What is media interest?
Media interest is the coverage of an issue by from various forms of media, increasing visibility and awareness. In this case, the terrible state of our rivers. It can consist of news articles, television broadcasts, interviews, social media mentions, and more. It’s also a fun, quick and effective way to inform people about any action you are taking.
Why media matters
1. Inform people and communities about the terrible state of our rivers; but also attract, connect, and inspire them to take action.
2. Put pressure on those able to effect change, letting them know this is an issue the public cares about.
3. Hold polluters accountable.
4. Reach wider audiences and break out of the ‘eco’-chamber.
5. Get recognition for the awesome action you are taking for our rivers.
Attracting and using media interest
To maximise media impact, it can be a good idea to establish a clear media strategy focused on what you want to achieve. Identify key themes to support this strategy, and align your stories accordingly. For example, health, pollution, or tourism.
It’s also good to plan ahead by anticipating media opportunities throughout the year, allowing you to schedule and prepare stories in advance – effectively ‘hijacking’ the event to break your story. This might include government reviews, regulatory reports, or important events.
Media attention is spread across two mediums:
- Traditional media outreach: radio, television, newspapers and online.
- Social media: Twitter(X), Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
It’s not always binary between social and traditional media – often, social media content will get picked up by local and national press. For example, this tweet from Friends of the Upper Wye made it to ITV news!
It’s also important to ensure that your media efforts align, linking your social media and website content with press coverage and visa versa.
See our guides below for tips & tricks on how to boost publicity and attract media coverage:
Pictured: Friends of the Wye pose for a media stunt, featuring in the BBC.
Traditional media coverage
Newspapers, radio, television and online are great ways to boost awareness of an issue or action you are taking. But to get coverage, you first need to capture the interest of the media and their audiences.
Attracting press coverage will differ depending on whether it’s local, regional, or national. Local press needs a local story like “local child gets sick and misses exams”, whereas national stories will have a broader focus on an issue with widespread impact or national significance.
Both will require getting your story picked-up by media outlets. To do this, you will need to pitch it to the media by sending a press release.
When pitching your story, it helps to think like a journalist and ask yourself, “Is what I am offering topical, timely, relevant and newsworthy?” Some key features of a newsworthy story include:
- Relevance to the target audience.
- Impact on the environment, public health, and the community.
- Visual appeal of a story
- Exclusivity of the story
- Resonance with human interest stories
It’s also important to think about the target audience, how to send a press release, and how to contact the media. For a more detailed guide, here’s everything you need to know about getting traditional media coverage.
Social media
Social media has a massive reach to a wide range of people. It’s a great way to build a following and raise awareness, but also to provide quick, constant updates which people can engage with and share with others.
You can use it to call people to action, publicise events and achievements, or to connect with other communities. It can also be fun, creative and a great activity to do as a group!
To get started, see our guide on writing attention-grabbing posts on social media.
Friends of the earth also have a useful beginners guide to social media for community groups.
Documenting pollution
Capturing the stark reality of environmental pollution and degradation makes powerful visual content and highlights the urgent need to address the issue.
Photography and videography are powerful tools that add visual credibility to a media story.
Their visual appeal can enhance the impact of your message and engage your audience more effectively, and are attractive to media outlets. For tips and tricks on how to maximise the impact and quality of your visuals, check out these guides:
Resources in this section
We’ve created the following free-to-use templates and guides to help you campaign for your river.
More action you can take
Explore these next steps from the River Rescue Kit or explore the complete toolkit.
