by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Our sessions for APHA 2024 will equip advocates to communicate about difficult topics like the intersection of domestic violence and firearms, and the problematic narratives that have mischaracterized parks and green space as nice bonuses rather than as essential parts of a healthy community.
Tags: apha, health equity, media analysis, public health
by: Lunden Mason
posted on Monday, June 24, 2024
In the two years since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, journalists have been working tirelessly to show how continued efforts to restrict abortion impact the lives of women and pregnant people. The trouble is, many of the stories we’re seeing in news coverage represent extreme cases rather than the most common reasons women seek abortion, including because of financial circumstances, education or career goals, or because they already have children to care for. In this blog, BMSG communication assistant Lunden Mason shares her own abortion story and why more ordinary abortion experiences must be uplifted in news coverage.
by: Lunden Mason
posted on Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Domestic violence is a driver of homelessness, yet we rarely see news coverage make that connection. How can advocates expand the narrative? BMSG gathered strategic communication insights from Community Forward, a San Francisco-based housing and safety nonprofit whose leaders are helping the public better understand the nuances of the housing crisis by centering women in both their organizing and their messaging.
by: Lunden Mason
posted on Wednesday, December 27, 2023
This year’s top picks underscore the role communication plays in advancing our collective well-being. They also help us fight despair by reminding us that advocates are fighting to make equity and justice a reality across our country and the globe.
by: Lunden Mason
posted on Monday, November 06, 2023
To bolster advocates’ efforts to make a more effective case for creating safe, equitable, healthy communities, BMSG will be presenting findings from our research on how the news characterizes a range of issues, from anti-hunger programs to the intersection of domestic violence and homelessness. We hope you’ll be able to join us at APHA, Nov. 12-15 in Atlanta, or view our sessions virtually.
Tags: american public health association, apha, news analysis
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Wednesday, August 23, 2023
BMSG research over three decades has found that both solutions and authentic voices — people who have experienced an issue firsthand — are underrepresented in coverage of public health issues. Our research since the start of the pandemic has revealed another nuance: When authentic voices are included, they tend to be cast as victims, rather than agents of change.
by: Heather Gehlert and Lori Dorfman
posted on Wednesday, July 12, 2023
The Supreme Court’s recent decisions to to dismantle affirmative action, reduce civil rights for LGBTQ+ individuals, and uphold financial obstacles that make it harder for people to attend college reinforce the need for long-term narrative change. What would it look like to build narrative power in support of public health values? The history of tobacco control offers clues.
Tags: media advocacy, narrative change, narrative power, public health
by: Ronnie Alvarez
posted on Thursday, May 25, 2023
Recent research from BMSG and UnidosUS on Latino underrepresentation in the news validated my experience of erasure as a Latino growing up in the Midwest. I still ask myself: When will feeling represented be my norm? A new report contains recommendations for improving diversity and inclusion in the news industry to help prevent future generations from being similarly marginalized.
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Thursday, May 04, 2023
During the pandemic, news coverage of food assistance became less stigmatizing. But, as the COVID emergency ends and hunger-related benefits expire under the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, will shame return to the conversation? Or will our public narratives continue to support those in greatest need?
Tags: food assistance, hunger, media analysis, news analysis, snap
by: Saneeha Mirza
posted on Monday, February 27, 2023
Over the last few years, changes in social media and content creation have led to a push to rethink which bodies we see as beautiful and healthy. Concepts like fat stigma, weight bias, and fat justice are gaining visibility, but is mainstream media catching up accordingly? Following the release of new research in collaboration with the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA), we talked with NAAFA’s Board Chair to learn more about how fat people are portrayed in the news and other forms of media.
Tags: fat justice, weight bias, weight stigma
