Getting Social Issue Media Coverage: What Weve Learned

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Getting Social Issue Media Coverage What
Weve Learned
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What is the Value of Media Coverage of Social
Issues?

• Media has a role and responsibility to shine a
  spotlight on these critical, pervasive issues.
• Media can educate people and open their eyes to
  hardship in their own communities.
• Media coverage can spur meaningful community
  discussions on poverty and homelessness.
• Media coverage is critical for building political
  will.

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Why do We Invest in Media Communications? Impact!

• Raise profile of poverty and hardship
• Effect policy and systems change
• Help local groups raise needed funds to expand
  services

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What are the Challenges to Good Media Coverage of
Poverty and Homelessness?

• Poverty and homelessness seem complicated.
• Poverty is covered daily just not in name.
• Outlets rarely have reporters dedicated to social
  issues.
• Sustaining coverage on an old issue is a
  challenge.
• Stories often revert to stereotypes or cookie
  cutter approaches.

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Example 1 Big Vision, Bold Plans The Illinois
Poverty Summit

• Illinois Poverty Summit is designed to shine a
  spotlight on poverty and foster community and
  legislative leadership on poverty policy
  solutions
• Methods include
• Annual Poverty Report - Policy Analysis
• Media Outreach - Steering Committee
• Events - Partnerships
• Legislative Agendas

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Our Media Coverage Successes

• We receive annual media coverage on poverty in
  every county of Illinois.
• We have sustained coverage over the years
• 2005 99 instances of media coverage
• 2006 172 instances of media coverage
• 2007 over 200 instances of media coverage
• We have seen in an increase in stories above the
  fold and in series that run for multiple days.

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How De We Get So Much Coverage?

• We use a report as the door-opener
• We tailor press releases for each media outlet
• We offer a local angle
• We are credible and reliable
• We add in quotes from leaders

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Are There Other Factors to Our Success?

• We go back to the reporters annually.
• We spend time writing and practicing our talking
  points.
• We give reporters considerable lead time and
  support.
• We use multiple mediums including radio,
  television, websites, blogs, and events.

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Example 2 Unexpected People PlacesUsing a
Personal Story to renew an old issue

• Only way to get the Tribune interested in
  covering homelessness was to identify a family in
  the wealthier Chicago suburbs.
• I worked with a shelter in the suburbs to
  identify a family.
• After many conversations the reporter got the go
  ahead to follow the women for a couple months in
  order to get an in depth picture.

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For the poorest of poor, each days a struggle

• Story ran on front page and resulted in over 30
  more stories in other media outlets for us.
• The longer research period resulted in a fuller
  story about what environmental and life events
  led to homelessness.
• The community rallied around the woman in the
  story funds, housing and other support was
  offered.
• State agencies improved their services.

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Example 3 These are not just urban issues

• Shocked by our poverty data, a photojournalist
  contacted us about doing a project together.
• We met many times to educate him about the
  consequences of poverty hunger, homelessness,
  unemployment.
• He asked that we help him find a diversity of
  people experiencing poverty outside of Chicago.

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OUR HIDDEN POOR

• We planned for a pre-holidays release
• Got 8 pages of stories and photos in the
  perspective section on a Sunday!
• Every story honed in on the day to day struggles
  and poor housing conditions
• We were happy with 5 of the 7 stories
• Followed it up with a letter to the editor on
  solutions

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What Is the Role of Personal Stories?

• Personal stories put a face to an issue.
• However
• Personal stories often evoke judgmental
  responses.
• Focus on the person is often to the detriment of
  covering the causes and solutions.
• Reader rarely considers how the issue is
  affecting more than one person.

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What Have We Learned?

• With considerable investment of time, resources
  and effort you can get meaningful coverage on
  poverty and homelessness. You can be proactive
  about stories instead of only reactive but that
  is no small job.
• Data and reports are a great door opener to get
  the media to consider a story. Other triggers
  include events, awards, visits by elected
  officials, client successes, plans to end
  homelessness, etc.

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What Else Have We Learned? The Press Release
Really Matters!!

• Very few stories go beyond the data or
  information in the press release, especially at
  small papers.
• Always offer a local angle.
• Present solutions in tandem with the problem.
• Quotes from leaders usually get covered.

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A Few Final Lessons

• Make it easy for busy reporters to find what they
  need.
• Use different types of media (print, news, web
  and radio) as different audiences are reached.
• Know your stuff and be accurate and honest.
• Reporters and editors need support when they
  cover social issues.

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Final Notes 1. Jargon We fall prey to it!

• Use of inside baseball language really limits
  our ability to reach certain audiences
• Case management
• Comprehensive continuum of care
• Endangered populations
• Co-occurring disorders

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2. Leverage, Leverage, Leverage the Coverage

• Send to all the elected officials in the coverage
  area along with your materials.
• Share with funders and board members.
• Thank the reporters and editors and plan to seed
  future story ideas.

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For More Information

• Contact
• Amy Rynell
• 773-336-6074
• arynell_at_heartlandalliance.org
• And visit our website
• http//www.heartlandalliance.org/maip