Download Walk As One Media Kit - Caritas Australia

How to get the Walk As One message out there by engagingwith your local mediaLocal media plays a powerful role in grassroots campaigning. Positive media can help to raise awarenessabout injustices and create real change - change in the community and even change in governmentpolicies.Local media outlets want to know what people in their communities are doing and why they are doingit. Good local media should reflect the community it serves and give voice to the causes you choose tochampion.At the same time media outlets are not always well resourced, so they rely on you to come to them. Andthat’s not as hard as it may sound.It’s simply a matter of writing up a press release, making a phone call to your local newspaper, radio ortelevision station, having a quick chat and sending your release to them. This can happen either beforeor after the event, or both!Here we’ve given you a press release template where all you have to do is fill in the blanks and alter therelease, depending on whether you want to send it before or after the event.Don’t underestimate the importance of your story or the impact you can have. Media is a powerful tool!When using this template be sure to include the following:Basic information: The first couple of paragraphs should include the basic information about your filmscreening/event: who, what, when, where and why.Quotes: Quotes add punch to your story – don’t forget to include the name of the spokesperson.Be Newsworthy: Stick to the point, be clear as to why your event is important and why the story needsto be heard. Try to stick to one page – more is less!Images: Where possible, take good photos of the event and provide captions with names and details.

Media Release Template Which You Can Adapt(NAME OF GROUP/ORGANISATION) BRINGS THE PLIGHT OF THEWORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO (LOCATION)DAY MONTH, 2012INSERT ORGANISATION/GROUP/SCHOOL have held a unique INSERT EVENT TYPE event in INSERT PLACE/TIMEto raise awareness to the plight of the world’s Indigenous Peoples as part of Caritas Australia’s Walk As Onecampaign.The INSERT TYPE OF EVENT was inspired by the fact many of the more than 370 million people who identify asIndigenous globally are over-represented among the world’s poorest and most marginalised.The event featured the screening of a compelling documentary where two young Indigenous Australians fromArnhem Land travel to the Amazon jungle in Bolivia to meet another Indigenous community and learn abouteach other’s cultures.“It was fascinating to see that the problems confronting Indigenous Peoples all over the world are many of thesame problems confronting Indigenous Peoples in Australia,” INSERT NAME, said.“But this is not a problem restricted to Australia, this is a global issue that needs to be urgently addressed. Weare taking part in Walk As One to stand in solidarity with the world’s Indigenous Peoples.”“The purpose of us coming together was to hear some of those stories, but more importantly to send a messageto the Australian Government that we need to do more to address the injustices and extreme povertyexperienced by indigenous communities.”Issues confronting Indigenous Peoples include language barriers, unrecognised land rights and conflict. Theirvoices often remain unheard by the government’s which have power in their respective communities.Walk As One seeks solutions to these challenges, calling on our own government to improve Australia’s foreignaid program and policies as they relate to Indigenous Peoples, and to promote respect for and compliance withthe United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.“We want to leave here today with the both the inspiration and the tools to make a difference. To be informedand in a position to approach our local politicians and educate people about the issues Indigenous Peoples theworld over face,” INSERT NAME HERE, saidWalk As One seeks transformational change in communities and businesses, promoting positive engagementwith Indigenous led initiatives and organisations, and encouraging best practise by businesses operating onIndigenous territories around the world.”INSERT NAME: CONTACT NUMBER and EMAILTo find more information about Caritas Australia’S Walk As One campaign, sign the petition or take part,please go to: www.caritas.org.au/walkasone or phone 1800 024 413.

Contacting MediaDraft a list of media publications and some particular journalists in your local area and work your waythrough the list. Don’t forget your local radio stations, television news bulletins and newspapers. (NB: Asa general rule, local television stations want to know about your event beforehand and local newspapersafterwards. Radio could be either).Before you contact someone, make sure you have a copy of your media release and the contact detailsof your spokesperson handy. You can offer to email or fax your release to them; if you e-mail it, be sureto copy the text into the body of the e-mail instead of attaching it, as the journalist is more likely to readit. Direct contact by phone or in-person is likely to get you the best results!Before and after your event• Make sure you have someone organised to look after any journalists or media contacts who attend.They can help introduce spokespeople for interviews and line up photos.• Organise somebody to take photos so you can use them to send to media after the event and/ordistribute via social media online. Be sure to send these back to Caritas Australia too so we can helpspread the word about your great event walkasone@caritas.org.au.• If journalists couldn’t attend in person but expressed an interest in the event, be sure to sendthem some photos and quotes from participants who attended along with your media release.Remember, direct contact by phone will get you the best results!• Consider publishing a Letter to the Editor in your local newspaper. Most newspapers publish detailsabout how to send in a Letter on their website. Read some examples of previously published Lettersto give you some ideas about the length and style of writing you should aim for.