CONTENTS
Chapters
- The News Media and Family Planning Programs
- Building a News Media Relations Program
- Developing a Strategy
- How to Tell the Family Planning Story
- Tools for Analysis
- Matching Your Message to the Medium
- Developing Materials that Interest Journalists
- Making News
- Dealing with Controversy
HIGHLIGHTS
Population Reports is published by the Population Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland 21202-4012, USA
Volume XXIII, Number 4
November, 1995 |
Making News
Many organizations inspire coverage by creating newsworthy events—often
called media events. Such events can help provide the crucial news element
of immediacy and a good reason for reporters to cover family planning, offering
a news "peg," or "hook" (16). For example,
the launching of the Day of the Five Billion Campaign on July 11, 1987,
generated extensive news coverage in many countries, including the Central
African Republic, Ecuador, Ghana, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Senegal
(6). This event, planned by the United Nations Population Fund, marked the
birth of the five billionth living person in the world—and created an effective
news peg.
Interviews, site visits, major publications, news conferences, and briefings also help make news. In addition, providing journalists with opportunities for training or involvement in program activities generates coverage, promotes accurate reporting on family planning, and builds ties between journalists and your organization.
Creating Media Events
Such events as the opening of a new clinic or service, the launch of a new campaign, or even the release of a new study can generate news coverage. For example, in Nigeria a music project to promote family planning was featured in
more than 80 newspaper and magazine articles as the result of launch ceremonies and a press conference that featured the star performers, King Sunny Ade and Onyeka Onwenu (33).
To plan a successful media event, start by seeing it from a journalist's point of view. Decide on the news angle—the aspect that will make the event newsworthy and not just self-promotion. "The more you look like you are trying to get publicity, the more reluctant most journalists will be to give it to you and the less credible your message will be," Pertschuk and Wilbur point out (52). Here are some tips on planning a successful media event:
- Make it short, simple, scheduled in time for deadlines and, if intended for television, visual (52).
- Prepare and send a news release about the event that makes clear why it is worth covering.
- Obtain an advance text (or at least a summary) from speakers. These help you to write the news release and to brief reporters. Use your judgement about whether or not to distribute texts before the event itself, however. While you want journalists to cover the event in person, you may get coverage from your news release and advance text even if reporters cannot attend.
- Offer to arrange private interviews between journalists and the key participants. Such interviews help give an exclusive focus to a story, which journalists like.
- Provide such hand-outs as T-shirts, caps, or key chains, if available. They add interest to the event and give journalists a reminder of your organization (21).
- Do not overlook providing journalists with refreshments such as coffee,
tea, soft drinks, and snacks (26, 45).
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