1 MAMA MISITU MEDIA WORKSHOP THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN ADVOCACY LOCATION: MARKHAM HOTEL, DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA DATE:10 TH SEPTEMBER, 2008 BY EDGAR MGETA – ADVOCACY OFFICER (CARE TANZANIA)

2 PRESENTATION OUTLINE 1. Cover Page 2. Presentation Outline 3. Definition of Media 4. About Media Advocacy 5. Importance of Media 6. Definition of Advocacy 7. The Advocacy Cycle 8. The role of Media in Advocacy (1) 9. The role of Media in Advocacy (2) 10. The role of Media in Advocacy (3) 11. Key issues for successful Media Advocacy 12. Mama Misitu Campaign and Media 13. The need to be cautious 14. Winding up

3 DEFINITION OF MEDIA Media refers to all means of communication used to disseminate information by technical terms to a large audience at once Media aim create awareness and public knowledge on issues, problems, challenges and opportunities Two main types of media are ELECTRONIC (Radio and Television) and PRINT media (Newspapers and Magazines)

4 ABOUT MEDIA ADVOCACY Media Advocacy is defined as the strategic use of mass media and community advocacy to advance environmental change or a public initiative Media Advocacy is focused on a particular policy goal, resulting in social change Media Advocacy is a crucial component of a comprehensive media campaign because it empowers the community and targets policy makers. It is the way of getting the message heard and inspiring others to join the cause.

5 IMPORTANCE OF MEDIA Media is a very important tool of communication due to its ability to reach a large and diverse audience Media coverage is one of the best ways to gain the attention of decision- makers Media is important because it can be effectively used to influence social change for the benefit of larger community.

6 DEFINITION OF ADVOCACY ☺ Advocacy is a process aimed at promoting a particular cause by achieving specific policy changes. It involves a set of organised and planned actions aimed at influencing decision making processes, building support, or creating a favourable climate for introducing, changing, abrogating or enforcing a law, policy, programme or a budget. ☺ In public policy advocacy, we aren’t asking for a change to just benefit our family or ourselves. Instead, we are asking for a change that will improve the lives of many people, including people that we will never meet.

7 The Advocacy Cycle ☺Advocacy is basically a process which can be explained by an advocacy cycle ☺Advocates usually start by identifying a problem, gathering information about it, deciding what to do, planning, implementing the plan and evaluating effectiveness of the advocacy work.

8 The Role of Media in Advocacy (1) One of the key roles of Media in Advocacy is raising awareness and building support from relevant stakeholders on the key advocacy issues. For example, Media can inform the public that deforestation not only affect trees but also endanger lives of living organisms such as chameleons ►

9 The Role of Media in Advocacy (2) Advocacy is not a smooth process, there are often bottlenecks and obstacles, Media can be helpful in exposing the obstacles in policy implementation, such as lack of good governance in forest management. Exposing a problem is to a wide public may help to find a solution to the problem.

10 The Role of Media in Advocacy (3) Media also aid advocacy by raising the profile and credibility of advocates and hence policy makers can more readily be accessed. Good work of Mama Misitu Campaign should be known to the public!! The decision makers will have to pay more attention!!! Media is the means/tool to use!!!

11 Key issues for successful Media Advocacy There are five (5) important questions to respond to if we aim to ensure successful Media Advocacy What do you want? (Problem to solve) Who can give you what you want? (Target audience) What do they need to hear? (Messages) From whom should they hear it? (The right messenger) How can you reach your target audience? (Media coverage)

12 Mama Misitu Campaign and Media ☺Out of the six (6) expected final results of Mama Misitu activities, three (3) focus on increasing awareness of stakeholders, these are: 1.Increasing stakeholder awareness about the economic value of forests and the need for improved forest governance 2.Increasing local awareness about law compliance and improved prosecution of forest crime 3.Improving stakeholders awareness about the need to increase timber export standards. ☺Effective use of Media is crucial to enable Mama Misitu realize all the expected final results. The three other Mama Misitu final results also depend heavily on proper use of Media to be realized. MEDIA IS VERY INSTRUMENTAL FOR MAMA MISITU CAMPAIGN HABARI NDIO HIYO !!!!

13 The need to be cautious Dealing with Media can be risky at times!!! Sometimes not all that is covered by Media is correct, this may cause problems to relevant organizations In some cases Media coverage attract more opponents as they know who they are dealing with A person dealing with Media should be capable, knowledgeable with the ability to remain calm under difficult situations, news people can be quite frustrating!!!

14 Winding Up In a nut shell Mama Misitu Campaign and the Media should work hand in hand to ensure fulfillment of the Mama Misitu objectives Essentially ADVOCACY and MEDIA should be very good friends as far as they benefit the wider community. THANKS AND GOODLUCK.