Getting Editorial Boards to Support Your Issue

Your media advocacy efforts should include outreach to newspaper editorial boards. Opinion leaders throughout your area—from lawmakers to business people—pay attention to the editorial pages, which makes them an excellent way to “narrowcast” to decision makers. A good editorial supporting your issue(s) can go a long way in helping to educate your community about the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. A well planned editorial visit could result in a supportive editorial and valuable, additional “earned” media for your issue.

The first step is research. Know your newspaper’s editorial positions and be familiar with the work of individual editorial writers. In large newspapers, editorial boards are like other departments—they include a team of writers with different styles and “beats.” Focus your efforts on the writers whose “beats” might include issues relating to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

Include editorial writers on your distribution lists. When you send out press releases and media advisories, include the editorial board so they will be familiar with your campaign before your first meeting. Ideally, you will have established a relationship with one or more of the editorial writers before you try to schedule a meeting with the editorial board.

Make connections. If you or your supporters have existing relationships with individuals who work for the newspaper, draw on them to help schedule your meeting. If not, call the paper and ask to speak to the editorial board meeting scheduler. Tell that person why your issue/campaign is newsworthy and important to the community. Be prepared to send materials for the scheduler to review.

Find out who will attend the meeting. A reporter or two, the full editorial board, or only a few select representatives could be at the meeting. It’s important in planning your oral presentations and printed leave-behind materials to know ahead of time who will be in the room.

Send a packet of information. Even before the meeting, you can send relevant, well written materials. Consider including research reports, newspaper clippings, prior press releases, or other materials that will educate the members of the board about your issue or campaign.

Select your team carefully. Keep your team small—no more than four people. Include a mix of persons who are known and respected in your community, such as professionals who serve your population, business leaders who employ persons with developmental disabilities, teachers who work with them, and family members who can personalize the issues.

Speak professionally. Make sure your statements accurately reflect what you want the community to know. Concentrate on the few main points you want to make, and avoid unrelated comments that could detract from your message. Unless you have negotiated a different arrangement in advance, everything you say will be “on the record,” i.e., quotable and attributable. Prepare a brief presentation on the problem you want to address, your proposed solution, and a summary of your community support. Practice your presentation in roll-play with your team. Do not hesitate to use notes and visuals in your meeting. Take your time in answering any questions members of the board might have. If you don’t know the answer to any question, ask if you can do some research and get back to the editorial board with an answer.

Leave Materials Behind. Have a well written package of materials to leave with every member of the board who attends the meeting. Be sure the contents reinforce your main message, and provide additional resources, contact information, and other materials for follow-up.

Have a fall-back position. If the board will not print the editorial you seek, explore whether they will consider publishing an op-ed piece from you.

Send a thank-you. After your meeting, follow up with a thank-you letter. Regardless of whether you get the editorial you seek, you want to be welcome to return in the future.