellow Bircher had invited JBS members and staff over to his place for a cookout, which we quickly accepted given that our hectic schedule kept us from barely touching a morsel of nourishment for most of the day. Bob had driven from St. Marys, Ohio to attend with Mark Foor.

During the Rally, Bob and Mark quickly discovered that “working at the busiest booth at the Rally was going to be far more rewarding than going to our seats.” They soon found themselves working alongside many other volunteers, helping to distribute large amounts of JBS literature. They also staffed the booth for endless hours, as well as helped set up and tear down the booth. Bob recently told me, “We’re hoping for Rally for the Republic II in 2012. We would volunteer to help at the JBS booth in a heartbeat.”

So it was delightful to see Bob creating relationships with the local media and garnering a number of print and broadcast mentions. I asked Bob about his efforts and what he would recommend to other Birchers to get similar results.

Bob suggested using the materials in the Bulletin, The New American, and other Birch materials for talking points. He said, “Some of the ideas I use were sparked by reading [these materials].” Part of my interview with Bob follows.

Q: How did you get the coverage?
A: An interview with The Daily Standard started it all. A former Assistant Chapter Leader was trying to recruit a co-worker to join the Society. The co-worker explained he doesn’t really get involved, but he would send his girlfriend, who is a reporter for The Daily Standard newspaper. She came to one of our Chapter Meetings last Fall and wanted to know more about me, and I told her that I wouldn’t speak as a representative of the Society. She never did call me for an interview.

Well, that summer, the reporter finally had time to interview me after a brief reminder from the Assistant Chapter Leader. She said The Daily Standard was looking for interesting stories and that she was fascinated that the Society was still in existence — she thought it had fizzled out. She called me and set up an interview. The article was on the front page the next day!

I received a call the following day from someone that wanted to become a member and financially help our chapter spread the message. This individual bought us 200 pocket Constitutions and 28 copies of “The 5000 Year Leap” to give away at our townhall-style Constitution Rally. The press covered this before and after the event.

I stop in or call the editor of the Evening Leader, located in St. Marys, every couple of months and have a conversation with him. I have given him short articles and a DVD (he has stated he doesn’t have time for lengthy material).

I always send out a press release to the most popular newspapers in our area. They usually print our meeting notices. Well, one meeting, a WLIO TV News reporter showed up as I was setting up for our meeting and wanted to video the meeting, without sound, so they could use the images to go along with the interview. I asked the reporter how she heard about us, and she replied that the meeting was listed in the Lima News. That 30-second segment was aired, on the 11:00 PM news and on the 7:00 a.m. news the following morning.

A couple of days before the Constitution Rally, I strategically placed yard signs around town, with the time and place, directing people to the Rally. WLIO News was covering the Friday night football game. So when they came to town, they saw the sign and sent a reporter to cover the Constitution Rally. This appeared on both evening newscasts and the next morning news.

Q: How did the media treat you?
A: The media has treated me very fairly. I have been pleasantly surprised. I also realize that these are small-town papers and TV stations, and at times, they are looking for something new and interesting. When they covered me and our events, they just happened to be looking. I call it God’s timing.

Q: What have been the outcomes of the coverage?
A: I’ve had members from long ago call me and come to our chapter meetings. I’ve had people give me cash to buy materials and giveaways. I’ve had a lot of new people attend our meetings. Some have joined, and others remain interested and want to keep coming to stay informed. We may outgrow our meeting place soon!

Q: What advice would you give to other chapters to get coverage?
A: Pray for God’s guidance and timing. Send out press releases. If possible, deliver them personally to the editor; build up trust with them and others that you talk to. Gently try to guide your conversations into your area of knowledge or expertise. You can’t do it all. Delegate jobs to your members.

Q: Anything you would recommend avoiding with the media?
A: Anything that you don’t have facts about. Don’t try to speak for the Society; speak for yourself and what you know. Be positive. Things look grim, but there’s still hope. I don’t do this work for fun; however, I try to have fun doing it. My goal is to lay a firm foundation for my children and others, that they might have the knowledge and the tools to retain liberty and pass it on.