Knowing when and how to create a media advocacy campaign can feel like a daunting task when you don’t have a public relations department to advise you. Many nonprofit professionals regularly ask themselves, “How and when do you know when to develop a media advocacy strategy?” The answer to this question is even more challenging when you are short on resources, and manpower, and have competing priorities. The first thing to be clear about is why it is that you want to reach out to the media as part of your advocacy campaign. Are you looking to influence public opinion? Are you looking to build movements? Do you want to change social norms? Are you raising awareness about a particular issue to change the public perception of that issue? Are you trying to reframe how an issue is discussed? Are you trying to influence policy brokers to take action on a particular initiative? Do you want to hold public officials accountable? Are you uncovering corruption? The answers to these questions will inform your agenda, timing, and outreach strategy. 

For example, if you want to raise awareness about a particular accomplishment your organization has achieved, you may want to invite members of the media to a kickoff of a new project, or event, or highlight an important accomplishment. However, if you want to raise awareness about a particular problem that the population that your nonprofit works with are facing, then it may make more sense to reach out to specific reporters who have written empathetic stories about that issue. If you want to influence policymakers, on the other hand, you may want to write opinion editorials, which essentially serve as “hot sheets” for policy brokers. 

Traditional Media Platforms

Methods of advancing a traditional media advocacy campaign include: 

• Newspaper, television, and radio. Strategies include sending target journalists stories, updating them on work you are doing, and keeping track of the types of stories that might be appealing to them. Make sure to create a media contact list with areas of specialization of your local, state, and national media sources and journalists. Also, it is good practice to track your communication exchanges with each media source and journalist. 
• Public service announcements. This medium is typically free and provides information to the general public about a public service or a pressing issue that the community needs to be informed about. Although these advertisements are free, there are some limitations to their reach. They are typically run or aired during off-peak hours when there are fewer readers, viewers, or listeners, which limits the impact of the campaign.
• Paid advertisements. This approach requires you to have a budget in place to purchase the ads. Rates vary depending on when the traditional media source’s circulation or viewership rates is highest or lowest. When there is higher audience engagement, the rates will be higher. Depending on the sophistication of your ad, you may also need to hire a graphic designer for print media or a production team, if it is on the radio or television. In states like NJ, where one-half of the state is linked to NY media and the other half to Philadelphia media, you will need to assess if you should also purchase media in both of these markets. 
• Press releases. They are essential tools in any outreach campaign to traditional media sources. Make sure you send them out with adequate time for members of the press to incorporate into their schedules, but not too far ahead so they do not get lost in a pile of press releases. Make sure not to spam journalists with countless emails. You should include critical information about the event, contact information, quality pictures that may be relevant, and quotes you would like them to use. If you have a personal relationship with the journalist, or you have something useful to add, you may want to follow up with the reporters beforehand. Do not overdo it, though, because journalists are busy, and you don’t want them to give you the “telemarketer” treatment. 
• Press conferences. When you hold a press conference, you should make sure to get there early. If you are holding it in your state’s statehouse, make sure to make the rounds in the offices of the members of the press to invite them to the event. Also, schedule it at a time that fits into the schedule of most journalists; ideally mid-morning between 10:00-11:30 am. Whenever feasible, put up pictures or props that capture the human element.  Do not use them, though, if they don’t add anything of value or seem out of place.

If there is an eloquent person that is affected by the issue you are concerned about, it is useful to select them as one of the speakers. You should always coordinate the talking points beforehand with all of your speakers and prepare for any potential questions. You should also keep track of which media sources attend the event, get their contact information, give them your contact information, and follow up with them afterward to see if they have any questions. Do not call them, though, just to confirm if the story has been published, and don’t be pushy.

Preparing Your Team for Media Advocacy

Irrespective of the goals you may have, both you and your speakers have to be clear on what your agenda is and what your concerns are. Your anecdotes should be truthful, and accurate, and point to the solutions you feel are important. Also, remember to be brief and specific because media sources looking for sound bites. 

Your preparation for a media advocacy campaign should extend beyond the people involved in the campaign. A meeting should be held with staff to prepare everyone on how to field unexpected questions from reporters. Remember, they are there to find the truth and, if they are doing their jobs correctly, are not there to advance your agenda.

It is often recommended to identify a set of approved spokespeople and advise staff to direct journalists to those individuals to ensure the messaging is consistent and the information provided is not taken out of context.

Behave Ethically

It is important to take a moment to always remember to behave ethically when speaking with reporters. In a world full of spin, misinformation, and false narratives, it is essential for nonprofits to remain pillars of truth. Thus, it is essential to be conscientious about how we are going to advance the public good. 

We must also consider that traditional media has significantly changed in the past 15 years due to media corporate monopolies, diminishing local newspapers, overextended reporters, and reduced resources. Thus, it is essential for you to provide as much information as possible to journalists that is useful, accurate, and easy to understand. You should be aiming to make it easy for them to report on your work so their coverage can help your constituents thrive. 

The following are essential steps you should take when engaging in ethical media advocacy campaigns: 

Share Your Solutions with Other Advocates

If you have any media advocacy strategies that you have used to effectively navigate the policy process, please share them below, so that others can learn from your experiences. Next time, we will discuss how social media is changing nonprofit advocacy.

Learn How We Can Work With You 

If you are developing an advocacy strategy or would like help with your policy analysis, do not hesitate to reach out and schedule some time with me to find out how we can work with you. Send me an email, and I will be happy to help. 

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