If you’re aiming to promote a new product or shape public opinion, media coverage remains one of the most effective ways to gain brand recognition. However, capturing the attention of the media and maintaining their interest over time can be a challenge.
The mainstream media prioritizes their coverage based on what will captivate their readers. This is where news value comes into play. News values are the criteria that influence the selection and presentation of events as news. Essentially, the newsworthiness of a story is determined by its relevance and impact on the audience.
In an ever-evolving media landscape, understanding how to attract media coverage remains crucial. Generally, fresh information tends to grab journalists’ attention more than repetitive or stale topics. Just like eating the same meal every day becomes monotonous, the media follows a similar principle, except in cases where there is a clear agenda at play.
For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic initially struck the world, it dominated news media for months. Its novelty and devastating impact on the economy and people’s lives made it highly newsworthy. However, as time passed, the pandemic gradually lost its status as a hot topic in mainstream media, except in regions experiencing resurgences like China. Other subjects, such as the Ukraine-Russian war and global inflation, have emerged as the latest themes to watch.
This shifting media priority in coverage presents challenges for advocacy strategies relying on journalism to advance their agendas. Sustaining a five-year advocacy campaign in this landscape can be demanding. In the following chapters, I will explore potential approaches to address this challenge.
Several years ago, I led a media advocacy campaign for a Dutch-funded project in sub-Saharan African countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zambia. The five-year project aimed to lobby regional governments to fulfill their commitment of allocating sufficient resources to the health sector in line with the Abuja Declaration.
Since the declaration in April 2001, where African Union heads of state pledged to allocate at least 15% of their annual budgets to improve healthcare, many countries had yet to fulfill their obligations. This lack of commitment undermined the strength and resilience of their health systems, particularly in the face of global pandemics like HIV/AIDS. It became increasingly important for governments worldwide to allocate more resources to address these challenges instead of relying heavily on donor funding.
As the lead corporate communications professional, my background in journalism proved invaluable in devising effective strategies for the project. Recognizing the media’s extensive reach and influence, we knew it would be the ideal approach to achieve our objectives. Our project employed a range of strategies involving the media, champions, civil society organizations, and more.
Firstly, considering the health-focused nature of the topic, it was crucial to assemble journalists with an interest in science reporting. Thus, we formed the Africa Media Network on Health, a loose coalition of reporters, correspondents, and editors specializing in health journalism. The involvement of editors was particularly significant due to their influential gatekeeping role within the media industry. Editors not only determine which stories are covered but also shape how they are presented, giving them considerable power to shape the news agenda.
Once the media practitioners were assembled, a roundtable discussion took place. The purpose was twofold: to pitch project ideas, identify areas of collaboration, and gather their input for the overall campaign design. This meeting yielded valuable materials that helped shape the project’s theory of change.
In the upcoming edition of my newsletter (part two), I will delve deeper into the intricate details of shaping the overall campaign. Stay tuned for an in-depth exploration of our strategies.
You may also read: Discover Three Highly Effective Strategies for Initiating and Maintaining Advocacy in Mainstream Media.