Media Advocacy Action Pack

If you’re trying to get attention for your issue, you’ve probably decided to work with the media. But how do you know if media advocacy is the right approach for you? Maybe you’re thinking about public relations, or social marketing. To determine if media advocacy is the right strategy for meeting your goals, click here.

Getting Started

Once you've decided that Media Advocacy is for you, use your local newspapers, radio shows and other media to build support for alcohol policy change. Here are some ways to work with the press on your issue:

• Speak to the media on the phone or in person
• Build a relationship with your local reporters
• Write a letter-to-the-editor
• Get an Editorial Board Meeting
• Submit an op-ed (guest editorial)
• Hold a Press Conference
• Put out a Press Release
• Call Radio talk shows

The advantage of letters-to-the-editor and op-eds is that you can get your message out virtually unedited. When holding a media event or sending out a press release, you are dependent on the reporters and editors who write the story. With letters-to-the-editor and op-eds you have the opportunity to talk about your issue in your own words.