media

May 06

Media Has Failed to Push Candidates on Darfur

With our 24 hour media outlets, one would think that some news anchor would have time to press the candidates on Darfur. In an opinion piece that ran in a South Florida newspaper yesterday, local citizen, Daniel Coultoff, expresses his disappointment in the media's failures:

"Hard questions regarding Sudan need to be asked of the presidential candidates. The media should not allow candidates to sidestep questions by bragging of their skill in negotiations, or punting to the United Nations. Is it possible that flyovers can stop the killing? Will the candidates support airlifts of refugees to safer countries as Israel did Ehtiopians? If American troops are to be committed as peacekeepers, is the precondition contribution of troops from the United Nations, the Arabs or other African Nations?"  Click here to read the rest of the article.

 Mr Coultoff cannot be the only person who is upset at this lack of media attention on genocide. Submit a letter to the editor of your local paper and let the media know that ending genocide must be an important issue in this election. Be sure to email us a copy of your letter at info@askthecandidates.org. 

How to Write an Op-Ed

Op-eds — meaning columns that appear on the page opposite from the editorial page in a newspaper — are articles written expressing the author's opinion. They are longer than letters to the editor and allow for more opinions, but can be harder to get printed in a paper.

Here are some tips that will help you get your column in the paper.

How to Write a Letter to the Editor

A letter to the editor is a letter sent to the editors of a newspaper about materials that have appeared in the publication or issues of concern to the readership. Letters to the editor are an effective way of quickly telling people about an issue you care about.

Here are some tips that will help you get your letter in the paper.

1. Keep it short.

Every paper has different expectations, but the average is around 300 words; don’t exceed that. Be careful to follow all requirements set by your newspaper.

Nov 26

Tips for Working with the Media

If a tree falls in a forest with no one to hear it, then does it make a sound? If you ask a candidate a question on Darfur but no one knows you asked, will it make a difference? Maybe. But it is sure to have a much bigger impact if it is picked up by the media - TV, print, radio, or a blog.

Here are six simple tips for working with the media to get your message heard:

  1. Contact local media to let them know about your efforts to make Darfur a priority for the presidential candidates before you even go to an event.
  2. If you are working with other local groups - faith-based groups, local community groups - emphasize this to reporters; it is a "fresh hook."
  3. Be familiar with your local media and which reporters cover which stories. Reach out to the reporters covering the presidential race, local community events, etc.
  4. Find out exactly to whom to send the press release and the reporter's preferred method of receiving the press release (e-mail, fax, mail).
  5. After you send a press release, do not be afraid to call and follow up.
  6. Bring questions that you plan to ask at an event written or typed out so that you can give them to a reporter; make their job easy.

Read more tips, including on how to write press releases, Letters to the Editor, and op-eds, here.

Tips for Working with the Media

If a tree falls in a forest with no one to hear it, then does it make a sound? If you ask a candidate a question on Darfur but no one knows you asked, will it make a difference? Maybe. But it is sure to have a much bigger impact if it is picked up by the media — TV, print, radio, or a blog. Below are some tips for working with the media to make your voice echo far and wide.