If
you want to expand the number of people who know what you are doing,
you need to get noticed. This usually means working with the media.
Besides informing a larger public, the media can empower residents,
nudge politicians, and add momentum to a grassroots initiative. According
to David Enwicht in Reclaiming Our Cities and Towns, empowerment
comes from simple exposure. "Group members say, 'Did you see we were
in the news again. Isn't it great? We are really starting to get places
now.'" When you understand the media, you can also raise public issues
that are being ignored, and reframe issues from a citizen's perspective.
Be careful, however, if you are not used to dealing with the media.
Many journalists look for stories rooted in conflict, error and injustice.
They may impose a confrontational agenda that can actually make it more
difficult for you to resolve your issue.
Assemble
a list of sympathetic journalists
If you have a positive news story, you may find no one is interested.
One way around this is to cultivate a list of journalists who care about
community building. Note their deadlines, so you can call after a deadline.
Find the media professionals in your community
Seek help from the people in your community who work for newspapers,
radio and television stations. They can provide advice on what is newsworthy,
how to get attention, and who to call. Most will not want to appear
in the foreground, but in the background they will be invaluable.
Define
your objective, then your messages
Don't rush off to the media without a clear idea of what you want to
accomplish. Use this to create a set of clear messages you wish to project.
If you intend to air a problem, one of your messages should suggest
a reasonable solution.
Make
actions newsworthy
To get media attention you need to tell a good story with a human focus
that is happening now. The more creative, colourful, and humorous, the
better coverage will be. Getting noticed is largely a matter of dramatizing
issues.
Link actions to other news events
Your actions will stand a better chance of getting covered if they tie
into other events in the news: government announcements, holidays, local
conferences, world events, hot issues. The
media like a good feeding frenzy.
Issue
news releases
Send out a news release if you have fresh information you wish to publicize.
Issue the release on your group's letterhead. At the top put "For immediate
release" and the date. Next, create a strong newspaper style headline
that will interest an editor who has to shuffle through hundreds of
news releases every day. The first sentence of the copy should contain
the most important fact in your story. The rest of the release should
cover the essentials of who, what, where, when and why. At the bottom
put "For more information" and contact name and phone number.
Keep the whole thing short, one to two pages double spaced. For big
events send out a news release seven days prior, then telephone a reminder
one to two days before the event. Faxing a release without any personal
contact is usually a waste of time.
Aim at TV
Some of the most effective citizens groups get TV coverage by staging
events that provide action and good pictures. Greenpeace, for instance,
gets attention by sending little rubber boats buzzing around huge aircraft
carriers. Some groups also shoot their own broadcast quality video or
create video news releases to help control what is broadcast.
Try to schedule actions on dull news days, allowing enough time to process
material for the 6 o'clock news. Choose a spokesperson who comes across
well on TV. On television a great deal is communicated non-verbally
through tone of voice, facial expression, and body gestures.
Practice
your blurb
For regular TV and radio news you will have 15-30 seconds to make a
statement. Practice what you want to say before the event. Your statement
or a minor variation can be used in response to any question asked.
No one will know the difference.
Reframe
stories on live radio
If you can get on a live radio show you can actually shape the news,
because you won't be edited as you would on TV or in the newspaper.
Just make sure you know what you want to say.
Write
a Letter to the Editor
Writing a letter to the editor of a community newspaper is an easy way
to get publicity. Small papers will publish any reasonable letter that
does not require a lot of fact checking. Common Cause, the largest citizens
group in the US, did a study which showed that a letter to the editor
was one of the most effective ways of influencing politicians.
Don't
rely on the media to educate
The mass media prefer to entertain. If you want to get out detailed
information, you will probably have to do it yourself through newsletters,
bulletins and other methods listed in the Handbook.
Consider
other kinds of announcements
Community bulletin boards run by radio and some cable stations can announce
your event. So can ethnic newspapers, TV and radio stations. Public
service announcements on radio and TV offer another opportunity. For
radio, send in public service announcements of 30 seconds or about 75
words. Include a start and stop date, plus information on your organization.
Consider
alternative media
Consider printed t-shirts; buttons; window signs; posters; bumper stickers;
cartop signs; public projections, bridge banners, notices in apartment
building laundries, church orders of service, web sites, email networks,
and the newsletters of other groups. For more methods see "Getting People"
and "Information Sharing".
Try
the direct approach
Consider phoning or writing those who have the power to put things right.
If you have a city-related problem that you cannot solve, even with
the help of city staff, call or email a city councillor.
Evaluate!
->
Community
Organizing
The
Citizen's Handbook:
A Guide to Building Community in Vancouver
© Charles Dobson / Vancouver Citizen's Committee
