Principles of Media Advocacy

1. Principles of Media Advocacy Barbara Martin February 20, 2008

2. “The responsibility of news coverage does not rest solely with news journalists.” —Berkeley Media Studies Group “It’s not the reporter’s job to be educated, it’s the reporter’s job to report.” —Susan Rook, freelance reporter “If you don’t exist in the media, for all practical purposes, you don’t exist.” —Daniel Schorr, commentator, NPR

3. Overview • Using the Media and Media Advocacy • 3 Steps to Media Advocacy • How to Develop a Media Plan • Methods for Using the Media

4. What Can You Use the Media to Do? You can: • provide information to general and specific groups • illustrate a point visually • focus on solutions • create a sense of urgency

5. What Can Be Achieved Using the Media? • creation of awareness • behavioral change on an individual level • influencing attitudes towards issues • shifting paradigms • undermining resistance to change • generatingstakeholder supportfor policies and programs that we want to advance

6. Definition of Media Advocacy Media advocacy is the strategic use of mass media to support community organizing and advance healthy public policies.

7. Using Media Advocacy Media advocacy uses a range of media and advocacy strategies… • to stimulate broad-based coverage… • in order to reframe and shape public discussion about a health issue… • to increase support for and advance… healthy public policies.

8. Using Media Advocacy • Media advocacy an be used to: • shape public debate • speak directly with those of influence • apply pressure to decision makers • It is a tactic for community groups and others to communicate their own story in their own words to promote social change.

9. Seeks to mobilize community Motivates social and political involvement Develops healthy public policies Focuses on the power gap Access: news desk Seeks to inform people about health problem Motivates individuals to change own behavior Develops health messages Focuses on information gap Access: public affairs desk Using Media vs. Media Advocacy

10. How can media advocacy be used to advance environmental change? Media advocacy can shift the mass media’s focus: • from individual factors that contribute to AOD use  to focus onsocial change • from simply providing health information  to promoting healthy communities • from giving people a message about their personal health  to giving communities a voice in defining and acting on public health issues.

11. Three Steps to Media Advocacy Media Advocacy entails: • Setting the agenda/getting media attention • Framing or shaping the debate • Advancing specific solutions or policies

12. Controversy Milestone Anniversary Irony Celebrity Breakthrough Localize Personalize Injustice Getting Media Attention: Is there a “hook” that you can capitalize on?

13. 2. Framing or shaping the debate • Everything cannot be said about every issue in every story • Tell the audience what is important about the story; create the meaning. • The process for selecting what is left in and what is left out is called framing. • Who the audience deems responsible for fixing the problem depends on how the story is framed.

14. Framing for content • Translate individual problem to social issue • Assign primary responsibility • Present solution • Make practical/policy appeal • Develop pictures and images • Tailor to audience

15. 3. Advancing specific policy solutions • So often media reports on problems (murder, mayhem); rarely does it offer solutions • If “solution” is offered, the focus is on what individuals can do to protect themselves or improve their health • Reframe: How can society make the environment healthier and safer for its people? • Answer: public policy change

16. Developing a Media Plan • Define Goals and Objectives • Identify and Target Your Audience • Develop Your Message • Develop Story Ideas • Define Action Steps

17. Objectives of Media Advocacy: Goal: Restrict social availability of alcohol Objectives: • Raise awareness of easy access to alcohol • Demonstrate connection between alcohol and consequences: vandalism, noise, assaults, etc. • Gain support of community agencies and campus officials to support policies to reduce social access • Exert pressure on local officials to adopt policies

18. Who is the target of Media Advocacy? • Decision makers and opinion leaders: politicians, government regulators, IHE executives, community leaders, business owners, newspaper editors • Those who can exert pressure on decision makers: alumni, local residents, law enforcement • The public at large who must be educated about the issue and solutions

19. Develop Your Message Keep it simple: think in sound bites • What is the problem? • What is the solution? • Who needs to act? How?

20. Define Action Steps • Look at calendar and plan for opportunities • Build a media list with contact information • Identify and begin to work with reporters • Devise system for monitoring media • Develop a press kit • Meet with editorial boards • Write letters to the editor

21. Let’s brainstorm how to frame messages to support a party ordinance