JANUARY 2012
It’s a brand New Year and it’s time for a brand new you! Self-Improvement information to help viewers get those holiday pounds off with the latest in health, diet and exercise will be top on minds of newsrooms. And new beginnings include preparing for financial well-being as tax “season” begins. Prepare to get your Valentine’s Day feeds out by the end of the month

Media Placement Tip: Keep in mind February sweeps has been moved to March to avoid possible disruptions with the switch to digital. March is now the next television “sweeps” period for ratings and the media environment gets very competitive for you message – plan on how to break through the clutter and give newsrooms stories they need to grab viewers during this critical month for TV stations.

Opportunities:
• Cold & Flu Season Continues Through March
• National Health Month
• Crime Stoppers Month
• National Candy Month
• March of Dimes Birth Defects Prevention Month: Dealing with pregnancy, health tips for babies before and after birth.
• National Eye Care Month: Proper contact lens and glasses care, eyewear fashion.

Events:
• New Year’s Day (Jan. 1): Football Bowl Games
• 69th Golden Globe Awards (January 15)
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 17)
• Chinese New Year / Year of the Dragon– (January 23)


FEBRUARY 2012
Love is in the air during February and great media topics include romance, dating, great gifts for that special someone on Valentine's Day, and relationship advice. Also, let’s not forget the human heart and ways of keeping it healthy through good nutrition, exercise and the latest in medical breakthroughs.

Media Placement Tip: Spring is in the air – or else it will be before you know it. Plan now for warmer weather stories (from spring-cleaning and home fix-ups to outdoor activities including lawn and garden tips).

Opportunities:
• Cabin Fever Cures
• American Heart Month
• National Dental Month
• Creative Romance Month
• National Black History Month
• National Snack Food Month
• Celebration of Chocolate Month
• Responsible Pet Owner Month
• National Cat Health Month

Events:
• February Sweeps (February 2– February 29, 2012)
• Groundhog Day (February 2)
• National Wear Red Day – (February 4)
• Super Bowl XLVI – (February 5)
• 55th Annual Grammy Awards (February 12)
• Valentines Day – (February 14)
• Presidents Day – (February 20)
• 84th Annual Academy Awards (February 26)


MARCH 2012
Spring has sprung which makes this the perfect time of year to help viewers get ship shape for summer (from tips on how to fit into a bathing suit in six weeks and the latest in summer fashion to spring cleaning and organizing tips). It’s also time to offer taxpayers last minute money-saving tax tips before April 15th.

Media Placement Tip: Start planning for summer stories – from keeping your kids safe from the summer sun and keeping them entertained while school is out to travel tips for the ultimate family summer holiday weekends and vacations.

Opportunities:
• American Red Cross Month
• National Nutrition Month
• Poison Prevention Month
• National Kidney Month
• National Talk with Your Teen About Sex Month
• National Women's History Month

Events:
• Daylight Savings Begins – (March 11)
• St. Patrick’s Day (March 17)
• First Day of Spring – (March 20)


APRIL 2012
Last-minute tax tips that could viewers hundreds of dollars this year on April 16th. And with summer is just around the corner and it’s time to start planning those warmer weather stories (from vacation planning to creative things to do with kids while they’re home for the summer.)

Media Placement Tip: Keep in mind May is the next television “sweeps” period for ratings and the media environment gets very competitive for your message – plan on how to break through the clutter and give newsrooms stories they need to grab viewers during this critical month for TV stations.

Opportunities:
• National Home Improvement Month
• Pets Are Wonderful Month
• Keep America Beautiful Month
• National Garden Month
• Stress Awareness Month
• National Volunteer Month
• Alcohol Awareness Month
• Cancer Control Month
• Month of the Young Child
• National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Events
• April Fools Day – (April 1)
• Good Friday – (April 6)
• Passover Begins– (April 7)
• Easter Sunday – (April 8)
• Tax Returns Due – (April 15)
• Earth Day– (April 22)
• Arbor Day– (April 30)
• Administrative Professional Day – (April 25)
• May Sweeps (April 26– May 23, 2012)


MAY 2012
Summer is just around the corner, which means that it is the ideal time to let people know how important sun protection is in preventing skin cancer. And, with everyone opening pools across the country it is imperative that parents know all there is to know about pool safety. This is prom season as well – so parents are looking for stories about teen fashion as well as how to talk to their teens about drinking. Most importantly – don't forget Mother's Day – any feature having to do with moms is a great fit in May – but start planning early, there will be heavy competition.

Media Placement Tip: May is television “sweeps” period for ratings and the media environment is very competitive. You must have an angle to your story to break through the clutter and give newsrooms stories that are "teaseworthy" to grab viewers to their broadcast during this critical month for TV stations. If you don't have an amazing angle, consider moving your story distribution out of this period to get your best chance at maximum media exposure.

Opportunities:
• National Physical Fitness & Sports Month
• Melanoma/Skin Protection and Awareness Month
• National Arthritis Month
• National Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month
• Better Sleep Month
• Older Americans Month
• Breathe Easy Month
• National Salad Month
• Mental Health Month
• Project Baby Safe Month
• National Barbeque Month
• National Hamburger Month

Events:
• May Sweeps (April 26– May 23, 2012)
• Cinco de Mayo – (May 5)
• Mother's Day – (May 13)
• Armed Forces Day – (May 15)
• Memorial Day – (May 28)


JUNE 2012
Summertime Fun and Safety/Graduation and Proms and Wedding season has begun, school is out for the summer and gardens are in full bloom. Stations will be looking for stories about how to plan a stress-free family vacation, how to keep kids occupied during the long summer days (especially if it's raining) as well as how to keep your grass green and your garden growing. Not to mention what to get for dad this Father's Day. Interviews about summer safety tips (firework safety, pool safety, etc.) is a great way to get your message out.

Media Placement Tip: School may have just let out for summer but now is the time to start planning your back-to-school story. Get your back-to-school stories ready by late June to start pitching for SMT's in August for early school openings and to break through the clutter of other companies using the back-to-school angle as story leverage.

Opportunities:
• Cancer in the Sun Month (June)
• National Dairy Month
• Adopt a Cat Month
• National Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Month
• Fireworks Safety Month

Events:
• Flag Day – (June 14)
• Father's Day – (June 17)
• First Day of Summer – (June 20)
• Summer Sweeps (June 28– July 25, 2012)

JULY 2012
Interviews about summer safety tips (firework safety, pool safety, etc.) is a great way to get your message out.

Media Placement Tip: Like the rest of the business world, newsrooms will be short staffed during summer months due to vacations so now is a great time to release feature-type broadcast stories with less of a hard news angle since stations will have fewer reporters to fill air time.

Opportunities:
• National Ice Cream Month
• Anti-Boredom Month
• National Purposeful Parenting Month
• National Recreation and Park Month (July)
• National Hot Dog Month (July)
• Tahiti Awareness Month

Events:
• Independence Day – (July 4)
• Summer Sweeps (June 28– July 25, 2012)


AUGUST 2012
Interviews about Back to School, Fall travel deals, is a great way to get your message out.

Media Placement Tip: Even though we're still in the heat of summer, it's time to start planning your broadcast stories for the holidays. Think ahead so you don't miss out and call us for great ideas to break through the holiday clutter.

Opportunities:
• Back-to-School Month: computer hardware & software to help students preparing new college students; homework tips; products to reinforce learning at home
• Foot Health Month
• International Air Travel Month
• National Water Quality Month
• Family Eye Care Month
• Romance Awareness Month

Events:
• Emmy Awards (September 23rd)


SEPTEMBER 2012
Fall is a great time to spring into action on cold weather stories. From winter-proofing your home to winter-proofing your car - viewer tips for preparing for winter that will save money with the high cost of fuel will be very popular. For winter proofing stories, make sure you include hard statistics. For example, "By implementing just three of the tips we've shown you, you can cut your home heating bills by 25%! With the average home heating bill for a 1000 square foot home is $400, that's a savings of $100 a month!" (Note: Quote is used only as an example, not a verified statistic).

Media Placement Tip: Get stories for Breast Cancer Awareness Month out early. Also, with colder weather just around the corner, its time to think about broadcast opportunities that include surviving cold & flu season, fall clean up and preparing homes and cars for winter with your product or company tie-ins.

Opportunities:
• Back-to-School Month: computer hardware and software to help students preparing new college students; homework tips; products to reinforce learning at home
• Baby Safety Month
• Food Safety Education Month
• National Cholesterol Education and Awareness Month
• Children’s Eye Care and Safety Month
• National School Success Month
• National Hispanic Heritage Month
• Emergency Care Month
• Pain Awareness Month
• Latino Heritage Month
• Organic Harvest Month
• Self-Improvement Month

Events
• Labor Day (September 6)
• Grandparents Day
• Patriot Day (September 11)
• Rosh Hoshanah Begins (September 17)
• Autumn Begins (September 22)
• Emmy Awards (September 23rd)



OCTOBER 2012
With colder weather just around the corner, its time to think about broadcast opportunities that include surviving cold & flu season, fall clean up and preparing homes and cars for winter with your product or company tie-ins.

Media Placement Tip: Start planning holiday themed stories now including New Year's related story. With newsroom reporters and decision makers taking holiday vacations, you need to start pitching SMT stories a minimum of seven weeks before your target airdate to secure the best markets for your project.

Opportunities:
• Adopt-a-Pet Month
• National Adopt-A-Shelter-Dog Month
• National Car Care Month
• Crime Prevention Month
• Fire Prevention Month
• Energy Awareness Month
• Mental Illness Awareness Month
• National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
• Gourmet Adventures Month
• National Dental Hygiene Month
• National Pork Month

Events:
• Yom Kippur (October 8)
• Columbus Day (October 11)
• World Series Begins
• National Boss Day (October 15)
• Halloween (October 31)
• November Sweeps (October 25-November 21, 2012)

NOVEMBER 2012
Events to keep in mind for product or company tie-ins include holiday cooking and entertaining; staying fit during the holidays; holiday travel deals; holiday gift ideas.

Media Placement Tip: This is the traditional time of year that newsrooms are flooded with VNRs and SMTs with holiday themes. What makes your angle different? Find a spin that differentiates your pitch from all the clutter.

Opportunities:
• National Diabetes Month
• Good Nutrition Month
• Child Safety and Protection Month
• One Nation Under God Month
• Alzheimer’s Disease Month

Events:
• November Sweeps (October 25-November 21, 2012)
• Daylight Savings Time Ends (November 4)
• Election Day (November 6)
• Election Results (November 7)
• Veterans Day (November 11)
• Thanksgiving Day (November 22)
• Black Friday (November 23)
• Cyber Monday (November 26)


DECEMBER 2012
Holiday events to keep in mind for product or company tie-ins continue with holiday cooking and entertaining; staying fit during the holidays; holiday travel deals; holiday gift ideas. Also, New Year’s is right around the corner and it’s time to start thinking of story planning on dieting (how to be a big loser in the New Year), self-improvement and new beginnings.

Media Placement Tip: The week between Christmas and New Year’s is a perfect time to get your b-roll packages out. News during this period is generally light, people are home on vacation from work and school and tend to watch more television than usual during this week.

Opportunities:
• Cold & Flu Season Kicks into High Gear
• Safe Toys and Gifts Month
• National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month
• Read A New Book Month
• Holiday Shopping/Retailer Updates

Events:
• World AIDS Day (December 1)
• Chanukah Begins(December 2)
• Pearl Harbor Day (December 7)
• First Day of Winter (December 21)
• Christmas Eve (December 24)
• Christmas Day (December 25)
• Boxing Day (December 26)
• New Year’s Eve.( December 31)