Help me campaign against a new road
20 March 2008
I'm campaigning against a new road that could be built in my area. I'm having a problem with my local paper which is biased in favour of the road scheme. Can people give me any ideas for getting them to publish the other side of the story?
Emma
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Comments
Dealing with your local newspaper
Hi Emma,
I would email the Editor politely and say why you think the coverage is biased and ask for the right to reply in the paper giving your side of the argument. Or get a few of your members to write in complaining. Very few people do this and the editor is probably only human after all.
The only time I emailed the Editor of our local paper direct (rather than the letters page) about an item, he emailed back immediately with an apology. They like to keep the story running so it doesn't really suit their purposes if they have no one to give the anti-road argument. You could always threaten to deal only with the other media so he won't get any comments from your group in the future
More likely he may point out that he didn't think he was biased but just reflecting a majority view and mend his ways a little. Do it as a group if you can rather than just you. Don't be afraid to use your power as they need you as much as you need them.
Good luck
Pip Sheard
Bristol
Local newspaper "cooperation" -and the alternatives!
Hi Emma
Mottram Bypass
Greetings from the Aston Hill says NO! Campaign!
Reluctant press is a common problem. Time to "think outside the box".
Get politicians to express their support by writing their own "letters to the editor". This will invite return contributions/controversy from readers -and will sell newspapers. That keeps editors happy. However, newspapers are something of an OLD media anyway. You might well be wasting effort trying to get a local paper around to your way of thinking!
Get local RADIO involved. Get a small team of extroverts prepared in advance.
Write some interview scripts with "bullet-point" answers to common questions that might be put to campaigners.
Prepare a list of radio station contacts –and start phoning them –pester them to take your call -especially "live" on-air.
Lookout for regional TV station blogs. If there not there write something controversial that will make the station create a "new-topic" of your issue. ("Why should 874 local youngsters have to have their lungs loaded with yet more road pollution?)
TV/Radio are desperate for "local-issue" "content" . Interview a local businessman (who supports your stance!) Have a look at http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=X98wsUIpEak
Make a "mash" (your own compilation) of any TV news coverage you might have accumulated –and republish it look at http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=WTbB335UMgE
Make a YouTube 2 minute video of your case for opposition –involve YOUNG people wherever possible. Can you get a group of children to interview each other (not too difficult with modern digital camcorders and a bit of adult prompting?)
Get a local pop band to record some kind of song about your cause. Send a copy to local radio. Have a look at http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=Lrxc7dA3eg0
Or my own efforts on http://ie.youtube.com/watch?v=xoDiE4B54LM&feature=related (10,000 hits and rising!)
Once you get other "New" media featuring your side of the story, the ("Old-media") local papers will fall over to get back on the band-wagon. You've just got to convinced cynical media hacks that there is mileage in your story. Then get the team to phone them all up up and say you are available for views opinions
Get your local MP and a couple of councillors "on-side". Remind them to put party –politics to one side and that they have a duty to represent your views or ask questions of senior officials/ministers on your behalf.
Health Impact
Have you considered the human health angle? This is an issue that most folk will relate to. Young children have the most to gain/loose! . Get the school mums on side. We found that the proposers (In our case "Transport Wales") were utterly dismissive of any suggestion that their scheme needed anything more that cursory references to health in the "Environmental Impact Statement" (EIS) We made a very strong case that latest medical opinion was that road transport pollution was extremely damaging to children who lived nearby (Gauderman Report 2007, 2007 Royal Commission report "The Urban Environment" etc) and that a full HIA should be a prerequisite to any large scale road scheme.
I notice that the Public Inquiry for your scheme has been suspended pending new information. Get your MP to raise the issue of current costs to data of the inquiry. This he is most unlikely to be able to ascertain –but it keeps them involved. Publish his response on your website.
Use Freedom Of Information to obtain anything you wish. Believe me it really works but you must be precise in your request and persistent in your follow-ups!
The findings of the A494 "North Wales Motorway are public inquiry are due to be announced any day now. I will be posting decisions on our website at www.tinyurl.com/26j8ar
Call/email me if you have a specific problem.
Good luck –don’t give up !!
Best regards
JB
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