Media Kit, Publicity, Promotion

Local Public Broadcasting Station WCEU, now WDSC, in Daytona Beach, Fla., produced a local documentary in 2004. The documentary, “The Homefront,” detailed life in Volusia and Flagler counties during World War II and the unique role in history the area played.

 Write Result was brought in during the editing process to prepare a program to promote and publicize the locally produced documentary and some of the people and places involved. The goal was to build awareness of the program and anticipation of its airdate among potential viewers so that the documentary would realize increased viewership. A secondary goal was to use this locally produced program to engender support for the local PBS station’s ability to develop more local programming.

A press kit was developed and distributed to area media, industry media and Public Broadcasting entities statewide. Area media were invited to meet some of the 25 local residents who had been interviewed for the documentary; men and women who had lived through the experience of World War II in Volusia and Flagler counties. Local print and broadcast media ran features on the history and the area’s role in World War II, the important landmarks and people who were a part of that history.

Local public schools were invited to record the documentary for view by students, and a lesson plan was made available for download from the station’s Web site.

To increase audience anticipation of the documentary’s first airing, a fundraiser and screening party was developed. “Homefront” ‘40s Canteen was a dinner and dance social, featuring big band era music. The event was open to the public, but special accommodations were made for the local “stars” of the documentary. Participants were encouraged to dress in ‘40s inspired costume. A special advance screening of the documentary was the highlight of the evening.

The ‘40s Canteen event sold out days before the event. The ratings for viewership of the documentary when it aired were higher than expected. Memberships to the local PBS station increased in the months after the documentary aired. An unexpected benefit and opportunity for the station occurred when dozens of individuals in the viewing area contacted the station reporting that they or a family member had been a resident of the area during WWII and that they wanted an opportunity to share their experience.

The station recorded many of these shared remembrances and made them, along with The Homefront documentary, available to local libraries, historical societies and schools.