NCEA WEBCAST

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WELCOME

• NCEA WEBCAST
• April 30, 2009

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NCEA Webcast

• Hosted by
• The National Adult Protective Services
  Association (NAPSA)

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NATIONAL CENTER ON ELDER ABUSE

• Media Moxie
• Informing the Public About Elder Abuse
• NCEA WEBCAST
• April 30, 2009
• For technical assistance during the webcast,
  please call 1-800-939-8761

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National Center on Elder Abuse

• www.ncea.aoa.gov/
• NCEA is a funded initiative of the U.S.
  Administration on Aging (AoA)
• AoA three partner organizations
• University of Delaware Clearinghouse on Abuse and
  Neglect of the Elderly (CANE)
• National Committee for the Prevention of Elder
  Abuse (NCPEA)
• National Adult Protective Services Association
  (NAPSA)

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National Center on Elder Abuse

• The NCEA serves as a national resource center
  dedicated the prevention of elder mistreatment
  through
• Disseminating of elder abuse information to
  professionals and the public
• Providing technical assistance on elder abuse
• Providing training resources to states and
  community based organizations
• Synthesizing elder abuse research for the field

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NAPSA National Adult Protective Services
Association www.apsnetwork.org
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• Todays webcast
• Moderator
• Moya Thompson, Public Affairs Officer, AoA
• Presenters
• Tracy Breton, The Providence Journal
• Scott L. Parkin, National Council on Aging
• Dan Baron, Communications Consultant for
  Non-Profit Organizations

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Important dates

• April 26 May 2 is National Crime Victims
  Rights Week
• May is Older Americans Month
• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD)
  is Monday, June 15
• Annual global event to activate
  awareness

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MOVIE Trailer

• NCEA University of Delaware
• 4 weeks, beginning May 22
• 15-second EA info piece
• Featuring actor William Mapother from Lost
• 701 movie screens
• 27 metropolitan areas
• For more info, www.ncea.aoa.gov

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Awareness begins

• Elder Abuse was a Silent Crime
• National attention began with Congressional
  hearings in the late 1970s
• Grass roots advocacy, like Rosalie Wolf
• Key members of Congress
• Today, more discussions about EA
• News and media coverage

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Media as a partner

• Need media to raise awareness
• Critical to informing the public
• Shape public perception, familiarize public with
  local resources, educate policy makers
• Warning to potential abusers about consequences
• Some communities are ahead of others

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What we can do

• Think about ways to market EA prevention
  awareness
• Difficult to get message out in todays 24/7 news
  environment
• Limited resources mean we need to be CREATIVE
• Current economic conditions are changing public
  news consumption

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• Look at these trends as
• OPPORTUNITIES FOR INNOVATION
• AND CREATIVITY!

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Tracy Breton

• Reporting Elder Abuse in Print Media

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Difficult topic to cover

• Most reporters dont want to cover the elderly
• Many feel uncomfortable interviewing older people
•  So
• YOU have to sell good stories!

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To get stories covered

• Be pro-active
• Call a reporter whose work you respect
• Reporters will write news stories that will get
  good playif they are good stories
• Elder abuse exploitation are crimes of the
  century but currently woefully underreported

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Elder abuse webpage

• http//www.projo.com/extra/2007/elderabuse/

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For reporters

• Elder abuse is a difficult topic
• Reports are time consuming
• Reporters need your HELP and COOPERATION

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Scott Parkin

• Working with the Media

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National Council on Aging

• NCOAs Mission
• To improve the lives of older Americans.
• Who We Are
• NCOA is a non-profit service and advocacy
  organization based in Washington, DC.

NCOA Core Values Social and Economic
Justice Respect and Caring Innovation Integrity
and Excellence
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National Council on Aging

• What We Do
• NCOA is a national voice for older adults
  especially those who are vulnerable and
  disadvantaged -- and the community organizations
  that serve them.
• NCOA brings together non-profit organizations,
  businesses and government to develop creative
  solutions that improve the lives of all older
  adults.
• NCOA works with thousands of organizations across
  the country to help seniors live independently,
  find jobs and benefits, improve their health,
  live independently and remain active in their
  communities

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A New Communications Environment

• Certainty of speed
• Constancy of change
• The power of community
• Social media
• The end of journalism?

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What is Changing?

• Stories (especially negative ones) circulate even
  faster
• Old media is online and using social media
  tools
• Seniors one of fastest growing segments online
• Most seniors and those who work in aging services
• Still get most of their news from local TV,
  newspapers and radio
• but for how long?

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Reaching the Media Today

• Know your audience monitor local media-- who is
  covering aging issues, elder abuse stories
• Traditional tactics
• Press releases
• Statements
• Letters to editor
• Pitching the story/editorial
• Newspapers, T.V., radio
• New tactics/Social Media
• Blogs interactivity
• Online communities
• Pitching through e-mail
• Video advocacy/You Tube

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Handling the Media Interview

• Hi, Im Mike Wallace

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If the Media Calls

• Answer only if youre ready to
• Stall if necessary
• I dont know the answer to the question, but I or
  someone else will get back to you.
• Prepare beforehand (if possible)
• Decide whats confidential or sensitive
• Anticipate questions and concerns
• Know your messages
• Communicate clearly. No jargon
• Be open and honest

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What to Say

• Identify three key message points
• Use them consistently
• Use them as basis for all inquiries about topic
• Employ apology, empathy, correction or
  clarification if needed
• Smile (especially on the phone)
• Use message bridging to move conversation back to
  your messages
• Thats a good point, but
• Let me add..
• Im proud to say..

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Interview Donts

• Dont overestimate your skill
• Dont talk too much (over-communicate)
• Dont go off the record
• Dont answer hypothetical questions or speculate
• Dont share business strategies or internal
  workings
• Dont be lulled by a friendly reporter

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Ending the Interview

• Thank (if fair)
• Never over til its over
• Ask if other questions
• Offer other sources in support
• Offer visuals (t.v. especially)

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Barnums Rule

• Circuses are for clowns, not for
• organizations P.T. Barnum

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Dan baron

• Telling Your Story

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Nonprofits and the media

• Reaching Out to the Media Why do it?
• Public does not know about extent of problem.
• Media can deliver story with impact.
• Telling story reaffirms importance of adult
  protective services community

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Nonprofits Media whats the difference?

• Nonprofits provide services and protect clients
• Media reveals information (and/or exposes a
  story)
• Similar goals in the end? Improving conditions
  for individuals and community/expose injustice

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How the media has changed

• Major shift Fewer newspapers
• Impact and growth of Internet
• Nonprofits must be ready to adapt to new media,
  growing number of total media outlets
• Fewer in-depth stories?

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What is the news?

• What does media consider news?
• News? Story of people facing injustice
• News? Story of people whose fate hangs in the
  balance
• News? Efforts to help people in difficult
  circumstances
• Stories of elder abuse and how it is resolved are
  news by all of these criteria

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To reach media use your assets

• People working on elder abuse issues have access
  to extraordinary and important stories.
• Theres an opportunity because issue has not been
  widely covered
• Issue will only get bigger Our population is
  aging
• Concern across the country Elder abuse services
  are barely funded on the federal level

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How media covers violence

• More coverage of immediate news, less coverage of
  analysis.
• Violence is news. But is prevention considered
  news?
• Scarce coverage of elder abuse.

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Elder abuse the media tips

• Setting goals Its not just about reaching one
  or two sources or holding an event. Develop a
  media plan and establish a media list.
• Be versatile Understand the many ways you can
  reach the public from news stories and letters
  to the editor in a newspaper, to blogs and
  various broadcast media.
• Be ready Have materials ready for reporters,
  including a brief description of your program an
  FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), and other
  documents.

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Elder abuse the media tips (cont)

• Get permission If sources are willing to talk to
  the media, make sure they are allowed to do so.
• Do your homework Research how media outlets (and
  specific reporters) have covered this issue. You
  may be able to find this information on the
  Internet.
• Ask about deadlines Find out the deadlines for a
  newspaper, TV station or other
  media outlet. Ask editors or
  reporters if this is a good
  time to talk.

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Elder abuse the media tips (cont)

• Emphasize scope of the story This story isnt
  just about one family. Let the media know who
  else has been involved including police, social
  service agencies, the courts, a hospital.
• Provide documents Provide the media with public
  documents, if possible. Make that part of their
  job easier for them.
• Be persistent One thing people say about people
  who work on elder abuse issues is that they are
  persistent. The same is said of journalists. Make
  your persistence, and theirs, work for you.

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Wrap-up
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For More Information

• Moya Thompson moya.thompson_at_aoa.hhs.gov
• Tracy Breton tbreton_at_projo.com
• Scott Parkin Scott.Parkin_at_ncoa.org
• Dan Baron (via NAPSA) Aubrey.Grant_at_apsnetwork.org
  

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Webcast Feedback

• Please let us know what you think of this webcast
• http//www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?smfCcfW9KXjY1N
  POuyNCvdfg_3d_3d
• You will receive this survey link in an email
  shortly after the webcast
• THANK YOU!

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To share this webcast

• This webcast will be archived and available via
  the NCEA and NAPSA websites in 7 to 10 days
• www.ncea.aoa.gov/
• www.apsnetwork.org

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Questions and Comments