Students will get a peek at what it takes to survive in the field of media during Saturday’s Publicity Day at NIU.

Publicity Day, an event sponsored by the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), starts with a one-hour panel discussion at 8 a.m. in DuSable Hall 302.

Panel members include WDEK Program Director Dave Bevido, “Midweek” Editor Sharon Emanuelson and TV-8 Representative Kim Ruppert.

The discussion will focus on the panelists’ opinions about receiving public service announcements and news releases.

PRSSA Treasurer Dawn Zeilmann said, “The purpose of the panel is to give us an inside view to what the media thinks.”

Zeilmann said three workshops entitled “breakout sessions” are scheduled after the panel discussion.

“Breakout sessions will give participants the opportunity to get hands-on experience in various activities occurring in the fields of media and public relations,” Zeilmann said.

At the workshops, participants can learn effective ways to write news releases, make public service announcements and call the media.

Zeilmann said this is the first year an event of this sort has been sponsored at NIU.

“The event is more of a service for students and people in the community,” she said.

“We want to teach people the correct way to write these things so when they are released into the real world they’ll understand what to do.”

The event is open to PRSSA members, as well as other organizations and community members.

“I encourage other organizations to attend, because there is no reason for anyone to pass up the opportunity to publicize their organization,” Zeilmann said.