Create a Media Strategy (Cont)

PR is placing your story into a greater context. This is the world that exists; this is the conflict that's taking place, this is the way we can create a solution to the conflict. Telling the arc of that story is PR. It is a blend of activism and journalism with a big dose of media production. 

Turning stories into media production is increasingly falling on activists, rather than journalists. Over the last decade, editorial border guards are increasingly harder to get passed. The old ways of distributing media content are less valuable with the rise of the web. E.g. classified ads used to only be in print newspapers, now you can put one up for free on Craigslist. 

The producers of content and their audiences can be connected directly through the internet. This is causing a crisis in traditional media b/c they can't monetize their content. Controversial issues cost more to cover, aren't as easy to syndicate, and aren't friendly to advertisers. Therefore, the border guards are more difficult to get through. 

We can create and distribute content: it's less expensive to shoot and edit video. The burden for advocates of ideas is definitely rising. This is the lay of the land before we start strategizing. 

Reasons for PR:

1. Opportunity to create advocacy-oriented content. 

2. Means of influencing the public debate: reaching your audience directly and indirectly