Reports + Reporters. Here are four tips we ve found work with reporters to give you a head start:

Transcription

1 1 Reports + Reporters By Cosabeth Bullock and Kyle Moler, No one goes to all the effort of writing a report just so it can sit on a newsroom shelf or these days, gather e-dust in a reporter s inbox. Yet that s exactly what happens to stacks of great data and analysis released by nonprofits and think-tanks every day. Think about how much comes your way to read do you have time to review another 20 pages? Neither do journalists. The next time you craft and launch a report, ask yourself: What would pique a reporter s interest? What would turn this report into a story that I would actually read in the newspaper? Here are four tips we ve found work with reporters to give you a head start: Sharpen Your Hook The most compelling reports are those that expose a crisis or break new ground on an issue. In other words, they have a hook that refuses to be ignored. These reports can spark a local or national debate and act as a catalyst for change. They can also help you or your organization become the standard-bearer of an issue.

2 2 Consider this example: The Banks Are Back Our Neighborhoods Are Not, by the National Fair Housing Alliance A report to uncover systematic discrimination by banks in the maintenance of foreclosed properties in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. Reporters paid attention to this new report from the National Fair Housing Alliance because the report opened a new topic for them to investigate. The report also touched a media nerve by addressing a national crisis and hinting at scandal. The Alliance went on to double the newsworthiness of its report by giving reporters a corresponding action to report on by filing discrimination complaints against a major bank. Media coverage: The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Reuters Real world results: The findings of the report prompted NFHA to file a complaint against Wells Fargo. Make it Dynamic By adding a hands-on element to your report, you can bring information to life for reporters and their readers. It will take more energy to create, but it will also be noticed more than that Excel grid you slapped together for your report s appendix. Consider Dangerous by Design, by Transportation for America: A report to raise national attention around the issue of pedestrian fatalities and underscore the fact that our roads are designed to move speeding traffic, and no one else.

3 3 After compiling reams of data on the rates of pedestrian deaths and accidents, the campaign did a beautiful job making the numbers personally interactive. A visitor could enter any address in the country and see a map of all pedestrian fatalities in that area, along with some specific stories about each incident, and a street-view of the intersection. Media coverage: New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, McClatchy News Service Real world results: Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood endorsed Complete Streets approach; more cities and communities adopting smarter and safer street design. Bring it Home If you re dealing with extensive amounts of data or information, the best possible way you can attract reporters to your report is by localizing it to the max. Rank areas, create city/ state/metro area maps or charts, and include local real-world stories to accompany the dry analytical information. For example: State of the Air, by the American Lung Association An annual report to present data from state air quality monitors, which helps Americans protect their health and take steps to make our nation s air cleaner and healthier.

4 4 The American Lung Association does a model job of bringing home a lofty and hard to notice problem, air pollution, and making it very easy for the public to understand how their region ranks by city and county. The report also tells you local numbers like how many highozone days there were the year before or the number of people in the county with asthma or chronic bronchitis. As an added bonus for press, since the Lung Association has been producing this report now for 13 years, they are able to assess trends in air quality over the years where it could be getting better, or worse. When localizing a report for political purposes, consider organizing it by Congressional district. Also add in relatable comparisons men versus women, older Americans versus younger, etc. A tailored hook helps more people identify with your report, and allows for greater media opportunities with targeted press. Media coverage: USA Today, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, National Journal, Christian Science Monitor Real world results: Despite relentless attacks by members of Congress to weaken critical protections, the Clean Air Act remains intact and a powerful safeguard for communities nationwide. Then Drill Down Don t just shed light on the problem shed light on the solutions. Create a product that outlines specific and actionable reforms or policies to address a crisis, like this approach: Saving Money and Lives: The Human Side of U.S. Food Aid Reform, by American Jewish World Service & Oxfam America A report that advocates for two key provisions to reform food aid and address the crisis of more than 17 million people living in hunger.

5 5 Although the international hunger crisis is overwhelming, the report s reforms to the U.S. international food aid programs are easy to digest. There is also a companion infographic that shows (not tells) the policy implications discussed in the report. This straightforward yet creative visual helps reporters instantly see the value of what the campaign is arguing. Striking the right balance on solutions, as this report does, can be difficult. Reports that are bogged down in policy can lose value, while reports without it can have none at all. The more you boil your solutions, reforms, or recommendations down to their essence, the more coverage and credibility your report and organization will receive. Conclusion Media coverage: Forbes, Bloomberg, Reuters AlertNet Real world results: The Senate has made progress on advancing key reforms to the Farm Bill. It is unlikely that all of these strategies are a good match for your next report. We hope that one or two will help you engage reporters and earn media. If you have questions about reports or campaigns, please contact Cosabeth Bullock, M+R Senior Strategist, at cbullock@mrss.com.

6 6 About M+R M+R is dedicated to helping our clients advance their missions in order to bring about positive change. We do this by helping organizations and campaigns we believe in develop smart and effective strategies, hone their messages, mobilize their members, build grassroots support, raise money, and communicate effectively with the media, the public, and decisionmakers, both online and offline. Please visit for more information.