Description of Strategy
Media advocacy is defined as the strategic use of mass media and community advocacy to advance environmental change or public policy initiatives (CDC, 2003). This strategy is typically employed to promote an issue in order to influence policymakers and encourage social change (American Public Health Association, 2000). Unlike specifically designed public information campaigns, media advocacy works directly with local news outlets (radio, television, newspapers and magazines) to increase local attention to a specific public health problem and related solutions (Niederdeppe, Farrelly, & Wenter, 2007). The concept has many applications and has been used broadly on tobacco control and other issues. One key application is as a response to issues involving well-financed opponents who use money to shape the political and social environment. Compared with public relations, media advocacy is more focused on a particular policy goal, resulting in social change. It’s also more decentralized, community based, and community owned (CDC, 2003).
Also known as...
Promotion media advocacy
Discussion of Effectiveness
Alcohol
Media advocacy efforts focused on alcohol have been found to be effective as part of a multi-component prevention program to reduce alcohol-related fatal crashes and drunk driving among adolescent and college populations (Hingson et al., 1996; Clapp et al., 2005).
Tobacco
Evidence of effectiveness supports media advocacy as a tool to increase tobacco-related policies at the county level and to reduce the odds of adult smoking (Niederdeppe, Farrelly, & Winter, 2007; Smith et al., 2008; Wakefield, Flay, Nichter, & Giovino, 2003).
Prescription & Other Drugs
No studies were located on drug related outcomes.