Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Communicating for A Change Making the Most of Media For Health Policy Change
Katie Woodruff, MPH Berkeley Media Studies Group
Grantmakers in Health November 2, 2006
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Focus on policy means:

Put media in its proper place Use media in its most powerful form Focus on the institutional solution Provide support for skills-building Dont worry about reaching everyone
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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Prime Directive

Message Is Never First

What do you want to change in the world? How will you change it? Why do you want it to be changed?

You cant have a communications strategy without an overall strategy.

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Layers of Strategy
Overall strategy Media strategy Message strategy Access strategy

Media Advocacy Definition

Media advocacy is the strategic use of mass media to support community organizing to advance a social or public policy initiative.

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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Focus on policy means:

Put media in its proper place Use media in its most powerful form

Key Functions of the News

Setting the Agenda what we think about Shaping the Debate

how we think about it

Reaching Opinion Leaders

what we do about it
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Who can argue with education?

As with most public health challenges, more and better consumer education is the answer.
Sean McBride, National Soft Drink Association writing in Beverage World, November 15, 2003

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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Use Medias Power

Public health issues are matters of life and death far too important to be left to public service time. Policy debates are shaped by news stories, opinion pieces, paid ads.

Focus on policy means:

Put media in its proper place Use media in its most powerful form Focus on the institutional solution

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The Need to Reframe

Institutional Accountability

Personal Responsibility

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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Problem vs. Solution

Reverse the ratio Have a clear policy solution Name the institutional target Explain why individual change isnt enough

Same Question, Different Answer Why is obesity on the rise?

Eliminate food/bev advertising to kids Establish grocery stores in low-income neighborhoods Adopt worksite policies to support breastfeeding Institute healthy food standards in all school and after-school settings
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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

The story continues

Nearly half of new mothers return to work within the first year of their childs life. But federal law offers no protection to mothers who express milk on the job. I had to choose between feeding my baby the best food and earning a living, Jennifer Munoz, a former casino cashier.
New York Times September 1, 2006

Focus on policy means:

Put media in its proper place Use media in its most powerful form Focus on the institutional solution Provide support for skills-building

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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Framing for Content

Who will be presumed to be responsible for causing and solving the problem? What is your preferred solution? What story elements will help tell your preferred story?

Developing Story Elements

Use compelling visuals and symbols. Develop media bites. Calculate social math. Identify authentic voices.

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Use Good Visuals

The average 12-oz can of soda contains about 10 teaspoons of refined sugar.
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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Social Math: What Not To Do

The number of babies born to teen mothers (aged 15 to 19) in California peaked in 1991 at 70,322. By 1998, the California teen birth rate decreased to 53.2 per 1000 -- down to 58,141 babies born to teen mothers that year.

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Social Math
Number of candy-bar wrappers needed to win a basketball as part of Cadburys new anti-obesity campaign: 90

Social Math
Number of candy-bar wrappers needed to win a basketball as part of Cadburys new anti-obesity campaign: 90 Number of hours an 85-pound child would need to play basketball in order to burn off the calories in that many candy bars: 100

Harpers Index, August 2003

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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Authentic Voices
Dr. John Miller California Aims to Slash Port Pollution NPR Morning Edition May 30, 2006

Getting Attention
To gain the medias attention, you cant just say something; you have to DO something. Russell Sciandra

"We're living in the headwaters of a diesel death zone here. If I could be a part of a group of citizens who can diminish even a fraction [of the air pollution at the port], I would have saved far more lives than I would ever save working as an ER doctor, trying to treat individual victims of this problem. We have to go after the source.

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Access Strategies
Creating news Using breaking news Using editorial pages Paid advertising

Media Advocacy Players

Health departments Researchers Community organizations Community activists Authentic voices
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Grantmakers In Health Fall Forum Overview

Katie Woodruff, MPH November 2, 2006

Focus on policy means:

Put media in its proper place Use media in its most powerful form Focus on the institutional solution Provide support for skills-building Dont worry about reaching everyone
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Conclusions
You cant have a media strategy without an overall strategy. Media advocacy focuses on policy, because we want to create healthy and safe environments. With hands-on support to develop strategic communications skills, advocates can shift the debate and create lasting change.
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Berkeley Media Studies Group

www.bmsg.org 510. 204. 9700

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