Local Media

HOW TO WORK WITH LOCAL MEDIA

Amplifying an issue onto a larger stage is a powerful way to get the attention of your broader community and local officials. Your mayor, DA, and city council members don’t want to end up profiled in local news for enabling police brutality. So when protesting, petitions and public comments don’t work, raise the temperature. Here’s how you respectfully get the attention of local media.

First, let’s understand the state of local journalism in 2020. Local media is going through a hard time. Between 2008 and 2019, employment at newsrooms dropped by 51%. (Hasan Minhaj does a great job explaining why local news is being destroyed in an episode of the Patriot Act.)

Over 42% of journalists reported receiving 11 to 100 pitches a day. This means there are fewer journalists available to cover your story, so you’ve got to pitch them correctly if you want their attention.

Select the right story for the right medium

Local TV news gives you significant reach but due to time constraints, they aren’t able to go as deep. They are more likely to cover topics with strong visuals (like a protest) to captivate viewers at home. Keep this in mind. They usually have tip lines like this one for NBC Los Angeles.

Your second more accessible option is a local paper. An opinion editorial (op-ed) can be used to share an informed perspective. Op-eds appear in local and national newspapers as well as other publications. Anyone can submit an op-ed. You can use this to your advantage when advocating for or against an issue or holding officials accountable for a decision. They are effective in advocacy because of their reach and low cost. A powerful op-ed in a national and local newspaper has the potential to influence and galvanize the general public and key decision makers.

Speed is a key consideration, though. You’ve got to create a well-written, persuasive piece while the issue is still relevant to the publication and the general public. (Here’s an example of a great NYT op-ed by Sukyi McMahon and Chas Moore of the Austin Justice Coalition.)

Tipping off the media

One of the most effective and widely debated ways of getting the press to cover police violence has been by leaking incidents of police abuse on social media. It’s incredibly effective because viral videos of brutality instantly get the attention of the media and consistently help achieve public outrage and some form of accountability. It’s controversial because it can traumatize the families of the victims and the Black community. It can also contribute to a general level of public desensitization as videos of violence against Black bodies become the norm. (If you are leaking or sharing a video in order to demand justice keep this in mind and do it with integrity and care.)

Freedom of the press has put together a set of guidelines that explain how to share sensitive tips with the media. It’s probably more comprehensive than what the average person needs, but there are some great best practices around how to maintain anonymity if that’s important to you.

HOW TO GET STARTED

If you are writing an op-ed here are the main things you need to consider.

• Identify the right outlet to ensure your perspective connects with their audience
• Conduct research to see if the reporter’s beat aligns with the issue by reading their previous articles
• Present a clearly defined point of view on your issue—clarity is key
• Ensure your experience or expertise adds a unique point of view
• Keep in mind typical op-ed ranges between 400-1,200 words, don't ramble

What’s the time commitment?

It’s generally a moderate time investment to properly research target publications and write an op-ed. Tipping off the media can be a much quicker process with minimal time investment if you have your proof ready.

EXTRA CREDIT