EDITORS:

Tips for sending copy to the Virginia AP broadcast wire

E-mail your stories to aprichmond@ap.org

1) Please send stories of regional interest, or a local story that would be interesting to media across the state. That can mean breaking news, like a natural disaster or a mass killing or a state trooper killed in your area. Or the governor speaking in your city and you cover it. Transportation, education issues, etc.

2) Try not to send copy that<s too local. For example, a bank robbery in your city is big news in your city, but not necessarily to stations in other cities. Same goes for one person killed in a traffic accident, unless the victim is prominent. A simple traffic fatality story may not make it onto the wire most days, but it could if it<s a weekend, holiday or slow day.

3) Feel free to send quirky stories. Everybody loves kickers. They can be funny-quirky or outrageous-quirky. Everybody loves animal stories, too.

4) Feel free to run a story by the AP if you<re not sure. We<re just an e-mail or a phone call away. E-mail us at aprichmond@ap.org or call toll-free at 800-552-9935. The Virginia AP no longer pays for stories we use on the wire, but stations that help us out will be recognized by the AP.

The AP, Richmond