AAA graphic Microphones graphic Progress: 75 percent heading level 3 Chapter 5 heading level 1 Why the Media Matters LEGAL DISCLAIMER: The material in this e course is provided for informational purposes only. Nothing in this email should be construed as legal advice. Before you act on any of the material in this guide, the authors STRONGLY urge you to seek legal counsel. One of the most effective tools to influence decision makers is the media. It can bring transparency to government agencies, shape public opinion, and be both a sender and recipient of messages from government leaders. The media is at once respected, exploited, and feared by politicians and heads of agencies. During this era of the 24 hour news cycle, the public is constantly bombarded by breaking stories so be sure to make the most of the media attention on the issue you've raised while you have it. Always keep in mind that media attention can backfire, especially if you choose to expose your identity. Approach working with the media with extreme caution, especially if you are still employed at a position related to the issue you are raising. graphic messages heading level 2 Navigating the media landscape You’ll be competing with many factors in trying to get your story published, whether it’s in a newspaper, in an online only outlet, or on the nightly news. Sensational and gory stories elicit much wider media interest (not to mention money making views and clicks) and hold viewer’s attention more than complex scientific or technical policy issues. An additional hurdle is boiling a complex, nuanced, or wonky story down into short, digestible pieces that the public can readily consume. You may find yourself limited to a small group of journalists and publications who will be willing to run your story. So, if you desire to get your story published, you will want to consider the following: Decide if you want your identity to be known. It is vital that before contacting a reporter, you know whether you want to be quoted or stay anonymous. right arrow If you decide to stay anonymous, be prepared to explain your decision to the reporter, and think of other individuals who can validate your story to the reporter. right arrow If you decide to allow your identity to be public, keep in mind that reporters or their editors may try to add drama to their stories by casting you in the role of the tortured whistleblower. Know that being lured into becoming the subject of a profile may come at the expense of the issue raised. Know the outlet. Identify whether local or national news is best for your goals. Research the kind of coverage that your issue has had in the past, as well as whether any outlets have written investigative stories on it or a similar issue. Know the reporter. Read other pieces written by the reporter on this or a similar topic. Evaluate their social media for any biases. Compare their work to that of other journalists on the same beat. Evaluate the writer’s tone as well how do they lead the reader with their writing and what evidence do they use? Know the terms. Before speaking to a reporter, you need to determine upfront whether your interview will be on background, on the record, or off the record. Agree on these terms and what they mean because reporters may interpret them differently. Be sure to negotiate this clearly beforehand, because afterward is too late. backhand index pointing down heading level 3 The Associated Press defines: Off the record: Your name cannot be used and you cannot be quoted. Consider that it also means journalists cannot publish the information you provide (unless it is provided separately from another source). On background (similar to not for attribution ): Your name cannot be used, but that the information you provide can be published under terms you negotiate with the reporter. For instance, the reporter may refer to you as an employee in the agency who does not want to be named out of fear of retaliation. On the record: Whatever you say can be quoted and attributed to you by name. Secure your confidentiality. You are automatically taking a risk that your identity will be revealed when you go directly to the press. Be sure to establish before every conversation on what terms you are providing information and how the reporter plans to confirm your story. Prepare the story. The key to publicizing wrongdoing is to make the story interesting, clear, and well documented. When pitching to reporters, be sure that you have a compelling description of the story and the potential or real consequences of the wrongdoing. Keep the emphasis on the story, not yourself. Set a deadline. If the information is time sensitive, make that clear from the beginning. Try not to leave the timing up to the reporter (or you may be quickly frustrated). Even if you follow all of these steps, you may still not get a news story published. Not all problems merit news coverage. Working with an advocacy partner who has experience working with the media could help. (For more on working with advocacy partners, link revisit Chapter 2 dot ) heading level 2 Reporters are not your friends The reporter’s job is to write the story in a way that completely and faithfully presents the facts to the wider public. However, often reporters can take stories in a direction you won’t be comfortable with. With this in mind, remember that the reporter’s job is not necessarily to help you they work in a business with a chain of command and bureaucracy. So you may find: list with 4 items bullet An editor may veto or cut significant parts of a story or the story itself. The reporter does not have total control of when, if, or how the story will be printed, how it is framed (especially the headline), or what key facts or analysis make it to the final version. bullet The agency may get equal time. Reporters almost always give the agency a chance to react to or comment on your information, and they may frame the story as a he said slash she said standoff. bullet The agency may be able to preempt your story. Once the agency gets wind of what is going on, it may release news in order to overwhelm the media and distract from your story. bullet The media outlet may not be as careful with your identity as you wish them to be. Whistleblowers' covers have been blown because of accidents by media outlets see Reality Winner or Robert Mac Lean for clear examples of this. Even if you are initially able to raise your concerns anonymously, you may eventually be revealed through other means by the new spotlight you’ve created. out of list heading level 2 Behind the times, ahead of the curve Media coverage is rarely an end unto itself. Rather, it is just one component of a larger effort. You may find that the moment of greatest leverage is just before a story is released; the agency may be willing to take steps it otherwise wouldn’t take in order to avoid or reduce media exposure. But the day after, it may be highly defensive and unwilling to take any steps that imply guilt. If you hope to correct a problem in your organization, lay out clearly how that will be accomplished and what role the media will play. One story (and a short period of media coverage) will likely not accomplish what you envisioned it may take sustained media coverage to produce change. In order to guarantee sustained media attention, if you find that a single journalist does not have interest in every piece of information you have, you may need to approach other reporters. Note, however, that this approach may frustrate new journalists you pitch with the scraps of a story as well as those you've worked with previously, but it may be necessary. Remember: Try not to let the excitement or ego boost you could receive from media coverage undercut the point of your publicity: exposing and fixing problems. link READ CHAPTER 5 right arrow Dealing with the press can be daunting, especially without experience. For more information on how to protect yourself, read our full survival guide, Caught Between Conscience and Career. link Jump into link Chapter 5 now dot table with 1 rows and 2 columns row 1 column 1 link View in browser link Unsubscribe Material for this e course is pulled from link Caught Between Conscience and Career , a joint effort of the Project On Government Oversight (POGO), Government Accountability Project, and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibiltiy (PEER). column 2 The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) is a nonpartisan independent watchdog that investigates and exposes waste, corruption, abuse of power, and when the government fails to serve the public or silences those who report wrongdoing. We champion reforms to achieve a more effective, ethical, and accountable federal government that safeguards constitutional principles. 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