Media, Media, Media!

Media is extremely important to campaigns, as it is what gets their candidates’ message out to voters who they otherwise might not be able to reach.

There are several ways to utilize the media to show that a district or state’s voters are making Darfur an election issue. These ways are:

• Submit an op-ed or letter to the editor to a local newspaper expressing the opinion that Darfur should be an election issue in this campaign cycle. A sample opinion piece can be found here(link).
• Lobby the editorial board of a local paper. You can encourage the editorial board to write an editorial that proclaims that Darfur and genocide are important and should be addressed by the candidates. Click here(link) for more information
• Any time you plan an event centered around this election, make sure to invite the media by sending media alerts and press releases. Click here to find an easy-to-follow media timeline and here for a sample media alert and press release. .
• Make sure that you are also reaching out to your school paper by submitting press releases and opinion pieces. This can generate interest among other students and student groups on campus and invite further collaboration.

to find out more about your local media markets, to get tips on reaching out to media outlets, or to brainstorm creative ways to attract media attention, contact Sean by emailing media@standnow.org.