Mass Media engagement for enhanced visibility
An open session on **Media Engagement** was spearheaded by the brilliant Ufuoma Eguriase of Yiaga Africa. The objective bordered on the significance of engaging the mass media (which involves print, radio and television) to tell and amplify stories about rightsholders, as well as to properly document and showcase the work being done, and impact attained by individuals and organizations to the wider populace of stakeholders. The facilitator started by emphasizing the importance of having a budget in place for media engagement. Having a media budget will ensure proper coverage of events and activities as this contributes significantly to making a case for policy action while creating a more favourable environment for rightsholders. She highlighted the advantage of using print media as the dual coverage effect where you benefit from print copies and online digital documentation. She also shared that Radio and Television, although time constrained and transient in nature, have a wide reach and are important components of an overall media engagement plan. Some other tips to engage better with the media and guarantee quality content shared about your organization include: - Build networks within the media and host media partners to a roundtable so they can understand what the organization is trying to achieve and buy into its agenda - Ensure you develop and share press releases from your event and distribute a media kit to support a more accurate reportage and representation - Curate and share opinion articles to print media organizations, which when published, help you gain mileage with stakeholder - Establish a win-win relationship with upcoming and smaller media outfits. This help you gain more airtime at a reasonable cost while contributing to creating quality content for their viewer - Pitch great story ideas, especially from a human-interest angle, to foreign media outfits for global reach and visibility - Hold regular press conferences and media parley events to boost your organization’ relationship with the media and by extension, the public. - It may be helpful to budget for more print media coverage as this creates digital footprints for your organization - Creating and updating your Organization’s Wikipedia page is encouraged as this could put your content forward for Search Engine Optimization. Alternatives proposed to extend longevity of TV and radio clips include making arrangements to have recorded copies by the broadcast station, getting the links and/or downloading from their websites, and recording clips while it is being aired and uploading to video managers like YouTube for longer storage and easier reference. At the end of the engaging session, the overall consensus is that what is not documented is not done. To account for what is done, it needs to be documented and this is where the media comes in. Media services may not be free therefore should be budgeted for by the organization. Building networks within the media will go a long way to clear up the hassle of delay and get your work stamped in the sands of time. Conclusively, the importance of documenting work using the various media options available serves as a proof of the past and a ladder to the future.Reactions
Author
Joshua Ibrahim
COGNITO
I am a software developer interested in making the impossible possible, I believe with maximum cooperation, we can make something out of nothing and make your dreams a reality
Posted on Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Comments
No Comment available!