How can we make preventing sexual violence headline news?
by: Alisha Somji
posted on Monday, August 31, 2015
New research from BMSG explores media portrayals of sexual violence and how both journalists and advocates can work to improve coverage.
ACEs in the headlines: Coverage takes off in 2015
by: Alisha Somji
posted on Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Although adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are still underrepresented in the news compared to other health issues, coverage has spiked recently. Why does this matter and what does it mean for advocates? Preliminary research from BMSG offers insights.
Tags: ACEs, adverse childhood experiences, childhood trauma, media, news, public health
Lessons in public health messaging: Q&A with Fernando Quintero
by: Allyson Frazier
posted on Friday, June 19, 2015
How public health messages are framed affects how the public and policymakers understand issues and what to do about them. PreventObesity.net’s Inside Track talks with BMSG’s Fernando Quintero about the pitfalls of one common type of framing and how advocates can avoid it.
Tags: framing, media advocacy, messaging, public health
Pushing back against beverage industry marketing and exploitation
by: Fernando Quintero
posted on Friday, May 08, 2015
New California legislation would help combat diabetes in the communities that are the most affected by the disease — and the most targeted by sugary drink companies.
Tags: diabetes prevention, public health, sugary drinks, target marketing
How personal responsibility framing undermines efforts to improve public health
by: Fernando Quintero
posted on Thursday, April 30, 2015
The “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” myth is pervasive in our culture and in the media. Here’s how advocates can reframe the conversation to better support health.
Tags: default frame, framing, personal responsibility, public health
Top 10 public health media bites of 2014
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Public health issues have been a dominant part of the news this year, and advocates played a major role in shaping their coverage. Out of these efforts emerged many memorable media bites. Here are 10 of BMSG’s favorites.
Tags: media advocacy, public health
5 lessons in media advocacy from battles with Big Soda
by: Fernando Quintero
posted on Monday, December 15, 2014
Berkeley’s landslide victory in passing a tax on sugary drinks, along with other cities’ recent efforts to do the same, reveals some do’s and don’ts in developing strategic media advocacy campaigns.
Tags: Berkeley, Big Soda, El Monte, media advocacy, public health, Richmond, San Francisco, soda tax, Telluride
Talking about junk food marketing to kids: Is the health argument enough?
by: Fernando Quintero
posted on Thursday, October 16, 2014
In Mexico, health advocates frame junk food marketing to kids as a human rights violation. Should U.S. advocates do the same?
3 phrases public health advocates should use with caution — or not at all
by: Heather Gehlert
posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2014
The words we use to describe public health issues can open people up to new ideas or reinforce old ways of thinking, undermining advocates’ efforts to make the case for policies that support health. Here are three common phrases that may be doing the latter.
Tags: framing, language, media advocacy, public health
Lessons in communication strategy from Big Soda
by: Fernando Quintero
posted on Wednesday, August 20, 2014
To block advocates’ efforts to tax soda, the industry is wielding a well-oiled PR machine with carefully crafted messages. Knowing what its spokespeople are saying is key to fighting back.
Tags: communication, media advocacy, messaging, public health, soda industry, soda tax, sugary drinks