TIPS FOR WORKING WITH THE MEDIA
TIPS FOR WORKING WITH THE MEDIA | |
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Involving the media is a great way to get your message out, reach other concerned community members who are not yet involved, and influence key decision-makers. Know Your Media Most news media—newspaper, radio, and television—are geographically oriented. Some are strictly local and are only interested in a particular town or area. Other media outlets are statewide, national, or international in scope. Know who you are talking to and angle your discussion accordingly. For example, an excellent way to get a national story (like one on the federal abstinence-only-untilmarriage funding) into a regional or local paper is to pitch a story on how the federal policy impacts your local community. Create a Media List and Update It Regularly
Check the yellow pages under “newspaper,” “radio,” and “television” for listings of media outlets. Call each media outlet and ask for the assignment desk. Once connected to the desk, ask which reporter covers schools or health issues. You can also contact organizations that you know support sexuality education. They may have media lists that they will share with you. Remember to update your list on a regular basis. Give Them the Facts Facts speak for themselves. Always be prepared with three or four basic messages to support why young people need comprehensive sexuality education. Back the messages up with facts. For example, you might want to tell a reporter that numerous peerreviewed studies of sexuality education programs that teach about both abstinence and contraception have been shown to delay sexual activity, reduce the number of partners, and increase the use of contraception among teens. Have at your fingertips current information about teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted disease (STD), and HIV/AIDS in your community, as well as information on current school sexuality education curricula. You can help make a story stronger by talking about the experiences of a particular person or group within the community. Maintain the High Ground Reporters need stories and are particularly interested in those that involve controversy and debate. They will always try to pit one side against the other, especially regarding sensitive social issues. Do not feel intimidated. Stick to your main messages and back them up with the facts. Never criticize the media or the groups on the other side of your issue. Provide Local Stories Many reporters also seek out stories from a human interest perspective. It is important to always have local stories to feed reporters. Write a Press Release A press release is a tool used to alert the media. You can use a press release to state a position, launch a campaign, announce an event, or respond to recent decisions or statements. (See “How to Write a Press Release” and “Sample Press Release” for more information.) Get the Word Out E-mail, fax, and mail your press releases to the reporters on your press list. If your release announces a particular event, mail it well in advance of the scheduled date. Contacts are best made in the morning before reporters begin writing their stories for that day’s deadline. Follow-Up With A Phone Call Call reporters or editors on your list the day after you have sent the release. Ask them if they would like to meet with you, your group’s representative, teachers, students, or others who support your cause. Offer to help arrange the interviews. If the story is breaking news, call the reporter a half hour after you have sent the press release. If you are announcing an event, call three days before the event as a reminder. Keep in Touch Follow up a day before the event and drop a note or phone a reporter after they’ve finished the story to say, “Thanks.” Write a Letter-to-the-Editor Letters to the editor are a great way to get newspapers to cover your issue and they allow you to craft your own message carefully. (See “How to Write a Letter-to-the- Editor” and “Sample Letter-to-the-Editor” for more information.) |
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