Skill-Builder: Engage the local media
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 2024
As paediatricians, you are among the most trusted voices within your community. Your public support for policies aimed at protecting child health can lead to tangible change. Engaging with local media outlets can help amplify your message and promote awareness at a regional level. This guide will equip you to plan for and acquire media attention and coverage in your local areas.
Objectives
Outlet
It is important to have clear objectives regarding why you want media coverage and how it will help your campaign. For example, do you want people to come to an event or sign a petition? Do you want to raise awareness about an issue? These objectives will allow you to think about your ideal audience and keep your key messages clear and concise.
When choosing a local media outlet, you should first look at what other campaigns they have done, and research their journalists. To find journalists interested in your issue:
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Audience
Do an online search for your local news outlets and then make a note of key individuals, journalists or presenters Use social media – find out which topics media outlets and key individuals are communicating about, and who they are tagging Create and keep a list of all the journalists and news outlets you want to contact.
Who do you want to reach? Think about the type of media they are most likely to read or watch.
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Key message
Grabbing attention
What do they need to know? Think about the main message you need to get across and try expressing it in just one sentence.
In order to get media coverage for your campaign you will need a ‘hook’, something that helps it stand out as new, interesting, surprising or of public interest. To find your hook, think about whether your story does at least one of the following:
Voice Be clear about whose opinion you are representing. If you are speaking as an individual, be specific that you are representing your own views (backed up by your professional experience), and not those of an organisation you work for or are associated with. If you are speaking on behalf of an organisation, ensure that you have consent to do this, and clarify your key messages with the organisation’s media team.
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Presents new research or statistics Links to a key date or current trend Is tied to an event – for example delivering your petition to a local politician