Engaging the Media to Amplify Public Health Messaging

"Engaging the Media to Amplify Public Health Messaging" is a webinar hosted by the Public Health Communications Collaborative on June 26, 2024.

1. Engaging the Media to Amplify Public Health Messaging WEDNESDAY, JUNE 26 1:30-3:00pm ET / 10:30am - 12:00pm PT This event will be recorded. The recording and slides will be available on publichealthcollaborative.org later this week. All attendees are automatically muted upon entry.

2. Closed Captioning and ASL Interpretation If you’d like to use closed captions or ASL interpretation: Hover over the “More” button or the “Interpretation” button at the bottom of your Zoom screen. Live closed captioning is being provided by AI Media. ASL interpretation is being provided by Keystone Interpreting Solutions. This event will be recorded. The recording and slides will be available on publichealthcollaborative.org later this week.

3. Meet Today’s Experts Sonia Gonzales Public Health Administrator Communications City of San Antonio, Metropolitan Health District Amanda Yarnell Senior Director and Instructor Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Katherine Reed Director of Education and Content Association of Health Care Journalists Tara Haelle Science/Health Journalist

4. Amanda Yarnell PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS COLLABORATIVE WEBINAR: Engaging the Media to Amplify Public Health Messaging Senior Director, Center for Health Communication @ Harvard Chan Lecturer, Social & Behavioral Sciences Department

5. Joins our growing library of media resources

6. Axios #1: The media landscape is more fractured than ever before

7. #2: Doing your homework is more important than ever before

8. The New Republic #3: The pressures motivating journalists have shifted in important ways

9. Tips for Public Health and Media Partnerships and Case Studies June 26, 2024 Sonia Gonzales Public Health Administrator, Communications  City of San Antonio Metropolitan Health District 

10. Why effective public health communication matters What public health communicators can do  Develop a plan to engage with journalists Using media coverage to promote a public health campaign 13 San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Public Health and Media Partnerships

11. Why Effective Public Health Communication Matters 14 Metropolitan Health District Using appropriate communications channels (e.g., social media, peer-to-peer networks, mass media, and other channels) to effectively reach the intended populations PHABOARD.ORG

12. Media Partnerships 15 San Antonio Metropolitan Health District Through various platforms such as print, television, radio and online, mass media offers an incredible opportunity to connect with diverse audiences The significant influence of the media to promote public health should be acknowledged

13. What Public Health Communicators Can Do Practice the ability to implement and evaluate health communication efforts to gain media coverage to promote public health messaging 16 San Antonio Metropolitan Health District

14. Media Coverage 17 Media coverage refers to the attention and visibility gained by an organization, brand, event, or topic across diverse media channels, such as print, broadcast, and digital platforms News articles, interviews, features, reviews, and other content that promotes public health messages Press conference, press release, request for coverage, news pitch ​

15. Media Partnerships Timing, Gathering, Deadlines  San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and Media Partnerships (Univision KWEX 41 Newsroom, San Antonio, Texas) 18

16. Media Partnerships Create compelling communication strategies to secure media coverage and maximize impact Capture a reporter or producer's/editor’s attention Ensure that the storytelling is clear and easy to understand for the intended audience San Antonio Metropolitan Health District and Media Partnerships (ABC KSAT 12 News reporting on CityHealth Gold Medal City) 19

17. What Public Health Communicators can do 20 Develop a strategic communications plan Develop a partnership with the media Understand media coverage and the journalistic approach

18. Creating a Public Health Communications Calendar 21

19. Media Partnership/Interviews Prepare Be aware of your body language Be responsive Simplify your responses Stay on message Anticipate unexpected questions Close the interview 22 San Antonio Metropolitan Health District

20. Media Partnership/Interviews Build and maintain relationships with journalists to become a trusted source. Research and Target Exclusive Opportunity Be a Network of Resources Be Responsive 23 San Antonio Metropolitan Health District

21. Media Partnership Tips for building and maintaining relationships with journalists: Follow Up Appropriately Maintain Relationships Be Transparent and Honest Monitor and Engage with Coverage 24

22. How to use media coverage to promote public health Recognize the significant influence of the media in promoting public health initiatives. Educate  the public about the role and functions of public health.  Develop the ability to use health communication strategies to promote prevention, healthy choices and behavioral modification. 25

23. Case Studies Media Coverage April – May – June 2024

24. National Public Health Week 27 National Public Health Week Media Coverage Efforts: Communications plan Request for Coverage was sent for Public Health Fest on April 1, 2024 Shared details with reporters and promoted the opportunity to engage with community members at Public Health Fest

25. National Public Health Week 28

26. Domestic Violence Ordinance 29 In October 2023, City Council approved an ordinance requiring domestic violence resources signage to be posted in places of public accommodation. The ordinance requires businesses comply starting October 1, 2024. Media Coverage Efforts: Press release was sent on May 6, 2024 Followed up with reporters that cover domestic violence and  business developments  English and Spanish  

27. Domestic Violence Ordinance 30

28. Beat the Heat 31 Beat the Heat me dia coverage efforts: Press release was sent on May 6, 2024 Weekly social media post Data post

29. Beat the Heat 32

30. Conclusion Communication strategies   Understanding the media approach Public Health Communicators and Journalists Secure positive media outcomes and amplify public health messaging 33 We Are All Public Health

31. THANK YOU! Sonia Gonzales [email protected]

32. From a Journalist’s Perspective Tara Haelle

33. What Journalists Are — and Are Not Roles of Journalists Storytellers Investigators Informers Educators Facilitators Communicators Speakers of “truth to power” Independent NOT Journalists’ Roles Advocates Partners in public health Collaborators Teammates Antagonists Adversaries Spin doctors or hacks Beholden to anyone but the public

34. Shared and Unshared Goals Overlapping Goals Serving the public and the public interest — but in different ways Providing accurate information Providing useful information Providing context Reducing confusion NOT Explicit Journalist Goals Quelling panic Controlling disease spread Providing “guidance” “Protecting” the public Furthering public health goals Reducing uncertainty Protecting an org, agency, official, policymaker, etc.

35. Why Journalist Independence is ESSENTIAL Ethics Credibility Integrity Public trust

36. News Values: Why is it newsworthy? Proximity Timeliness Impact/Consequence/Relevance Prominence Conflict Novelty/oddity/the bizarre Human interest Currency (seasonality, lucky timing, zeitgeist, trending)

37. Interviews Do’s Answer the question, even if the answer is “I don’t know.” Provide context Offer more than the press release Speak plainly Be transparent Speak conversationally Check for understanding Don’ts Beat around the bush Provide outdated or irrelevant data Repeat what the press release says Use jargon Blatantly promote your office/org Provide canned quotes instead of access Speak in absolutes or convey false certainty

38. Avoiding Traps Instead of “there is no evidence that…” “What we know at this time…” “We’re currently X stage in the research and…” Avoid misleading or embellished terms Miracle, breakthrough, cure, promising, dramatic, hope, victim, unprecedented Let journalists decide how patronizing to be. ;)

39. How to Make a Journalist Fall in Love Respond — as fast as you possibly can Assume best intentions/mutual trust at the outset Make yourself available Speak in plain language Provide specifics Provide access Provide diverse sources Use effective metaphors/analogies Offer concrete context for data (size, 1 in 5, etc.) Recommend others to talk to Offer to provide images

40. How to Make a Journalist Fall in Love Expect fact-checking Understand the news cycle and the deadline cycle Interviews  writing  editing  copyediting  publication Be painfully transparent TO A FAULT about what is and isn’t known Offer to follow up with reports, studies, numbers, evidence, etc. Actually follow up with updates to the story (rather than making them ask) Think about what the public WANTS to know Think about what the public NEEDS to know Know the difference between what the public wants and needs Provide reasons/justifications/rationales for decisions, policy, recommendations, etc. Consider — and address — personal health vs. public health

41. What Journalists Want in a Pitch News values Relevance to what they cover Something actually new/unreported Brevity — Cut to the chase A story Bullet points Access Data

42. What Journalists LOVE: A Story Narrative is at the heart of what we do Storytelling underpins nearly ALL moral and ethical frameworks in society The heart of every meaningful narrative is CHANGE. Audiences must feel engaged, connected. Stories have one or more characters. Stories have a PROBLEM or dilemma. Stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Stories have a setting. Stories have atmosphere, mood, and concrete details.

43. Types of Stories Story of the problem Story of the solution Story of a character’s journey Story of the process

44. How to Anger or Frustrate a Journalist Ask to see the story prior to publication Recommend they write about what they already wrote about Withhold access because the outlet isn’t big/important enough Withhold information for no legal or valid privacy reason Require FOIA to provide information they can get through FOIA Assume they are, or refer to them, as “partners” Use them to advance a policy goal or other mandate Hide behind “public health language” Confuse journalism with marketing or advocacy Gloss over the negative or the inconvenient

45. Is it okay to… Ask for questions before the interview? Ask to see the story before it’s published? Ask the reporter to send the story after it’s published? Offer suggestions of others to speak to? Suggest emailed answers instead of a phone/video/in-person interview? Offer an “exclusive”? Offer information under embargo?

46. Finding Journalists & Cultivating Relationships Know your audience Social media as a resource Targeted missives vs. carpet bombing Pay attention to who writes good stories Always email first unless you’ve received explicit permission to call

47. Going above and beyond Be familiar with the journalist’s past work Learn what certain specific journalists cover Find out individual journalists’ communication preferences Seek out niche, indie and trade pubs Be generous, thoughtful, and equitable with access Spread the wealth Help them tell a story Connect journalists with individual patients or “real people” Media-train your colleagues

48. Be the First to Know Sign up for PHCC’s newsletter and be the first to register for PHCC’s Fall 2024 webinars. http://www.publichealthcollaborative.org/subscribe/

49. Thank You More Resources www.publichealthcollaborative.org Contact [email protected] Follow PHCC X: @PH_Comms LinkedIn: Public Health Communications Collaborative