medical marijuana: americans for safe access media manual

8/14/2019 Medical Marijuana: Americans for Safe Access Media Manual

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Americans For Safe AccessAN ORGANIZATION OF Medical Professionals, Scientists and PATIENTS HELPING PATIENTS

MEDIA MANUALNote from ASA

KNOW YOUR MESSAGE

Identify the Target Audience ..............................................................4Get Your Message Heard ....................................................................5Key Messages ........................................................................................6

DEFINE YOUR MEDIA AUDIENCES

Broadcast Media....................................................................................6Print Media ...........................................................................................7On-Line Media.......................................................................................7

GETTING YOUR MESSAGE OUT

Making Press Lists..................................................................................8

Channels of communication ...............................................................8Creating a Media Event ....................................................................11

GETTING YOUR MESSAGE COVERED

Make it relevant: Understanding News Hooks ..............................12Making a Newsworthy Event and Photo ........................................12Letter to the Editor.............................................................................13

INTERVIEWS

Preparing for Interviews ..................................................................15

Interview tips ......................................................................................16After the interview.............................................................................17

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Press Event Check List ........................................................................18Sample Press Release .........................................................................20Sample Letter to the Editor ..............................................................21


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For more information, see www.AmericansForSafeAccess.org or contact the ASA office at 1-888-929-4367 or 510-251-1856.

Local and national media coverage isan important part of informing ourcommunities, opinion leaders, and

potential allies about cannabis thera-peutics and the challenges thatpatients, providers, researchers anddoctors face.

Patients and advocates must oftentake the news to print, broadcast, andonline media outlets to be sure ourvoices are heard. As an advocate, youhave an important role in shaping

how news about medical cannabis isreportedand how it is received bythe public-at-large.

The purpose of this manual is to helpyou better communicate with mediaabout medical cannabis. Media atten-tion can be a double-edged sword. Itcan be our best tool for educating and

influencing the public. Sometimes,however, it can be an obstacle in thestruggle to defend medical cannabis

and protect patients.

You can use the tools in this manual tofind appropriate media, craft yourmessage to be more effective, andavoid common pitfalls that preventyou from communicating the messagesthat will support our goals.

Read this manual carefully and share itwith our allies in the fight to promotesafe and legal access to cannabis fortherapeutic use and research. You willfind additional tools on our compre-hensive website or by calling ourheadquarters in Oakland, CA.

Get educated and start communicat-ing the importance of safe access!

Note from ASA


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4

IDENTIFY THE TARGET AUDIENCE

Before reaching out to the media, the firstquestion you should ask yourself is 'WHO arewe trying to reach?' It is important to identifyour target audiences so we can strategizeabout how to reach them. Although our pri-mary goals and key objectives include "the gen-eral public," our public awareness effortsshould be focused toward more specific targetaudiences.

IGNORE THE OPPOSITION AND CONVINCETHE MAJORITY

In social change movements, advocacy organi-zations should not expend any effort on trying

to convert the opposition. Instead, it's mostimportant to focus on clear supporters andthose who fall somewhere in the middle on ourissues and are open to being influenced.(Fortunately for our mission, those two groupsequal the overwhelming majority of the USpopulation.) Specifically, we should target:

Self-Identified Medical CannabisSupporters who are not aware of theurgent threats faced by patients and theirproviders in states that allow access, the

situation of patients now being forced intoblack markets to secure their medicineacross the US, and the pain that manyendure because of fear of arrest.

Other Political Activists/Potential Allieswho do not yet see how the safe and legalaccess to cannabis therapeutics isintertwined with issues they are alreadyactively working on such as HIV/AIDSadvocacy, consumer health care issues, anti-Religion vs. Science advocacy etc.

"Mushy Middle" who may not identifythemselves as activists but can be swayedand influenced to act on this issue if it isframed as something that is or could beaffecting their lives or the lives of theirloved ones rather than as social/politicalcontroversy.

FOCUS ON KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Advocates should target the following (evenmore narrowly defined than the audiences list-ed above) key stakeholder audiences who havethe power to create meaningful and significantchange:

Law Enforcement Community whosemembers can exercise influence overfederal, state, and local-level decisionmaking and have the power to makerecommendations and formulate drugenforcement strategies.

Opinion Leaders such as leading mediapundits, politicians, and community leaderswho frame issues impacting public healthand policy and consequently influence thepublic's perception of those issues. Theymay be educated on the legal andlegislative attacks on medical cannabis butare not aware about the particularly urgentthreat to patients.

Acute Care Medical Communities(Cancer, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn'sDisease, etc.) since they may potentiallyneed these services, and, as health careconsumers, can make demands on the

medical community to provide thoseservices as an integral part of medicine. Medical Professionals and Scientific

Communities who may think that"Medical Marijuana" is a political/socialissue rather than an issue of public healthpolicy.

KNOW YOUR MESSAGE


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FRAMING OUR ISSUES

One of the most popular buzzwords in mediarelations and public advocacy is "framing."The words, phrases, and themes used todescribe advocacy issues are extremely impor-tant. Taken togetherthe words, phrases,and themes chosencreate a "framework"for how those issues are discussed publicly. Inour world of 30-second sound bites and 10-minute meetings, those who frame issues welloften win public discussions. By taking controlof how our issues are framed for the mediaand policymakers, we are able to:

define our issues on our terms-use termslike medicine, medicate, dispensaries,provider and patients, NOT drugs, gethigh, clubs, grower and users;

identify how our efforts are part of socialissues that impact a greater number ofpeople than our members-medicalcannabis represents the struggle of allpatients who cannot access their medicinethat their doctors agree is the besttreatment;

identify who are the most importantplayers including those who can makechanges; and

put the opposition on the defense-ask theDEA and other opponents to prove thatthe harms of cannabis therapeutics areworse than the pain these patients faceevery day and the harassment they facefrom the Federal Government.

HOW TO FRAME: Using our Key Messages

The best strategy for framing issues is to standback, look at our primary goals, and developthe best messages for communicating thosegoals. By condensing our complex issues downto a few key messages, we will be able to:

communicate the "frame" around ourissues-think of the "big picture" values,

such as compassion, liberty, democracy,medical professionalism;

highlight our primary goals-Safe and legalaccess to cannabis therapeutics NOW;

focus reporters and policymakers on themost relevant issues-we're talking aboutpatients, not criminals; and

maintain control and direct interviewswith reporters and meetings withpolicymakers-don't let distractingquestions pull you away from yourmessage.

MESSAGE DISCIPLINE: One Message,Many Messengers

If we practice "message discipline"consis-tently and persistently delivering these samekey messageswe will have the greatestimpact. As mentioned earlier, key messagesare more likely to reach target audiences ifthey echo again and again through all of ourpublic advocacy work, especially media out-reach. The best way to ensure that we stay"on message" is for every spokespersonwhether in CA or MOto consistently use

strategic messaging.Although factual information is important,reporters and policymakers are also interestedin having social problems expressed in humanterms. Personal stories are essential elementsin producing compelling news stories and suc-cessfully lobbying policymakers. These mes-sages are only intended as guidelines forspeaking about cannabis therapeutics. Theyare only compelling when injected with themore personal stories of why and how ASAadvocates are committed to this issue.

Get your message heard: "Say what you mean to say"


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Key Media/Public Messages are what youneed the public to know about your issue.Remember you do need to fully disclose polit-ical strategy in these messages but ratherarticulate problems on your terms. KeyMedia/Public messages should be used to craftsound bites, slogans, and any press state-ments.

Key Media/Public Messages should:

Appeal to target audiences but frameissues on your terms

Communicate problem, and the cause Communicate the solution and who has

the power to make the solution Communicate actions that reinforce your

goals

ASA Key Media/Public Messages

Mission: The mission of Americans for SafeAccess (ASA) is to ensure safe and legal access

to cannabis for therapeutic use and research.

Goals

1. End federal raids and prosecutions ofmedical marijuana patients and theirproviders.

2. Remove federal barriers for medical andscientific cannabis research.

3. Create comprehensive access plan forseriously ill patients though out theUnited States.

Target Audiences

1. Law Enforcement Community2. Opinion Leaders3. Acute Care Medical Communities (Cancer,

AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Crohn's Disease,etc.)

4. Medical Professionals and ScientificCommunities

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Key Media/Public Messages

We can most effectively focus our media out-reach by identifying those media outlets

which most widely reach the general public.In other words, we need to pose the question,"Where do most people get their news?"

Secondly, we need to focus our efforts onbeing featured in those media outlets that

already reach out to those readers, viewers,and listeners we've defined as being part ofour targeted audiences.

Television is America's primary source ofnews and information. Public opinion pollsshow that more than 69% of Americans iden-tify television as their main source of news

and 53% consider television to be the mostbelievable and credible news source. Morethan 92 million US households or 98% of allhomes own television sets (more homes thanhave indoor plumbing or even telephones).Between the ages of 2 and 65, the averageperson will watch nine full years of television.

Radio is cited as a news source by 14% per-cent of Americans, according to the same poll.There are approximately 533 million radios inthe U.S.; 74% are in homes and 26% are out-

side the home, predominantly in cars. Theradio industry is diversified and targets audi-ences specifically according to music tastesand creates programming accordingly. Amajority of local radio stations have regularnews segments as well as talk radio program-ming throughout the day. Radio stations canbe useful media outlets as they respondquickly to emerging issues or trends.

Broadcast Media

DEFINE YOUR MEDIA AUDIENCES


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Newspapers are increasingly becoming "themedia of elites." According to the same poll,37% of Americans cite this as another sourceof their news. Approximately fifteen hundred

daily newspapers are published in the U.S.,with a total circulation of 56.9 million readers.Although increased competition, particularlyfrom television, has eroded some of newspa-pers' influence, they remain a powerful forcein the mass media. Newspapers are importanttargets for reaching public opinion leaderswho are seeking in-depth coverage of issuesand trends. They are also the most local ofmedia outlets. Although more than half ofnewspapers are owned by large corporationsheadquartered outside their circulation area,

coverage of local events is usually the focus oflocal newspapers.

Magazines target very specific readerships.Only a few are geared for a general audience;more typically, magazines target a specificgroup of people or focuses on a single inter-est or hobby. The same poll revealed that only5% of Americans rely on magazines as asource for the latest news and information.However, magazines and newsletters that tar-get members of the medical community,patients or family members of patients, poli-cymakers, law enforcement communities andsocial justice activists can be extremely effec-tive targets.

Print Media

Web-publications more and more influencethe way news is delivered. For example, news-paper articles and television and radio broad-casts are often subsequently or simultaneouslyposted on that media outlet's Web site. Inaddition, there are many entirely Web basedpublications which are interested in covering

issues considered too controversial by moremainstream media. Clearly, this kind of "echo-ing" trend in the media and independentmedia offers even more opportunities to edu-cate the public and policymakers about ourissues. Media outlets will continue to changein the coming years. Dramatic changes willoccur in journalism as technologies merge TV

transmissions, phone systems, and personalcomputing into one system. We will need tore-evaluate its approach to targeting both on-line and off-line media outlet as thesechanges occur.

Blogs , derived from "web log", are user-gen-erated website where entries are made in

journal style. Blogs often provide commentaryor news on a particular subject, such as food,politics, or local news; some function as morepersonal online diaries. As of late, blogs havebeen responsible for shaping what news getscovered by other media outlets and offer achoir of commentary.

On-line Media


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MAKING A PRESS LIST

What is a press list?

A media list is a list of the phone numbers,fax numbers and e-mail addresses of yourlocal media outlets, reporters, editors andproducers. Your press list can be as general oras specific as you want to make it.

How to make a press list

1. The Basics

Find general contact information for all ofyour local press outlets including: daily news-papers, weekly community newspapers, mag-azines, television stations, and radio stations.

Then call each of the news organizations onyour list to ask for the number, fax number,and e-mail address of the news desk orassignment desk. (You may want to ask if theyprefer e-mail or faxes). This will be the coreof your press list.

2. Customizing your list

Call each of the news organizations on yourlist ask for the names and direct phone num-

bers of the news editor, medical or healthreporter, legal reporters, and feature editor(you may just want to ask the assignmentdesk who covers medical cannabis.) Call eachof these individuals directly and ask if theywould be interested in receiving news aboutmedical cannabis issues and get their com-plete contact information.

Read your local newspapers and watch yourlocal news stations to see if there is a reporterwho might be interested in medical cannabisstories or a specific health show that maywant to do a segment about medicalcannabis. These and others would be amongyour target media.

Keep a list of people who write stories aboutmedical cannabis, they are more likely thanothers to write another story.

3. Keep it current

Make sure to update incorrect information onyour list.

Continue to add new reporters who writeabout medical cannabis and relevant issues toyour list.

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GETTING YOUR MESSAGE OUT

Now that you know who you are contactingwith your press list, it is time to learn howreporters like to be contacted.

PRESS RELEASE BASICSGetting Started . Using 8 x 14 or 8 x 11paper, put the organization's name, address,and phone number on the top left, and thewords "Press Release," or "Media Release" on

the top right. Then type "For Release:Immediate" or "For Release: Date." on theleft. On the right, across from the "ForRelease" information, type "Contact:" andthen the names of the people who will beavailable to answer questions from the media.Their phone numbers should be includedunder their names.

The Slug . The headline on the release iscalled the slug. The slug should very brieflysummarize the topic of the release and utilizeaction verbs to sound as interesting and asnewsworthy as possible.

The Inverted Triangle . The inverted trianglemeans that the first paragraph should containthe most important information; the next

paragraph should contain less importantinformation, and so on, until the last part ofthe release is the least important. It shouldbe possible to cut off the bottom half of therelease and still provide journalists with suffi-cient information.

The Lead . The lead is the first sentence orparagraph of a press release. It should contain

Channels of Communication


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what is known as the five w's: who, what,where, when and why.

Style . Keep the release succinctyou shouldrarely go over one page. Always type arelease and use wide margins. Double spacethe release, or at least leave spaces between

paragraphs. Keep paragraphs and sentencesshort. Use exact dates whenever possible.

Objectivity . Press releases are designed totransmit facts. Opinions should not be includ-ed unless they are clearly identified as such.One way to convey opinion is by including aquote from someone in your group. Makecertain that the quote is clearly attributed.

Closing Symbols . At the end of a release,you must indicate to journalists that therelease is over. Type "-30-" or "###" at thebottom center of the last page and MORE atthe bottom of any page that is not your lastpage.

E-Mail Press Releases

Use plain ASCII text. Never send pressreleases as attachments to email. Neveremail a press release with a blank subjectline.

Use hyper-links where appropriate. Ifthere is additional information availableon your website, include a hyper-link.

Send a test message before distributingyour press release. Always send a copy ofthe press release to yourself or to acolleague before distributing it. Check theformatting and test URLs.

Avoid disclosing the recipients' emailaddresses. Always type the recipients'addresses in the "Bcc" field of your emailmessage header, rather than in the "To"or "Cc" field.

Post your organization's media contactinformation on the home page of yourwebsite. Be sure to keep the contactinformation up-to-date, and includeinformation on how reporters can beadded to your mailing list.

What makes a press release effective:Emphasize what's new about your action.Reporters have already seen medical cannabispatients protesting DEA Raids; think abouthow your action or event is different.

When to send press releases: The most crit-

ical press release is the one that goes outabout two days before the event. But it's agood idea to put one out about ten daysprior to the event so that when the journalistsget the second one they should be ready torespond to it.

It's also important to send out a third one themoment the action begins, and its overkill tosend out a fourth press release saying how itall went. If the action lasts longer than oneday, send out a new press release every day,

as long as you have something new to say.PITCHING REPORTERS

The following tips are for orally pitching sto-ries to reporters. Although the following tipsare for soliciting immediate coverage, much ofthis advice applies to building on-going rela-tions with reporters over the phone. Whetheryou are calling for an event, or calling to fol-low up on materials you sent to a reporter,you will want to consider the following:

To the point . If you don't know the reporter,you will have less than 30 seconds to gethis/her attention. Get to the point quickly.Answer the question: "Why should thisreporter be interested?" and tailor your pitchaccordingly. For example, look into regionalangles, the public health or the science anglesof a story as opposed to a straight "patientvs." pitch.

Practice . Before calling the media, write outand practice your pitch on someone who isnot a member of your organization to see ifthey understand what you are saying andthink it is interesting.

Respect Deadlines . Media calls are bestmade in the morning or early afternoonwhen most reporters are not on deadline.Always ask if the reporter is on deadline


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before you begin. If they are, ask when a bet-ter time would be to call. Exceptions to therule are radio and TV talk shows. Call whenthe show is not on the air.

Be Direct. Tell the reporter why you are call-ing"I saw your story on... and thought you

might be interested in something my organi-zation is doing about this problem."

Be Ready. Have your talking points and theappropriate information in front of you,including statistics and spokesperson informa-tion so you don't sound disorganized. Be spe-cific.

Relate. Tie the story to something timely ornewsworthy.

Truth. If you don't know the answer to a

question the reporter raises, tell them thatyou do not know but that you will try andfind out for them and call back. Don't makeup answers or speak off the cuff. Anythingyou say is on the record so choose your wordscarefully. Say something like, "I'm not sureabout that. Is it alright if I find out and callyou back?"

Be Flexible. If a reporter is on deadline andis brusque, don't let that shake you. It isessential in this situation that you respondcourteously to their situation by offering tocall back, ask when would be the best time tocall back, find out if you can fax the informa-tion, etc. Others may be brusque even whennot on deadline. Don't take it personally.

Your Info. Offer to provide additional infor-mation and background materials. Theseshould expand the portrait of your organiza-tion and its activities, as well as the positiverole played by the entire sector.

Their Info. If the reporter asks you to fax

something, confirm their fax number. Manyorganizations change their fax numbers fre-quently. Follow up with a fax immediately.

Follow Up . When not working on a same-day press briefing, make a commitment forthe next step: set up an interview, send/faxfollow-up materials, call the reporter back

with more information after a certain timeperiod, etc.

Try and Retry. Share what is working aboutyour media "pitch"and what isn't work-ingwith your colleagues. It may take a cou-ple of calls to get your pitch down, and when

you find what works, share it.Know Your Stuff. Be prepared to have con-versations with reporters who know a lotabout the issue. If you finish your 30 secondpitch and cannot answer reporters' inquiries,you won't be able to sell your story.Reporters want to be sure you know whatyou are talking about. Remember that yourpitch should be simple, interesting, short andclear. But, your knowledge should go to adeeper level.

Track it . Keep a log with good notes aboutyour press outreach. Record reporters' inter-ests, key questions; note what the next stepsare. Does the reporter want more informa-tion? Do you need to make a follow-up call ina few days? Record any follow-up activities onthe log.

Abort? Retry? Fail? If a reporter says no,respect it. Do not keep harping or botheringhim/her about the same story or angle. Nodoesn't mean "don't ever call me again." It

just means don't call again with the samepitch/story. Don't be afraid to call anothertime with a new story, a very interesting newangle, breaking news, etc.

FIELDING INCOMING CALLS

When receiving press calls, make sure anyonewho may answer the phone is prepared totake careful messages. Get the name, numberand organization calling, as well as theirdeadline. If you do not have the informationright in front of you, do not hesitate to askthe reporter if you can call right back withsome answers, someone to talk to, etc.Always remember: an imminent deadlineshould receive an immediate call back fromthe appropriate spokesperson.

Also, when receiving calls, you may have the


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opportunity to try a new angle, or tell thelonger story to further interest a reporter, orto get them to cover your side of the storymore in-depth. Other reporters may call youlooking for information to write a story whenthey are unable to attend.

LEAVING MESSAGESReporters are hardly ever at their desksalthough your chances are best in the morn-ing. Don't hesitate to leave brief messages for

reporters outlining your pitch. You can do thismore than once, but try not to leave morethan two messages. Try to keep your pitchvery short, ask them to call, offer to fax info,and say that you will call back. If you waituntil you get every single reporter on thephone before giving your pitch, you may facean empty press event(Adapted from Green Media Tool Shed http://www.greenmediatool-shed.org/ )

Several factors should help you determinewhat media event is most appropriate. Pressbreakfasts or luncheons are more appropriate

for non-breaking news, whereas a press con-ference may be more suitable for breakingand urgent news. You should also consideryour financial and human resource constraintswhen deciding the details of a press event.Timing is another important factor to consid-er. It is important to work with reporterdeadlines when deciding the details of a pressevent.

IDENTIFY YOUR EXPECTATIONS

It is important to ask yourself what youexpect to get out of the media event. Setgoals. How many reporters do you want atyour event? How many stories would you liketo have written? Clear goals will help youappropriately design your media event.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TYPE OF EVENT

Press Conferences should only be used forbreaking news. Breaking news may includethe release of a report, an event, a reaction toanother story or event, or other issues of

immediate interest to the public.Press Briefings are designed to providegreater background information and ques-tion-answer sessions for reporters.

Tele-Conference is a much less resource-intensive press event. Tele-Conferences can

be used for breaking news when reportersare outside the local area.

Interview : A phone interview or in-personinterview may be an alternative to conferencecalls if you wish to work with an individualreporter who is locally accessible.

BE PREPARED

Whichever press event you select, you shouldbe prepared with in-depth knowledge on theevent and the issues.

Press Packets are useful for providing back-ground information, such as the history ofyour organization, staff biographies, and anyother background information that a reportermay need for a story.

Planning press events will help you deter-mine which event to choose, who yourspokesperson should be, timing, and whatinformation you need to firmly backup yourposition and story.

(Adapted from Green Media Tool Shed http://www.greenmediatool-

shed.org/ )

Media Events


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"read" in your picture? In other words, canyou make sense of it? One hapless group inWashington, DC staged their photo op rightat the base of the Washington Monument --not in front of the monument, at the base ofthe structure. All you could see was somemarble thing behind them. The inspiringstructure they had desired was out of the pic-ture because they were too close!

People : The messenger is as important as themessage. Think about your spokespeople andthe other key players at your event. Are allthe right people represented? Will membersof your target audience see people who theywill find credible when they see your story onthe six o'clock news? Will they see peoplewho look like them?

Typical speakers at your event might include: a key organization representative, such as

you! a person who represents the human

interest inherent in your story such as apatient, their families or local resident

a local politician, ally or public official an expert, such as a doctor, scientist or

lawyer who can present the "raw facts" ofyour issue

Props : What are the visual elements and gim-micks that flesh out your story? It might be acostume, a toy, a cardboard cut out of somesymbol or your issue. The perfect prop is often

the crowning glory or your photo op.Sound bite

What you are saying at your event is, ofcourse, as important as what your event lookslike, so be sure that your sound bite is consis-tent with your theme and communicates aconsistent message. Does your visualmetaphor hinge on a common phrase orclich? Put it to work in your sound bite!

For example, Americans for Safe Access in

Washington, DC staged a photo op to high-light patients "who face the threat of arrestevery day just to get the medicine that theirdoctors prescribe." Each person at the eventwore a sign around their neck with a pictureof a medical marijuana patient noting theirname and medical condition.

Letters to the editor are an easy way to voiceyour opinion to policy makers and to educatepeople in your community about the issuesyour organization addresses. You can use let-ters to correct or interpret facts in response toan inaccurate or biased article recently pub-lished in a newspaper or magazine; to explainthe connection between a news item andyour organization's issues; or to praise or criti-cize a recent article or editorial. Whateveryour purpose, your letter will reach many

people in your communitywithout excep-tion, the letters section is one of the mosthighly read segments of newspapers (andmagazines).

STEPS TO SUCCESS

Step 1: Know Your Paper's Policy

Find out the newspaper's (or magazine's) poli-

cy for printing letters. Some have require-ments for length of letters, some want lettersto be typewritten, and almost all require thatyou include your name, address and phonenumber. (Of course your address and phonenumber would never be printed. Most publi-cations will want to call you before they printyour letter to confirm that you really didwrite the letter and that you want to have itpublished.)

If the paper doesn't publish its letters require-ments next to the letters it prints, don't beafraid to call. Ask to whom you shouldaddress your letter, if they have any lengthrestrictions, and in what format they wouldlike the letter.

Step 2: Be Timely

Responding to a recent article, editorial or op-

Writing Effective Letters to the Editor


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ed is one of the best ways to increase yourchances of getting published. (Be sure tomention the name of the article and the dateit was written in the beginning of your letter.)You can also capitalize on recent news,events, or anniversaries.

Step 3: Keep it SimpleYou already know how to write letters to pol-icy makers that are concise, informative andpersonal. The same should be true with lettersto the editor. Make your first sentence short,compelling and catchy. Don't be afraid to bedirect, engaging, and even controversial.Keep your points short and clear, stick to onesubject, and, as a general rule, try to limityour letters to under three or four paragraphsin length. Most publications ask that letters

be kept to 250 words or less. The shorter theletter, the better its chances of being printed.

Step 4: Get Personal

Newspapers, at their core, are communityentities. Editors will be much more likely topublish a letter, and the letter will have muchmore impact, if it demonstrates local rele-vance.

Use local statistics. For example, a letterfocusing on a vote on the Clean Water Act

should point out how many rivers and lakesare unsafe for swimming in your communityor state.

Use personal stories. For example, if you orsomeone in your family has become illbecause of contaminated drinking water, youshould talk about your experience in a letterto the editor addressing the Safe DrinkingWater Act.

Use names. As congressional aides haverepeatedly told us, if a letter to the editormentions a representative or senator's name,they will see it. They care about how they arebeing perceived in the district, and they willpay attention to a letter that asks them to co-sponsor legislation, or to take a specific actionin Congress. You should also urge your read-ers to support your position and to let theirelected officials know their views.

Use your credentials. If you have expertisein the area you are writing about, say it!

Step 5: Increase Name Recognition

Letters to the editor are an excellent opportu-nity to let more people know about yourissue. As a general rule, you should sign yourletter to the editor with your affiliation. Onthe other hand, if you and many other repre-sentatives from your organization are writingletters to the editor as part of a targeted cam-paign, you may not want to include your affil-iation. Publications will not print letters theythink are part of a manufactured campaign.

If you are the only one writing to the editor,you may also want to work your organiza-tion's name into the text of your letter. Forexample, in a letter about food safety stan-dards you could say that, "The (your organiza-tion) recommended guidelines for improvingfood safety standards to protect our children

just last year."

Step 6: Don't Forget the Follow-up

Don't be discouraged if your letter is notprinted. Keep trying. You can even submit arevised letter with a different angle on theissue at a later date. And if your letter is pub-lished, be sure to send the clipped version to

your member of Congress as well! While yourrepresentative or senator will probably haveclipped your letter, it carries more weight if itcomes from you with a personal noteattached.

Steps 7: Think Strategically

You should think about letters to the editor asa regular strategic campaign tool to increasethe effectiveness of your organization'sactions. Try to target several different papersin your area at the same time and encouragepeople to explore different angles on thesame issue. However, do not send the exactsame letter to more than one newspaper inthe same market. If you want to be publishedin more than one paper in the same market,rewrite the letter slightly or choose a differentangle to approach the subject at each publica-tion. Newspapers do not like to print "form"

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letters.

"It is especially good if the letters are geo-graphically spread and the issue is repeated ina few areas. It creates a ripple effect. It showsthat the issue has reached far into the con-

gressional district which, in turn, gets noticedby the policy maker."Congressional Aide(Adapted from

http://www.greenmediatoolshed.org/training/WrittenCommunication/Op-EdsandLetterstotheEd.adp )

PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW

Logistics and Details

There are several questions you wantanswered before you agree to an interview.Some people are hesitant to ask these ques-tions, but the more knowledge you have, themore prepared you will be. You won't lose aninterview if you make sure to answer thesequestions:

What's the format of the outlet? Print?Broadcast?

What's the interview about? What's your organization's role in the

piece being proposed? Are you the focusor just a supporting player? Who else arethey interviewing?

Which outlet is it for? Ask about thereader- or viewership to determine if itreaches your target audience. Youshouldn't necessarily turn down aninterview if it doesn't, though youprobably won't make it a priority.

What's the format of the interview? Is it aone-on-one, a debate, or another format?

Are you part of a panel? If it is a broadcastinterview, will it be live, edited on tape, isit a call-in?

How long will the interview last? For print pieces, do they need a photo?

Usually they will take their own pictures,so be prepared if they plan to have aphotographer snapping away at youwhile you speak.

If you are comfortable with the answers to allof these questions, and you feel this interviewgives you a good opportunity to get out yourorganization's messages, go for it. If you don't

feel you are the right messenger for theshow, consider suggesting someone else fromyour list of spokespeople who might be moreappropriate or who could make a strongerstatement.

If the story just isn't on the right topic orwon't give you the forum to discuss what youwant to discuss, consider turning it down.

Spend your time on something that will letyou get your message out.

Creating Sound Bytes

To have successful interviews, you need toanswer questions in a way that supports yourmessages. If, after an interview, the quotesincluded in a story do not support your mainmessages, then you are what we call in theindustry "off message." This is bad. You hadan opportunity to get out your message andyou blew it.

To avoid mistakes, practice interviewing usingthe messages from your strategic plan. Allspokespeople for your organization should befamiliar with and proficient in deliveringthese key messages. Remember: part of get-ting out messages successfully is picking theright spokespeople. Certain spokespeople willresonate better with your target audiencethan others. Don't let egos eliminate a chanceto showcase your best spokespeople and getthe most from a media interview.

Use the Three C's

Concise . Typically, your comments will beedited to about 5 to 15 seconds or a shortsentence. Focus on getting your points acrossefficiently. Avoid long words and lengthy sen-tences. Also, it is better to pause to gatheryour thoughts than to rely on fillers like "uh-

INTERVIEWS


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Interviews and studio discussions can be abloodsport, and you, the interviewee, are theone of the combatants. So here are somerules and tactics. Practice, as in any othersport, is absolutely critical. If you haven't donemany interviews before, get someone to pre-tend to be the interviewer a day or twobefore you're due to go on, and get her togive you a hard time.

RULES AND TACTICS

Be informed. This is the golden rule.Remember, this is an information war, and thebest warriors are the ones with the best infor-mation. Make sure your information is reli-able and stands up to critical examination.

Be calm. Generally the audience sees thecalmest person as the winner. This doesn'tmean you can't be passionate and enthusias-ticindeed these are good thingsbut don'tspill over into anger. If necessary, take a deepbreath before answering the question. Bepolite but firm with everyone.

Be concise . Use as few words as possible, andspeak with clarity and determination. Youshould summarize the whole issue in just oneor two sentences before expanding on yourtheme.

It's the answers that count , not the ques-

tions. When you go into the studio, you mustknow exactly what you want to say and howyou want to say it. Don't be too scrupulousabout answering the actual questionsget tothe points you want to make.

Don't try to make too many points . Havea maximum of three lines of argument. Any

more and both you and the audience will getlost.

Finish your point. If the interviewer tries tointerrupt you before you have finished, carryon talking until you've said it. Sometimes it'suseful to say "Just a moment" or "If you'd letme finish." Be assertive without being rude.

Don't let yourself be bullied.Simplicity . Make your points as clearly aspossible. Use short sentences and simplewords. Try not to use sub-clauses (a sentencewithin a sentence), as you might confuse thelistener.

Turn hostile questions to good account .There are several ways of doing this:

Deal with the question quickly, and thenmove on to what you want to talk about.

This is the simplest and safest way ofhandling tricky questions. A good way ofgoing about it is to agree with part of thequestion, then show that it's not thewhole story.

Deliberately misinterpret the question."You're quite right; there were a lot ofundesirable elements at the protest. Infact, there's an urgent need to regulatethe security industry properly. Do youknow that a lot of security guards havecriminal records for violent assault?"

Undermine the factual content of thequestion. But always, always, bring youranswer back round to the point.

Leave your notes behind . If what you wantto say isn't in your head, you shouldn't be inthe studio.

Project . You're not having a casual chat with


uh-uh," "like," or "you know."

Conversational . Avoid insider jargon andpolicy-laden language; use words and descrip-tions that the average reader/viewer willunderstand. When you must use jargon,explain itbriefly.

Catchy . The reporter is looking for the catchyphrase or soundbite. To ensure your mainpoints are included, say them in a clever fash-ion. If you just presented a key point in anunclear or rambling way, stop for a secondand make your point again. The reporterneeds the quote to make sense.

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Doing InterviewsSpecific Guidelines


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the interviewer or the other guest. This meansthat you should put more emphasis into yourvoice than you'd do in a normal conversation.It might sound strange to you when you firstdo it (and practice it before you do a realinterview), but on air it'll sound fine.

Use your body . On TV a good rule is thatyour head and torso should stay fairly still(which makes you seem solid and trustwor-thy), but your hands should lend emphasis towhat you say (they can help to drive yourpoints home). Eyebrows are pretty useful too.

Humor . If you can do it without making itsound frivolous or irrelevant, a bit of humor

can help a lot to win your audience over.Gently satirizing your opponent's position isoften quite effective.

Don't hate your opponent . This is absolute-ly necessary. Whatever you might think aboutthe person you're up against, you must leave

your feelings at the door of the studio. If youallow yourself to hate them, you'll lose yourcool, lose focus and lose public sympathy. Oneway of dealing with your feelings is to regardyour opponent as someone who has beenmisled and needs to be told the truth.[Adapted from "An activist guide to exploiting the Media" by GeorgeMonbiot http://www.gn.apc.org/pmhp/gs/handbook/media.htm]

Give ThanksWrite a note to the person who interviewedyou, thanking them for their time and atten-tion. Regardless of how the story comes out,you want them to know you appreciate theopportunity to talk about yourcampaign/issue.

Review the coverage

The best way to get better at interviewing isto review your performance and then make a

list of what you'll do better or differently nexttime.

Ask yourself:

Were you on message? Did you get your main points across in a

concise and easy to understand way? Did your opponents make any compelling

arguments for which you will need to

construct a good counterpoint in thefuture?

Was the piece in any way inaccurate orunfair?

If the story is inaccurate or unfair...

If a story comes out with factual mistakes ormisquotes, do not call up screaming at areporter. Instead, calmly point out the mistakeand ask for a correction. Consider contactingthe editor or news director. Going over areporter's head is a serious step and shouldonly happen when a major mistake has beenmade and the reporter refuses to acknowl-edge his/her responsibility for the miscommu-nication. If you go over a reporter's headwithout first speaking with him/her, you willsour whatever relationship you have with thatreporter, and it can come back to haunt you.*prepared from materials produced by Resource Media*

After the Interview


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BEFORE YOUR PRESS EVENT

1. Pick a location . Choose a setting for yourpress conference that will accommodate asmany reporters and observers as you expect.Of course, you may not always know howmany people are comingso leave some mar-gin for error. It is always best to have speakerselevated on steps or a platform so that theyare visible to everyone. Reporters will bringtheir own equipment, but having a PA systemis always helpful. Be conscious of the ambientnoise. Try to stay away from busy streets ifyour press conference is outdoors. You maywant to consider a location that is meaning-fuli.e. a courthouse where someone is on

trial, the location of a recent bust, the homeof a newsmaker. Remember you must havepermission to conduct a press conference onprivate property or in government buildings.

2. Assign tasks . Think ahead about whatneeds to be done and delegate the tasks wellin advance. Someone will have to get permis-sion to use a certain site for the event.Someone will have to invite media, print pressmaterials, and set up the physical location.Someone needs to call speakers and get com-

mitments. Some formal press conferencesoften have refreshments. Do not wait untilthe last minute to make a task list and assignduties. It will save you some unnecessary stressand make your event seem much more pro-fessional.

3. Line up speakers. Who is going to talk tothe media? Generally, you want primarysources at your press conference. Primarysources are the people who are actually mak-ing the newspatients in trouble; researchersannouncing a breakthrough, local politicianssupport the issue, lawyers defending patients,etc. Whether or not you have a primarysource, ask yourself why the media will listento the speaker. Are the well known, sympa-thetic, an authority on the topic? Call thespeakers well in advance to get a commit-ment. It is also a good idea to send a confir-mation letter or email specifying exactly when

and where the speaker should be for the con-ference. Have them come early to avoiddelays!

4. Create background materials. Do notassume that the media knows the back-ground for the press conference. Have someprinted materials ready to fill them in onmedical cannabis in general and the specificreason for the press conference. If your pressconference is concerning a patient on trial, forexample, have brief information on medicalcannabis and the defendant's personal story.This will help the reporters in preparing thestory and greatly increase the chances ofbeing covered. Check the ASA website for

general medical cannabis background materi-al. Remember to keep it shortone or twopages.

5. Create visuals . Having an interesting visu-al presentation makes a press conferencemore effective and memorable. It also increas-es the chance of photographic and televisioncoverage. Consider the backdrop of yourevent. Is there a landmark building or monu-ment? You may also want to make signs, ban-ners, or puppets to communicate something

visually to the media. Or have everyone wearthe same color shirt or have similar messageson your shirts. You only have a few seconds tomake an impact. You can also use the podiumas a place to put your organizations logo andwebsite.

6. Write and send a press release . Thepress release is the usual way that media out-lets get news. See the sample press release forguidance. Keep it very short. You are only try-ing to get their attention, not tell the wholestory. Be sure to include the nuts and boltsinformation: date, place, time, speakers, andwho to call for more information. Many pressreleases are faxed to news outlets, but emailis also acceptable. Send the press release afew days before the event, and again the dayof the event.

7. Make pitch calls. You will want to call

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PRESS EVENT CHECKLIST


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everyone you sent a press release to and askthem to attend. This is a crucial step becausereporters get numerous unsolicited pressreleases each week. Be prepared to offer a lit-tle more information about the topic, why itis important, and who will be speaking. Getthe name, telephone number, and email ofthe reporter who will attend if possible. Thatway, you can follow up afterwards if needed.

8. Make press packs . Neatly print your pressrelease, background materials, and othermaterials (relevant flyers, brochures, or sup-porting documents). Put a copy of each itemin a folder with your business card or contactinformation. You will want to have enoughcopies for every reporter, so make a fewextra.

DAY OF THE PRESS EVENT1. Resend the press release . Send the pressrelease to everyone again early in the day (orthe night before for a morning event). Dailynews assignment can vary, and you want tobe at the top of the list.

2. Make more pitch calls. If time permits,you should call everyone who receives a pressrelease again on the day of the press confer-ence. If you do not have time to call everyoneagain, focus on those who you want theremost or those who were most enthusiastic.3. Set the stage . Set up your room or out-side area for good visibility. Have the speakersin a prominent place. Set up tables and chairsif necessary. Have someone standing by theentrance or in a prominent place to greet thepress. A nametag is a good way to identifythis person. Assemble the speakers early soyou are ready to go on time and there are nosurprises.

4. Greet and identify the press. You shoulddesignate a media liaison to welcomereporters as they arrive and distribute presspacks. This person can also let reporters knowwhere to set up cameras and microphonesand when the speaking will begin. The liaisonshould also collect business cards or contactinformation from each reporter. This is nor-mal; so do not be reluctant to ask. You will

use this information to build your press list forfollow up or future events.

5. Let the MC take charge. The MC ("mas-ter of ceremonies") will conduct the pressconference and introduce speakers. The MCshould be confident, friendly, and able to

keep the pace going and in order. The MCmust also keep the reporters in line. If ques-tions are to be answered at the end of thepress conference, do not allow reporters tointerrupt speakers. Politely decline to answerthe question and remind them that there willbe a time for questions later.

6. Q & A. The MC should recognize reportersindividually for questions. Allow the appropri-ate speaker to answer the question beforetaking another. Do not be intimidated if more

than one reporter is trying to get your atten-tion at the same time. Try saying somethinglike, "I'll take you first, and then you will benext." Decide in advance if you will take allquestions, or allow a fixed amount of time forquestions. You can always invite reporters andspeakers to speak informally after the pressconference is closed. Be sure to thank thespeakers and the press for attending.

FOLLOW UP

1. Watch or read the coverage. You willwant to see if and how your event is covered.Make note of which outlets carry your story.Those will be your hot prospects for futureevents. You may also identify "hostile" outletswith bad coverage. You should send a thankyou note to a reporter who does a particular-ly good job. Likewise, you may want to send acorrection if someone's coverage is inaccurateor biased. Be sure to note how the eventlooks in pictures and television. You can makeimprovements next time if you see something

you do not like.2. Make your press list. Now that you havecollected contact information, make a list ofevery reporter who attended. Add notesabout anyone who was very supportive orenthusiastic. Keep this list for future use!


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For Immediate ReleaseDecember 7,2006 Contact:William Dolphin (510) 919-1498

Medical Marijuana Patients Win Big as Court Upholds State LawJudge Sides with ASA, ACLU and Drug Policy Alliance in Saying California Can Protect Patients

SAN DIEGOA San Diego Superior Court today handed a critical victory to medical marijuana patients nation-wide, affirming the ability of states to exempt qualified patients from criminal penalties, despite federal policy thatprohibits all marijuana use. Following oral arguments by AG and defendants, the court confirmed the validity ofCalifornia's medical marijuana laws, rejecting the contention of several countiesSan Diego, San Bernardino andMercedthat such laws are made invalid by federal law.

"The judge agreed with us that there is no real conflict between federal and state law, and that the state's volun-tary ID cards program does not interfere with the purpose of Prop. 215," said Joe Elford, chief counsel forAmericans for Safe Access (ASA). "This ruling upholds both the will of the voters and the legislature's attempt tohelp implement it.The protections provided to patients under state law have been confirmed."

Enacted in 1996, the Compassionate Use Act, also known as Proposition 215, allows qualified patients with adoctor's recommendation to use medical marijuana. The Medical Marijuana Program Act, passed in 2003,requires counties to implement an identification card program that allows law enforcement to properly identifylegitimate patients.

The California Attorney General's office argued in parallel with ASA, the ACLU,and the Drug Policy Alliance (DPAthat state medical marijuana laws are not rendered invalid by conflicting federal statutesconsistent with theopinions of the attorneys general of several other states, including Colorado, Hawaii and Oregon, which permitmedical use of marijuana.

The case originated from a lawsuit initially brought by San Diego County, and later joined by San Bernardino and

Merced counties, against the state of California. ASA, the ACLU and DPA intervened in the proceedings onbehalf of medical marijuana patients and their caregivers and doctors in order to assure adequate representation ofthose most impacted by the case.

These groups represented Pamela Sakuda, a patient who passed away after the lawsuit was filed, as well asSakuda's spouse and caregiver, Norbert Litzinger and Dr. Stephen O'Brien, a physician who specializes inHIV/AIDS treatment in Oakland, California, and believes that many of his seriously ill patients benefit from themedical use of marijuana as well as several other local patients.

"For the tens of thousands of seriously ill Californians who depend on medical marijuana, this victory could notbe more significant," said Steph Sherer,ASAs executive director. "San Diego Supervisor Bill Horn stated he wasseeking clarification from the courts. Now that the court has ruled, we hope that San Diego and counties acrossCalifornia will move forward with implementing state law."

# # #

With more than 30,000 active members with chapters and affiliates in more than 40 states,Americans for SafeAccess is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and con-cerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic uses and research.

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SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE


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For more information see wwwAmericansForSafeAccess org or contact the ASA office at 1 888 929 4367 or 510 251 1856

MEDICAL MARIJUANA WAS EFFECTIVE FOR HER

Los Angeles TimesNov 04, 2002

I was so pleased to read that doctors can no longer be accountable for suggesting marijuana use to

patients when needed ("Medical Pot Use Given a Boost," Oct. 30). I just finished a year of treatments forbreast cancer. While in chemotherapy treatment, nothing could control my severe nausea and vomiting. Iwas prescribed the so-called best prescription drug: Zofran. I even had it in IV form. After being so weakfrom vomiting that I didn't have enough strength to crawl back into bed, I tried marijuana following myfourth chemo treatment.

The symptoms were gone instantly.

The marijuana was the only thing that kept me symptom-free. It was a miracle drug for me. I don't con-done drug use, but feel that medical marijuana is better than the very expensive and synthetic alterna-tives in many medical cases.

Allyson Santucci,

Palm Desert

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE EDITOR

medical marijuana: americans for safe access media manual

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