Media Advocacy Toolkit
Media advocacy is the strategic use of any form of media to help advance an organization’s objectives or goals. In this context, media is a tool, not an end in itself, but a means to an end. Through media advocacy, your organization frames the issue to show its importance to the community. Just as an artist puts a frame around his images, including what he wants you to look at and excluding the rest, advocates for the aging would present the media with problems faced by older adults in such a way that puts your frame around the issues and points to the desired solutions. In this way, you are:
- Changing the way key decision-makers and the general public look at community issues or problems.
- Creating a reliable, consistent stream of publicity or media focus for your agency’s issues and activities.
- Explaining how these problems could and should be solved.
- Motivating community members and policy makers to get involved.
The media can be the most efficient way to communicate with the largest audience possible in the least amount of time. You can use the media to:
- Inform the public about what really causes or contributes to problems for older adults.
- Recast these problems as social concerns that affect everyone, not just a distant group.
- Encourage community members and their leaders to find out more about the problems of older adults and to get involved in solving those problems.
- Promote services within your community that address the problems and needs of older adults.
This tool kit will provide the basics on how to use media advocacy to get more attention for your issues and challenges, as well as more awareness of their solutions.
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