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Alfred
Friendly
Press Fellowship
Offering a six-month,
in-depth, practical introduction to the professional and ethical
standards of the U.S. print media for journalist from Pakistan
in memory of Daniel Pearl.
Click here to find out more about
Alfred Fellowship |
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Generating Local Media Attention
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Click
here to download
Letter
writing by David Khan
There
are several ways of generating local media on an
issue, any of which can serve to educate the public,
stir up a debate, or put elected officials on the
spot. The most basic of these is writing a letter
to the editor of your local newspaper.
If you’re already comfortable with this, you might consider writing an "op-ed," a
longer opinion piece responding to an editorial written by the newspaper’s
staff. You could even schedule a meeting with the editorial board of the
paper, to educate them on an issue and encourage them to write an opinion
in an editorial
piece. [from
http://www.2020vision.org/]
Tips
on writing effective letters to the editor
Letters
to the editor are an easy way for you to voice your
opinion to policymakers and to educate readers about
issues that concern you. You can use letters to correct
or interpret facts in response to an inaccurate or
biased article, to praise or criticize a recent article
or editorial, or simply provide your opinion on a
current issue.
Without exception, the letters section is one of
the most highly read sections in any newspaper or
magazine, and now many web sites also have places
for readers
to comment instantly on issues of the day. Make sure you read the paper before
you write to get an idea of the format, and be sure to have the name of the
editor you’re addressing. Don’t miss out on this chance to reach the public—write
early and often!
-
Be
timely – Capitalize on recent news
and events, within 24 hrs of a story if
possible.
-
Keep
it short and simple – Keep your points
clear and stick to one subject. If you
look at the
editorial page, a few paragraphs is all
they usually print!
-
Think
locally – Demonstrate how this issue
effects you locally, and mention lawmakers
by name to
ensure you get their attention.
-
Sign
your letter.
Include your name, address and telephone
number. Papers may need to contact you
if they are considering
printing your letter. Don’t worry—they won’t
print your phone or street address.
-
Follow-up.
If the newspaper doesn’t call you, call the
newspaper. Ask to speak to the person in
charge of letters
to the editor. Ask if they plan on printing
your letter, and if not, see if they have
any feedback
for you.
-
Don’t
be discouraged if your letter is not printed.
Every time you submit a letter, you are educating
the editorial board of your paper and paving
the way for future letters to be printed. Keep
trying!
-
Seal
the deal. If your letter is printed,
be sure to send us a copy so we can track
our effectiveness.
If you mention an elected official, it’s
a good idea to send them a copy too!
Writing
and publishing and op-ed
Opinions-editorials
are written by local citizens, experts, leaders of
organizations— people like you. If you can get one
printed, op-eds are an extremely powerful and cost-effective
way to both educate a large number of readers about
our issues, and to influence policymakers.
The
pointers for writing a letter to the editor are also
applicable for op-eds. In addition, we emphasize
the following:
Timing is
the most important factor in whether the
newspaper picks up your submission. Is this
issue already
in the news? Is a controversial vote scheduled
in Congress? Is there an appropriate holiday
or anniversary you can relate your piece to,
or is
there a recent article or editorial to which
you can respond? Remember that it can take
up to a
week for a paper to review submissions, but
it’s
still a good idea to check and see if your
piece is being considered.
It’s
the messenger and the message.
Finding a prominent person to sign the
letter will have
a big influence in the paper’s consideration.
For example, if you and a group of 20/20
Vision members got together to write a
piece about air
quality and public health just as Congress
is considering legislation on cleaning
up emissions,
it would be great to have a physician sign
the letter.
Know
the guidelines of the newspaper. Text
of an op-ed should be 300-500 words. You’ll need
to identify yourself, and you might suggest a
title. Many papers require exclusivity, meaning
that you can’t submit to another paper at the
same time. Find out how submissions work— increasingly,
editorial departments prefer e-mail. Again, read
the paper’s editorial page to see how their
format works.
Identify
the largest newspaper in your area for
maximum exposure. If you don’t have a copy
of the paper, call to get the name and
address of the op-ed
page editor before you mail it off.
Call
to follow-up. Ask if your submission is under
consideration. Even if they don’t publish your
piece this time, this is a great opportunity to
educate the editor about the issue. Building a
relationship with editors and reporters will prove
helpful in the future. It might even lead to an
editorial meeting
Editorials
are the voice of a newspaper, and the only place
where opinions are openly stated, as opposed to "unbiased" news
stories. Editorials are the first thing people look
to when they turn to the editorial pages, located
in the back of the "A" section. An editorial
endorsing a particular position or piece of legislation
has been known to change even the most committed
policymaker’s mind, and can do much to influence
public opinion.
Outreach to editorial boards can result not only in editorials that take a
progressive stance on an issue; they can also affect news coverage throughout
the paper. If you can develop a rapport with the editorial staff and are able
to arrange a meeting, this is your best chance to make some serious headway
on an issue. Again, it is terrific if you can bring a well-respected person
to the table, though doing your homework and presenting your case in a clear
and compelling way is equally important.
Newspaper editorials can be inspired by submitted information, events, current
opinion or even letters from readers. The single best way to influence the
content of editorials is conducting a briefing with editorial boards, although
influencing editorials can be achieved by simply sending materials and following
up by phone.
Prepare Yourself
Read
the paper you are approaching. Asking for an editorial
when one has already been published will waste
your time and hurt your credibility.
Outline
your intent for the meeting in a letter.
State your goal, e.g.: "Please educate citizens
in my area about how proposed legislation on hog
farms will hurt the people and the environment
of Chesapeake Bay." Mail or fax your
letter and any supporting information to
the editor of
the editorial page. Remember to keep copies
for yourself.
Follow
up with a phone call. After a day or so,
ask the person if they’ve received your materials. If not,
be prepared to summarize. See if they have time
to meet, or at least set up a phone briefing. It’s
okay to call back a few times until you get someone,
but don’t make yourself a nuisance—editors
are always crunched for time, so be courteous
as well
as persistent.
The Briefing
To
be most effective, editorial board briefings should
have 2-3 individuals who make a combined presentation
of not more than 10-15 minutes. Leave plenty of time
for questions, since that’s how journalists are used
to getting information. Again, you don’t have
to be an expert! If you don’t have an answer,
reply that you’ll find out and get back to them right
away.
Show
broad support. It’s great if you can demonstrate
a coalition of support, through individuals, or
a letter signed by a variety of groups. If you’re
working on a peace issue, you might get leaders
from some local churches, for example.
Have
a game plan. Before you meet, decide who will take
the lead and who will make certain points. Frame
your arguments so they are locally compelling and
would appeal to the average Joe. This is better
than being too personal or partisan.
After
you’ve made your case, go for the ask. Ask them
if they think they’ll write an editorial
on your issue, and if so, when. If they decide
not to do
an editorial supporting your position, or
take a stance to the contrary, propose that
they print
an op-ed piece from you. Be sure to be gracious
and thank the editors for their time, in
any case.
Calling
a talk radio show
Where
to Begin
You’ll
have a better chance of finding talk radio programs
on the AM dial, though FM attracts more listeners.
National Public Radio affiliates or college stations
may have shows with more progressive audiences.
Listen to the show you’re calling ahead of time to get an idea of the format
and the host’s personality. If you are known in your community or have a respected
opinion, you may even be able to get a spot as a guest.
Tips for Speaking with Confidence
-
Keep
it simple. Talk in language that everybody
understands, and don’t get bogged down
with jargon. Be prepared to make your points
quickly and concisely.
Going over your notes before you call will
help.
-
Keep
it local. Bring in an anecdote about
your region or your family. You’re calling
as a regular citizen, so sound like it.
-
Name
names. Put policymakers on the spot. Question
their stance, or applaud them for being on the
right side of an issue.
-
Remember
your audience. Check your tone as well as
your language. Compassion, common sense and understanding
will help your message be well received.
-
Challenge
listeners. Ask them to act by contacting
the policymaker in question and talking to their
friends and co-workers about the issue. Give
necessary information.
Making
the Call
When
you call, be prepared for busy signals or being put
on hold. With the larger shows, you may want to begin
calling 10-15 minutes prior to airtime in order to
get through, but whatever happens, don't give up!
When you do get through to the operator, state your
main point and your name. Don't mention your 20/20
Vision affiliation until your closing point on the
air.
Lead off with your most compelling fact or statistic, and then elaborate why
listeners should be interested. Repeat the phrase or idea you are responding
to so that a listener who has just tuned in will know what you are talking
about. Also try to relate your comments to both the guest and the program.
Close your call by inspiring action and giving the Capitol Switchboard phone
number (202) 225-3121 or another number citizens could call for more information.
You will probably be given the opportunity to say only one phone number, so
choose in advance. You could also ask listeners to call 20/20 Vision at (202)
833-2020 or visit 2020vision.org.
Some Helpful Hints:
Have
a glass of water handy.
Turn
your radio down as soon as you begin to speak
to the host so the feedback doesn’t confuse
you.
Breathe;
try to talk normally—not too fast or too
slow.
Your
Manner is as Important as Your Message
-
Get
immediately to the point
-
Talk
slowly and succinctly
-
Be
personal and passionate
-
Address
the host by name and thank him/her
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