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On TV

By
Posted on July 3, 2001

How to Use On TV

Attention activists and non-profit groups! Foresight can be 20/20 -- if you know how to make the most of a good tip.

That's why MediaRights.org is now offering On TV, advance listings of social-issue documentaries slated to air on Court TV, Discovery Channel, the Learning Channel, Cinemax, and HBO nationwide.

How can your organization benefit from On TV?

On TV is a unique service offered by MediaRights.org. Strong, social-issue documentaries are broadcast or cablecast every month -- but since the networks do very little to publicize them, they often vanish without making a difference. Now, thanks to On TV, you can commandeer the power of the national media to push your agenda. And you don't need to be a P.R. person to do it -- it's easier than you think.

Say On TV informs you -- a month in advance -- that a portrait of a man on death row in Texas will air on Court TV. You belong to a group that's fighting for abolition of the death penalty, but you live in California or New Jersey. No matter: the fundamental things apply. On the Court TV Web site and in the MediaRights.org data base you'll find ample materials about the issues that you can tailor to the specific concerns of your organization. You can use these materials to mount a mini-campaign around the cablecast -- motivating folks in your area to volunteer time, sign a petition, write a letter to a government official, develop a local news story, or donate to your organization.

First, learn as much as you can about the film to be aired.

Once you've seen the listing in On TV, you can solicit the cable channel for a press kit about the program. Or, check to see if there are downloadable materials about the show on its Web site. Often you'll find study guides, film synopses, news reports, and discussion groups -- all for the taking and the using.

Identify the issues raised by the documentary and connect them to similar concerns in your community.

Who would have thought that a film about gay Hasidic Jews would be of interest to Mormons? Robert West did. The co-founder of Working Films, a community education and citizen action group based in North Carolina, saw an opportunity when Sandi DuBowski's documentary, Trembling Before G-d, an exploration of gay and Lesbian Jews who struggle to reconcile their Orthodox faith with their sexual yearnings, was accepted at the Sundance Festival in Utah. West reached out to local groups who may not know much about Judaism, but who are opposed to the Mormon Church's repression of gays and lesbians. The screening they organized together was a huge success. The moral: When you see a film listed in On TV, think creatively about how to work it!

Brainstorm ways you can get people in your community to watch the film and then, to take action.

These days, with all the distractions that media offers, a single broadcast can easily slip through the cracks. With the head start you'll get from the MediaRights.org advance listing, you'll have time to:

Ask several friends or concerned citizens to host small "TV dinners" at their home on broadcast night (this is a particularly good strategy if the documentary is airing on a premium cable channel to which many people may not have access.) Encourage your volunteer hosts to invite friends and neighbors who are not already involved in the issue.

A few days beforehand, get the hosts together to brainstorm questions that will focus the post-viewing conversations on the links between the documentary's themes and local issues.

Organize a screening in a public place, such as a school or community center, library, or house of worship. If possible, invite a guest speaker (perhaps a local "celebrity" who cares about the issue) or someone with good people skills to lead the post-viewing discussion. Don't just convoke the converted! Extend an invitation to reputable folks who have dissenting or slightly different points of view so that a meaningful and lively discussion can take place.

Think through the goals you want the screening to help you achieve. If your agenda is to spur people to action, prepare appropriate materials (petitions, sample letters to government officials, newspaper clippings about the local issue). If you want a fresh pool of volunteers, make sure there are enough flyers about your organization and sign-up sheets available. And by all means, ask for money! Provide donation envelopes and a box where your visitors can drop in checks or cash.

Use the Net to link up with other activist groups in your area.

Use the broadcast as a catalyst to reach out to like-minded organizations in your community or your region. Log on to MediaRights.org non-profit database and research other local activist groups that are involved in the same issues. Then notify them of your plans through e-mail or snail mail. Could any of these groups become your partners?

Bring the program to the attention of journalists in your area.

Get in touch with the editor of your local newspaper or local TV news reporters. Send a catchy letter that not only advertises the broadcast, but also suggests specific story angles linking the film's themes to local issues. (Check out the Sound Partners Web site [www.soundpartners.org] for examples of strong story angles.) And make sure your letter includes information on all the activities you've planned around the broadcast.

Ask a teacher at your local school to develop a mini-lesson plan based on the show.

Your best bet is to suggest activities that don't demand much preparation on the teacher's part. For example, one easy assignment could require students to view the program and write a "review" (which can be posted on MediaRights.org!) Or, students can be asked to formulate three questions about the program for discussion in class the following day. A really cooperative teacher might use the film as a springboard for a research project that shows students how to link the issue to their lives or to their community.

Often you can find study guides relating to a specific TV program on the channel Web Site. Download them and make them (along with your own lesson plan ideas) widely available to teachers in your area -- and don't forget Sunday school and adult education programs!

Remember to alert your members.

If your organization sends out a newsletter, make sure it gives timely notice about the program and the events you've planned. Your members will want to know!

Has your organization ever capitalized on a national broadcast or cablecast to promote a local issue? Is so, tell us about your strategies -- what worked, what didn't, what you plan to do next time.