How to Reach Out to the Mainstream Media

Perhaps the most difficult hurdle for an organiser to overcome is getting mainstream media exposure. The vast majority of protests I cover get none whatsoever. Many activists just don’t bother, perhaps thinking their event is too small or mundane to be worth the effort, or do reach out persistently without ever getting a bite.

Getting the media interested isn’t that hard, however; the main issue is that there’s no manual out there to navigate this notoriously impenetrable world, so I’m writing one tailored for activists perpetually frustrated by being ignored. I’ve done it repeatedly, and so can you if you follow these simple tips.

Tell a story

The main blunder activists make in approaching the media is trying to sell them a cause. With a few exceptions, mainstream media outlets just don’t care about your cause, or at least they’re not nearly as passionate about it as you are. And since they’re outsiders, they don’t necessarily know why their viewers or readers should care.

Media strategy needs to come at the earliest stage of protest planning. Don’t just plot an event and then send invites to journalists, that rarely works. Think early on what would get the general public interested instead. Tell a story, and come up with a bold concept. Camp on the Legislature precincts if you have to, like this homeless couple whose child was taken away by the government. See? No protest is too small to get through.

Pitching the mainstream media a campaign, as opposed to a single event, works even better. For example, we at 1 Million Voices For Inclusion have had a lot of success selling our crusade against We Unify because we spent weeks building momentum prior to the protest proper with a letter writing campaign, the endorsement of politicians and advocacy groups, and a rally to address the municipal council.

Networking!

Ever attended a job hunting workshop? Then you must have been told it’s all about networking. Forget sending hundreds of resumes on job finding websites, that just doesn’t cut it; approach employers directly, preferably by the back door.

The world of journalism works just the same. Although you might enjoy some success with the generic tips email, it’s so much better to know reporters personally. The best way in my experience is to talk to them on the ground. Granted, journalists aren’t covering events to casually chat with the attendance, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from engaging with them. For example, I realised at some point that they struggle with crowd counts, so I started sharing mine on the fly with the approach I use, and that makes a good relationship starter.

Unsure how to proceed? Keep in mind activists are not allowed to be shy, so whatever is stopping you from approaching reporters, kill it. Besides, reporters are people too, and they may conversely be reluctant to approach activists, so you might actually be doing them a favour by breaking the ice. The world of activism looks just as impenetrable to media people, after all.

Even better than a casual exchange, of course, is to get interviewed. Reporters covering an event are prowling for people to interview, so try to grab their attention, even if it’s not your event. It’s easier than you think: for example, I did it inadvertently by attending a municipal council meeting debating a motion on daytime sheltering by homeless people, just by wearing a “STOP THE STREET SWEEPS D.T.E.S.” T-shirt—which might as well read “I’M AN ADVOCATE FOR THE HOMELESS, INTERVIEW ME!!!”—and indeed got interviewed twice in a row.

And just like in the business world, if you’re an advocate you need a “business” card with your contact info. Don’t let go of a journalist’s hand without slipping one of these in their waistband! More likely than not they’ll call you back eventually, which is even better than having to reach out to them in the first place.

Do your homework

This is the part where I give you advice not as a fellow activist, but an actual reporter—albeit a fringe one.

I get approached by activists left and right, whether inviting me to cover an upcoming event or on the ground at a current one. One major deficiency I observe is that many organisers haven’t done their homework prior to reaching out. They may not know their topic as well as they think—to put it very delicately, as often I can point out glaring factual issues down to their core platforms. Or they may know their topic, but they don’t have answers ready to basic questions, and they fumble in their approach.

Research is a crucial aspect of protest planning that is indeed neglected. If nothing else, if you invite me to an event, make sure to know the topic better than I do, and that I can’t debunk it with a simple Google or Wikipedia search. Provide me with specific facts and figures, with ironclad references. Not only does it make you look credible, it saves me some time.

Also, having printed educational material at your event helps reporters such as myself, not just random bystanders. You might think it’s a waste of time and paper, but if you invite the media to your event, providing a presentable flyer can make a huge difference in coverage—starting with whether you get any.

For example, I covered two rallies in front of the Empress Hotel by an animals rights group calling for an end to the sale of fur products. The first time I merely posted pictures because I felt like I didn’t have enough material for an article. The second time they had a leaflet ready, with specific claims and references, and this time I indeed wrote an article about it. Want coverage? Give us reporters material.

Press releases

Oh boy. Press releases are the résumés of the mainstream media universe. And nobody likes writing résumés. Especially you and me.

It doesn’t have to be this much of a chore though. Activists tasked with writing a press release often scuttle themselves by being too stiff about it, intimidated by the weight of contradictory advice on the topic. If it helps, once again put yourself in the shoes of a reporter and you’ll have a good feel of how to word it.

A distinction is frequently made between a media advisory and an actual press release. The former tends to be short, sent 3-5 days before an event, and advertises an event meant for the media to cover; the media will typically withhold information in a media advisory until the event date. The latter in contrast is released closer to the event, typically the day before, tends to be more verbose, and has for purpose to help a reporter write a piece; indeed parts may even be cut and pasted straight to actual news coverage.

In practice, don’t worry too much about the format, or even the distinction. I’ve seen media advisories which double as press releases. I’ve seen many press releases with creative formatting, doubling as actual news pieces, or appended to feature-length articles, with embedded multimedia and whatnot. There used to be a time, back in the era of snail mail and electric typewriters, when press releases had to be formatted in a specific manner, down to the trailing number signs (###), and anything else would be dismissed as an amateur’s submission without anyone casting more than a glance at it, but in the age of Netflix these rules no longer hold, so feel free to disregard any advice which looks obsolete.

One last thing. Remember we discussed doing your homework? Press releases are make-or-break opportunities to show it off. Even my media advisories feature a references section, however short, if only to show I’ve researched my topic; and if these help a reporter write a feature article, all the better. If you send me a press release, by all means do include references, I’m likely to use them in my piece.

If you need an actual example, I’ve written a rather elaborate advisory for a protest, which saved me the trouble of writing a separate press release. I’ve chosen this format because I wanted to maximise media coverage prior to the event—which came with a plot twist. Compare with the feature article in the Victoria Buzz, which quotes substantial portions of the release.

Interviews and press conferences

If you stress out already at the press release stage by comparing it to a résumé, I can imagine how you feel about media interviews, which are the equivalent of job interviews being broadcast on 6 o’clock news—or worse, on live radio. Except they’re not, so just be casual about them.

Usually, the interview will have you stand still in front of a camera for a few minutes while you answer questions from a reporter. Advocates cannot choose their questions, but they can choose their answers, and unlike in a job interview there are no preset right or wrong answers, so focus on getting your message out. If you don’t like a specific question, that’s just fine, you’re given some latitude to weasel your way around it and discuss the issue from a different angle.

Don’t worry if you fumble a bit. Interviews are typically edited for brevity back at the studio, by professionals that make subjects look good by clipping out the horrible parts. What you do need to worry about is preparation. Once again doing your homework is very important; at the very least you should anticipate common questions and have counterarguments ready to answer critics. Try to prepare some sound bites that an editor might like to include in actual reporting, which is likely to be short; a typical three-minute interview may be trimmed down to less than ten seconds, so squeeze your point in as few words as possible. The reporter is likely to close by asking you if you wish to add something, which is a good opportunity to conclude with yet another sound bite.

In contrast, for a press conference you get to choose the format and the pace. Just like with press releases and media advisories, there is no longer a clear formula to follow, although journalists attending these events expect to be treated somehow, so try to come up with visually appealing elements, if only signs or banners; it is also customary to have printed material available, if only a flyer or leaflet amounting to a press release.

Unlike a media interview, a press release allows you to read from the page, which cuts down on improvisation and stress. You get to say your piece in a predictable fashion, without having to worry about being interrupted, and you have ample time to deliver it. Reporters are allowed to ask questions in turn once the presentation is done, and unlike for interviews they’re the ones improvising, not you. That being said, expect the footage to be edited for brevity just like for an interview, so plan accordingly.

Press conferences are usually called by notable advocates or organisations to either announce major initiatives or comment on emerging developments. Most activists will never call a press conference; I for one never did and never might. That being said, just like for press releases there is no longer a strict format for a press conference to follow so a rally can technically double as one, such as this one by a fellow advocate who invited the media to announce the disappointing outcome of a challenge she’d raised at the Civil Resolution Tribunal against the City of Victoria. Nobody ever said one cannot invite both the media and a crowd for a public announcement, after all, so there.

Media fatigue

I’d like to conclude this article with an underdiscussed topic, which is media fatigue.

Basically, I would advise treating the media like the exclamation mark: use it sparingly, lest it loses its meaning and impact. Call the media once in a while with interesting announcements and they’ll probably show up, but after a while interest is bound to wear off. Sometimes it’s the activists’ fault for dialling emergency services over a neighbour wearing too much cologne. Other times it’s an entire topic becoming so repetitive it’s no longer considered newsworthy, from COVID to weekend Palestine rallies.

Even if the media do show up at your event, there’s no guarantee they publish a piece. Sometimes it’s a disappointment. Sometimes your event doesn’t make the cut because it got bumped by other news. Even if the outlet does report on the event, specific material may be left out, like entire interviews. It may, or may not, signal media fatigue.

In doubt, don’t take it personal, and keep sending those media advisories. The world of news reporting is a highly competitive arena, requiring persistence in order to break through. That being said, if the media never take the bite then some adjustments may be in order. I’ve shown you how it’s done, but as I stated first thing in this article there is ultimately no surefire manual to navigate this world so you have to carve your own path using your own wits, otherwise you won’t make the cut indeed. Keep trying until some concept works for you, and keep it evolving in order to remain newsworthy!