Beyond the Press Release: The Media Bracelet

Media work is its own, urgently important form of activism. If nurtured, your contacts with the press can spark a chain (or "bracelet") of media awareness.

A media awareness chain might consist of:

Spark of controversy. Whether you're leafletting high schools or military bases, holding a forum, or speaking at school board meetings to demand equal access to classrooms, you can attract the press' attention with articulate spokespeople, news releases, good visuals (like a 15-year-old standing next to a Vietnam vet) and persistent follow-up.

Editorials/ op-eds / letters-to-the-editor. If the controversy is big enough, ask to make a presentation to the editorial board of your city or community's newspaper. Come prepared with materials and, again, your most eloquent spokesperson. Be prepared for hard questions.

If you can't get a favorable editorial, or even if you can, most newspapers will also print an op-ed piece - generally somewhere around 800 words. Guidelines vary from newspaper to newspaper. (And keep in mind - letters to the editor are nearly always printed, and everyone reads them! A steady stream of letters to the editor keeps our message bubbling.)

Talk radio. Once you have news clippings, an op-ed piece or editorial, you can approach the producers of local commercial talk radio shows and ask them to host a program on the controversy. Some hosts will want to also book a military recruiter, JROTC cadet, or military officer: our spokespeople need to be as compelling and representative.

There is, of course, much more to working with the media than this particular little chain. An ongoing relationship with local press is crucial to getting and keeping our message out there - reaching the public with articulate, diverse voices speaking out against the military's invasion of our communities.

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