by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2023
BMSG research over three decades has found that both solutions and authentic voices — people who have experienced an issue firsthand — are underrepresented in coverage of public health issues. Our research since the start of the pandemic has revealed another nuance: When authentic voices are included, they tend to be cast as victims, rather than agents of change.
by: Heather Gehlert and Lori Dorfman
posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2023
The Supreme Court’s recent decisions to to dismantle affirmative action, reduce civil rights for LGBTQ+ individuals, and uphold financial obstacles that make it harder for people to attend college reinforce the need for long-term narrative change. What would it look like to build narrative power in support of public health values? The history of tobacco control offers clues.
Tags: media advocacy, narrative change, narrative power, public health
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Thursday, May 04, 2023
During the pandemic, news coverage of food assistance became less stigmatizing. But, as the COVID emergency ends and hunger-related benefits expire under the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, will shame return to the conversation? Or will our public narratives continue to support those in greatest need?
Tags: food assistance, hunger, media analysis, news analysis, snap
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Monday, December 05, 2022
What does the current culture shift mean for the people and campaigns that rely heavily on Twitter to build their base and reach decision-makers or community residents? Should organizers leave the platform? If so, does that hurt or potentially help the power of Musk’s digital wrecking ball?
by: Heather Gehlert and Katherine Schaff
posted on Friday, December 17, 2021
Check out BMSG’s top picks of the year. These selections can help advocates communicate more effectively about everything from breakthrough infections to the science behind vaccines to the need for prevention.
Tags: media bites, metaphors, public health
by: Heather Gehlert and Katherine Schaff
posted on Wednesday, December 08, 2021
In this blog, we go behind the scenes to explore strategic communication insights from a housing justice coalition’s recent policy wins and challenges, as well as implications for future campaigns. Advocates share lessons on rapid-response data collection, tailoring frames to different audiences, building a diverse group of spokespeople, and more.
Tags: coalition building, health equity, housing justice, media advocacy, narrative power, strategic communication
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Thursday, November 18, 2021
New media analysis research from Berkeley Media Studies Group, conducted for Voices for Healthy Kids, an initiative of the American Heart Association, reveals strategic communication lessons for advocates looking to implement taxes on sugary drinks.
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Friday, September 17, 2021
As gun violence rises and journalists pledge to cover the issue more effectively, BMSG researchers wanted to know how news about gun violence and firearm suicide has changed in recent years. Has the volume of coverage in California outlets increased or decreased? What types of violence receive the most attention? Is prevention present? A forthcoming BMSG news analysis, conducted in collaboration with our partners at the Hope and Heal Fund, will answer these and other questions about gun violence in the news. To learn more and to hear directly from our researchers, register for this Oct. 7 webinar.
Tags: community violence, domestic violence, firearm suicide, gun violence, news analysis, public health, violence prevention
by: Heather Gehlert and Shaddai Martinez Cuestas
posted on Thursday, June 24, 2021
When presented strategically, data can help tell an important story about childhood trauma. Here are a few tips for presenting numbers in ways that advance efforts to reduce adversity, promote resilience, and improve health outcomes.
Tags: ACEs, adverse childhood experiences, childhood trauma, data, PACEs, strategic communication
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Sharing messages and conducting outreach on social media may be an important way to advance equity, as doing so allows advocates to bypass traditional gatekeepers and elevate voices of color in a historically white, male-dominated industry. But how effective is this approach? A new study about tweetchats, published last month in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, offers insights into how effective these social events have been in making health inequities among Latinx populations more visible and moving people to act.
Tags: health equity, media advocacy, tweetchats
