Working with the Media to Promote Teen Pregnancy Prevention

MAKING IT HAPPEN122• Create a buzz. Use complementarystrategies (focusgroups, previews, T-shirts,etc.) to stimulate conversationamong your target audienceso that your message will finda larger audience.Select the type of mediafor your PSAConsider a number of factors,including the type of message(Does it lend itself to visualexpression?), the audience’spreferences (Do they listen to alot of radio? Will they see thebillboards?), the resources available(Has a graphic designeroffered free services?), and cost(Can you afford a sustained TVcampaign?). Each medium hasits advantages and its limitations.TelevisionTV is great for expressing clear,uncomplicated, and visualmessages. A well-placed adcan reach a large and broadaudience quickly. However, itcan be expensive to produce TVPSAs and even more expensiveto secure quality air time,because broadcasters offer freetime at odd hours and chargehigh rates for prime spots.The Family Health Council’sBreak the Silence campaign inPittsburgh has negotiated a goodmix of paid and free radio and TVair time, as well as reduced feesfrom a professional ad agency.RadioBecause radio enjoys a disproportionatelylarge youth audience,it is a particularly good wayto reach teens. Radio audiencesare often highly segmented byage, race, culture, and geography,which can be a benefit if youwant to reach a very specificgroup. Radio time is muchcheaper than TV time, and acampaign can submit a 15- or30-second script to be read bya radio personality.PrintAlthough they often commandless attention, print advertisementsare good for reachingpolicymakers and communityopinion leaders. They are bettersuited for delivering more complicatedand detailed messages.Other forms of print materials—pamphlets, feature articles incommunity newspapers, andposters—offer similar advantagesand provide opportunities forthe audience to reread andreflect on your messages.Nontraditional mediaCampaigns have found othercreative and cost-efficient venues.Billboards, bus boards, videotapes,newsletters, communityaccesscable, promotional items,comic books, photo-novellas, andthe Internet are among the manyother ways to get a message out.