July-August 2005

Strategy from the Streets 

Use media to move issues, develop leaders and build organizations
By Richard Muhammad
Communications Director
NTIC, Chicago, Ill.
 
Overworked organizers and overly-stretched grassroots organizations often see dealing with the media is a luxury add-on to the "real work" of door knocking, public meetings, research, hits and negotiations.

But in a world where sounds, images and messages are circulating in 24-hour, non-stop news cycles, skillful use of the media can help move issues, develop leaders and build your organization.

Part of the frustration in dealing with the media is often the number of city editors, reporters, assignment desks, producers, day books and calendars that often seems overwhelming. Who is going to contact all of these people? But who said all of these people need to be contacted? Effective media work begins with deciding which media outlets give you the biggest bang for your buck, based on what you want to achieve. Do you want to highlight an issue, embarrass an enemy, issue a report, claim a victory, or raise your organization’s profile? Do you want to achieve some combination of all of the above?

After deciding what you want the media to do, decide which media outlets best reach your audience to get it done. If you need to shine the light on a city councilmember, a local weekly newspaper might be enough to provoke a response. Successful publication of a letter to the editor, or an editorial in support of your cause may help open some minds with downtown developers. A television broadcast showing seeping sewage, crumbling buildings and rodent droppings may get your mayor’s attention and rally people citywide to your cause.

Once you identify what you want and who to reach, create a list, write your press release and get ready to do follow-up calls. Getting the release to reporters or editors a week to 10-days in advance is usually good enough advance notice. But be prepared to call the day before an event to get reporters or editors to commit to coverage. Have information (like your press release) handy that can be re-faxed or e-mailed.

If a reporter can’t come to your event, what are other options? Maybe you want to take digital photos and share them with community newspapers or websites, maybe you want to call the reporter from the site of your action and do a radio interview with the people shouting and chanting in the background. Maybe you want to do a segment on talk radio the day after your report release, or would you consider introducing a reporter to your leaders and having leaders tell their stories. What about inviting reporters along for a neighborhood tour or ride to see your target?

Don’t forget to do follow-up after your report, action or announcement. Capture your media coverage, videotape broadcasts, clip articles, e-mail copies of articles to people who need to know about what you are doing. Check in with editors and reporters to see who wants to be kept in the loop.

Keep building your relationship with media folks.  Be a resource, help reporters figure stuff out – even if you don’t get quoted. Don’t be a pest. Got news? Pitch it! But don’t waste a reporter’s time going for a schmooze-fest. Also take the time to ask a reporter what would be news for him/her.

It will take a little effort and a little work, but building some kind of relationship with the media should be long-term organizational goal. People need stories that inspire them. Your organization may need clips to impress funders as part of your effort to claim victories. One clip can go a long way.

Spokesperson training and having leaders speak to the media can help boost confidence and give them the opportunity to step onto a bigger stage. Good media coverage can also let people know that your organization exists and that you can help people, or that you need help.

Any good reporter is looking for good stories with real people and any good organizer has real people and good stories. It’s a natural fit.