BMSG’s Lori Dorfman was among several public health panelists at the October 2015 European Public Health Conference in Milan, Italy. Drawing on recent BMSG research, Dorfman discussed U.S. news coverage of corporate actors in food and beverage policy debates.
Children who experience trauma are at an increased risk of developing mental and physical health issues later in life, with profound implications for every sector of society. Because the media play an important role in shaping policy, we examined the news to see how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are portrayed, and we identified opportunities for advocates to improve the volume and quality of coverage.
To advance public health policy goals, advocates must know how to communicate strategically about the issue they want to address, why it matters, and what should be done about it. Use this worksheet to practice developing messages for your target audience.
Being strategic means anticipating your opposition’s arguments and preparing for hard questions, whether they’re from a news reporter, your target decision-maker(s), or even a community member who could one day become an ally. Use this worksheet with colleagues or others to brainstorm hard questions and practice your responses.
It’s one thing to develop a strategic message. It’s an entirely different skill to deliver your message in a strategic way. Use this mock interview activity to help you stay on message and further your policy goals.
Creating a media advocacy calendar can help you identify key moments in the political process or opportunities — such as holidays, anniversaries or other key dates — that you can leverage to garner media attention. Use this worksheet to help you identify news hooks and prepare for newsworthy events in advance.
Media coverage can provide a powerful way for advocates to shape public conversations and public policy. But gaining coverage requires understanding what makes an issue newsworthy. Use this worksheet to brainstorm ways to make your issue relevant to the media.
How are food and beverage companies shaping public conversation on obesity and other nutrition-related diseases? How can advocates help denormalize industry tactics? In this paper for the American Journal of Public Health, we, along with our colleagues from the Public Health Advocacy Institute, analyzed news statements to learn what messages the food and beverage industry is using in response to obesity concerns, how messaging tactics have shifted over time, and implications for public health.
Understanding how sexual violence appears in the media is important for advocates working to prevent it because news coverage offers insights into how the public and policymakers view the issue and what to do about it. In this Issue, BMSG explores how journalists characterize sexual violence, whether prevention is discussed, and what steps advocates and reporters can take to improve coverage.
This case study, part of a series developed by the Berkeley Media Studies Group and supported by The California Endowment (TCE), highlights the innovative work happening in Los Angeles County to advance health equity. The L.A. County Department of Public Health was one of four health departments in California honored by TCE for its equity-oriented efforts in December 2014. To learn more, view the case study, full report, or companion videos.
