Media Advocacy Questions
1) Do you have a policy goal?
Unlike public relations and social
marketing, media advocacy
always promotes policy change. You’ll be ready for media advocacy when you’ve decided
what you want to change. Although you may know what the problem is, you should
be ready to propose a solution and give some focus to your advocacy. It might
seem like a good idea to work with the media to increase the visibility of
your organization or educate the public about alcohol-related problems. But
before you launch a public education campaign, consider taking the time to
identify at least one realistic and workable solution. You will expend a great
deal of effort to attract attention from the media. Don’t miss the opportunity
to propose a policy change!
2) Who has the power to make the desired policy change?
Assuming that you have a clear policy goal, you must determine who has
the power to make the change you seek. Is it the CEO of Anheuser-Busch,
a private
institution or a legislative body? Finding your target (who it is you need
to convince, persuade or shame into action) is important for any advocacy
campaign—it
allows you to prioritize your outreach to media that your target is likely
to see. You don’t want to waste energy earning coverage that your target
is likely to ignore.
3) Do you have community support for your policy goal?
The alcohol-related problem you wish to address is serious
and urgent—and your proposed solution may be absolutely
brilliant. But, since you are asking for a policy change, you
are likely to face some opposition. Building a base of community
support before you go public is usually a good idea. Demonstrating
that you are not alone in wanting to change policy to prevent
alcohol-related problems increases the chances that your proposal
will be taken seriously.
4) Are you ready for the tough questions?
You are more likely to attract media attention if your proposal
is controversial. Journalists will interview people who oppose
you and they will not hesitate to ask you tough questions about
the practicality, effectiveness, and legality of the policy
that you are promoting. Even if you’re sure that
you’ve thought of everything, be prepared to answer a
few difficult questions.
5) Is media advocacy the right tool for the job?
Media advocacy is a potentially powerful tool and it can be fun and exciting.
But media advocacy is not always the best way to accomplish policy change.
Earning media attention can be time consuming and labor intensive. In a world
of limited resources it is important to stop and think about whether there
is a better or easier way to reach your goal.
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:
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.
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