Telling a compelling story – and making sure that it gets heard – are essential skills for grassroots organizing campaigns. Harnessing the media is important to amplify our campaign to a wider audience and build support, by explaining why our issue matters and how to take action. We use all of these types of media:
- Owned media: This is the content that you “own,” meaning that you create & self-publish it. Examples include: WBW’s own website, worldbeyondwar.org; the email alerts we send to our membership; and WBW’s podcast, worldbeyondwar.org/podcast.
- Paid media: This is media that you purchase, such as social media ads and billboards.
- Earned media: This is media that you “earn” through mentions, shares, reposts, and reviews by other outlets, outside of your own channels. Getting an op-ed placed in a well-read newspaper is an example of earned media.
In addition to creating media, buying media, and trying to “earn” media from media outlets, it can also be useful to engage in all variety of efforts to reform media outlets, legislate fair practices, break up monopolies, press for inclusion of topics, etc. But the tips linked below are for “earning” media from relatively decent outlets:
How to write a letter or column.
How to talk to a camera or microphone.
How to record a video statement.
See also these great resources from other organizations:
Traditional media and communications guide from Fossil Free.
Giving great media interviews from 350.org.
See a list of peace podcasts:
