Media Advocacy

1. Media Advocacy

2. This presentation has been based largely on the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center’s PowerPoint presentation “Media Advocacy for Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws.” Media Advocacy

3. To define media advocacy • To teach you a process to coordinate media advocacy • To ascertain your level of experience in using the media as an advocate • To give helpful, practical tips about working with TV and print journalists • To practice interview technique Presentation Objectives

4. Television Programming • Paper News • Internet • Social Media Types of Media

7. “Just Do It” • "Melts in Your Mouth, Not in Your Hands“ • “The Quicker Picker Upper” • “Be All You Can Be” • “Eat Fresh” • “Taste the Rainbow” Taglines

8. Two Types of Media • Paid, you pay them directly (i.e., with money). • Earned, you pay them indirectly (i.e., with viewership, which leads to money). Defining Media Advocacy

9. Media advocacy is a piece of a larger puzzle aimed at changing community norms, policies, and practices. Defining Media Advocacy

11. What we think are average, typical, standard behaviors. • Normalization – the process of making something ordinary, prosaic, or routine. • Glamorization – the process of making something appear extraordinary or special. Norms

12. Policies – what people say they’ll do • Practices – what people actually do Policies & Practices

13. Media advocacy ≠ social marketing. • Social marketing attempts to change individual choices. • Media advocacy attempts to change the environment in which an individual makes his choices. Defining Media Advocacy

14. 1. Select a specific goal: • Do you want to change opinions (norms)? • Do you want to change behavior (policies & practices)? • Research what it will take to achieve your goal (esp. the drafting and approval process for policy changes). The Process

15. 2. Craft a message: • KISS: Keep it short and simple. • Avoid jargon! • Educate everyone in your office about the message to ensure consistency. The Process

16. 3. Select a form of media: • Which form will best reach your audience? • Will your means allow it? • Do you have any upcoming events you could piggyback on to earn media? The Process

17. 4. Research: • Who could help you create the media? • Contact the appropriate person. The Process

18. Radio or TV news – producer or reporter • Internet – sales department for high-traffic sites; influential community leaders for social media • Billboard – sign companies The Process

19. Newspaper or magazine-editor or journalist for earned media, sales department for paid media. • Brochure-marketing professional (or student if you can’t afford a professional). The Process

20. Why don’t we work with the media? • Fear • Frustration • Failure to prepare. • Failure to communicate / false expectations Media Relations

21. How many of you have worked with the media? • Which types of media? • Those of you who have worked extensively with the media, please share your experiences. Media Relations

22. How can we work well with the media? • Don’t think of your interaction with members of the media as a one-time occurrence. Strive to build relationships! Media Relations

23. How can we work well with the media? • Respect is key. Assume the best of your Member of the media—for instance, that he/she is trustworthy and capable—until he/she proves you wrong. Media Relations

24. How can we work well with the media? • Disclose as much as you can up front. • Respect your member of the media’s time. Media Relations

25. How can we work well with the media? • Cultivate an awareness of what your member of the media needs in order to do a good job. Doing so requires good communication, which, in turn, requires a relationship. Media Relations

26. How can we work well with the media? • Ask questions. • What is your angle? • Who else are you interviewing? • What is your deadline? • When will it air? Media Relations

27. Be prepared. Know your message and background data. • KISS: Keep it short and simple. • Speak in complete sentences. Restate the question in your answer. Being Interviewed

28. Avoid jargon! • Don’t moralize. • Don’t speculate. • Use statistics and anecdotes. • Keep it positive. Humor is great, but use discretion Being Interviewed

29. Taglines: • Taglines are short, catchy phrases. • Examples? • Let’s practice. Creating Materials

30. Press Releases: • KISS • Use bullet points. • Use the 5 Ws: who, what, when, where, why Creating Materials

31. Press Releases: • Put the most important info up front. • If you distribute press releases via e-mail, craft specific and interesting subject lines. Creating Materials

32. RPC Contact information Questions?

33. Questions?