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Working With the Media

The media plays an important role in directing public opinion and setting priorities for our decision-makers. By working successfully with the media, we can generate positive press coverage which will help create the public and political will to resolve the debt crisis for impoverished countries.

What are the different kinds of media opportunities?

Editorials: This is the official opinion of the newspaper, written by their Editorial staff. They are usually listed on the left-hand column of the Opinion section. Editorials are the most powerful opinion piece because it is like an endorsement from the paper itself. Ordinary citizens can contact these writers and influence the editorials that appear in their paper.

Op-ed: Stands for “opposite the editorial page.” This is a concise opinion piece that is authored by a member(s) of the community, not the newspaper staff.

Letters to the editor: These short letters are written by members of the community in response to coverage or opinion pieces in the paper. They are also published in the Opinion section.

Features and other articles: Contact reporters to cover a local event or do a feature story on the debt issue.

TV and Radio: You don’t have to limit yourself to print media. Local TV and radio stations may also be interested in running a story or interviewing you, particularly if you are able to localize the story with a guest speaker from a debt-burdened country or a local event.

How to generate an editorial or feature story on in your local paper

Do your research. Call the paper to find out who the editorial writers or appropriate reporters are. Read the paper regularly to familiarize yourself with coverage and opinion pieces.

Plan and practice a brief pitch to use when you call the editorial writer or reporter. Keep it brief (1-2 minutes) and heartfelt.

Typical format of a call. One sentence introduction; ask if they have a few moments right now (they might be on deadline); address the problem and don’t assume they are already experts; then talk about a solution; make it local by bringing in the name of your Representative or Senator or activities of your local group.

Ask for an appointment. “Can I set up an appointment to tell you more details and give you some information?” If yes, arrange to send them information and set up a meeting; if no, ask, “Who should I talk to in the paper who would be interested in covering this issue?” End the call with a specific plan to follow up.

Send more info. Drop off, fax or mail some background information. You can get this kind of information from the Jubilee USA national office.

Follow up on the phone within a week to see if they have any questions, and bring new information to their attention.

How to Write a Letter to the Editor

“Letters to the editor are impossible to overuse. We clip them and circulate them through the office like gossip sheets of what’s going on. The press represents an overall buzz in the community.”
— a Congressional Aide

Letters should be short and concise, typically less than 250 words, or about four short paragraphs. Letters should be written with passion, using strong but not strident language. Once a week, most newspapers will print guidelines on the editorial page for submitting a letter to the editor. Be sure to consult those guidelines before writing a letter to your newspaper.

Tie your letter to a recent article, editorial or column, you will greatly increase your chances of being published. If you can comment on a specific story in the paper, do so, mentioning the headline and date.

If your letter gets published, send a copy to the AFSC office, so that we can publicize your work and make sure to send a copy to your members of Congress to maximize the impact.

With a little practice, writing good letters to the editor is neither time-consuming nor difficult. No other form of communication can match the impact of a thoughtful letter written by a concerned citizen.

How to Get an Op-Ed Published

Newspapers can only publish one to two Op-Ed's in each edition, therefore it is harder to get an Op-Ed “placed” than a letter to the editor. Consider asking a member of Congress, religious leader or local celebrity to co-author the piece with you to have a better chance of getting it published.

Op-Ed's are longer the letters to the editor, but the guidelines are similar. Start your piece with a provocative statement or a story to draw people into your piece. Tie your Op-Ed to what is going on in the news. There are many different ways to tie-in the debt and World Bank and IMF issues. Be creative, concise and provide good facts to back up your argument.

Call to find out your newspaper’s guidelines on submitting Op-Ed's. Find out who the Op-Ed editor is. Send in your piece and follow-up with the Op-Ed editor. Keep calling and pitch your piece over the phone. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get published on the first try. Ask the editor what you could do differently next time to give you a better chance of being published. Keep trying.

From Jubilee USA Network member, RESULTS, who contributed this piece.

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