News for a Change: An Advocate's Guide to Working with the Media [Hardcover]

Lawrence Wallack (Author), Katie Woodruff (Author), Lori Dorfman (Author), Iris Diaz (Author), Lori Dorman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0761919236 | ISBN-13: 978-0761919230 | Publication Date: June 18, 1999

News for a Change provides step-by-step instructions for working with the media to promote social change. The authors are seasoned activists in the use of media advocacy -- the strategic use of news media, advertising and community organizing to change public policy. In this media-driven age, strategic media approaches are vital to achieving visibility, gathering support, and challenging those in positions of power.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Many activists are disheartened and intimidated by the "sound bite" culture that dominates current news coverage. This timely, thought-provoking, and exciting book guides us beyond our reluctance to engge with the media. It is a must-read for all who need to master the art of presenting clearly, convincingly, and honestly to gain public support for public health." -- Helen Rodruiguez-Trias, Co-Director, Pacific Institue for Women's Health and Former President, American Public Health Association

"News for a Change accomplishes the rare integration of sophisticated social theory and practical application. It is simultaneously a valuable tool-kit for activists looking for a media strategy, and a navigational map for testing theories of communication against the most rigorous empirical data set of all -- changes in public policy. Within six months of publication, it will become the standard for work in this area." -- Troy Duster, Director, Institute for the Study of Social Change,
University of California, Berkeley and Professor of Sociology, New York University

"This book is a must for every advocate who wants to make a difference. You will find yourself using it again and again and again." -- Karolyn Nunnallee, National President, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, MADD

"You read this book and possibilities replace frustrations, strategies displace handwringing, and successes take off." -- Ralph Nader, Consumer Advocate

About the Author

Lawrence Wallack, DrPH, is Professor of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley and Director of the School of Community Health, College of Urban and Public Affairs at Portland State University, and was the founding director of the Berkeley Media Studies Group. Dr. Wallack is one of the primary architects of media advocacy -- an innovative approach to working with mass media to advance public health. He has published extensively and lectures frequently on the news media and public health policy issues. He is the principal author of Media Advocacy and Public Health: Power for Prevention (Sage Publications, 1993). He is also co-editor (with Charles Atkin) of Mass Media and Public Health: Complexities and Conflicts (Sage, 1990). Dr. Wallack has appeared on Nightline, Good Morning America, the CBS Evening News, the Today Show, CNN, Oprah, and numerous other programs to comment on policy issues regarding public health problems.

Katie Woodruff, MPH, is Program Director at the Berkeley Media Studies Group, an organization conducting research and training in the use of media to promote healthy public policies. Her research and training activities are directed toward groups interested in social change. Ms. Woodruff provides strategic consultation and media advocacy training to community groups working on a range of public health and public interest issues, including violence prevention, alcohol control, tobacco control, injury control, childrens health, child care, and affirmative action. She also conducts research on news content and has published case studies and articles on applying media advocacy to public health and social justice issues.

Lori Dorfman, DrPH, is Director of the Berkeley Media Studies Group. Her current research examines how local television news and newspapers portray youth and violence. She edited Reporting on Violence, a handbook for journalists illustrating how to include a public health perspective in news coverage of violence. Dr. Dorfman has published articles on public health and mass communication issues and is a co-author of Public Health and Media Advocacy: Power for Prevention (Sage Publications, 1993). Dr. Dorfman has served as a consultant for government agencies and community programs across the U.S. and Canada working on a variety of issues including violence prevention, alcohol control, tobacco control, nutrition and exercise, injury control, child care, and childhood lead poisoning.

Iris Diaz is the Training Coordinator for the Berkeley Media Studies Group, where she designs and conducts media advocacy training for community groups and young people across the country. Ms. Diaz has presented to national conferences and has extensive experience consulting with communities to understand and effectively use the power of the news media to promote policies that advance social and public health goals. Prior to working with the Berkeley Media Studies Group, Ms. Diaz worked as an AIDS Counselor for the Shanti Project in San Francisco. She also has 10 years of television experience as Associate Producer and Producer of segments for children's programming, documentaries, specials and health-care related videos at KRON-TV, KPIX-TV and Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (June 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761919236
• ISBN-13: 978-0761919230
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,696,257 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent guide for advocates, March 5, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: News for a Change: An Advocate's Guide to Working with the Media (Paperback)

Larry Wallack, Katie Woodruff and Lori Dorfman are recognized experts in media advocacy. This book was a textbook for my media communications course in a graduate school of public health. I would recommend this book for anyone who would like a better understanding of how to work with the media to support advocacy and policy issues, in any subject area. It incorporates a workbook style, with examples of press releases, letters, etc. It's a how-to for hands-on folks. There are also other books focusing on media advocacy, written by Wallack and Dorfman, that I would highly recommend. But News for a Change is an excellent starting point for anyone who needs the media to cover an advocacy/policy issue.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good solid backgrounder, July 6, 2009

By 

wisarc - See all my reviews

This review is from: News for a Change: An Advocate's Guide to Working with the Media (Paperback)

This book is old enough that it gives only the barest mention to the influence of Web media, and no tactics related thereto, but the fundamentals the book does teach are applicable on the Web or anywhere. I learned from it.