No media coverage at the March for Life?
It seems that every year, comments from pro-lifers on the March for Life include: the massive crowd, the large numbers of young people, the frigid weather, and … the lack of media coverage.
This year, as a staff member at the March for Life Education and Defense Fund, I have been able to experience firsthand, the media coverage that the March for Life DOES get. We are lucky to work with Shirley and Banister Public Affairs, a leading conservative Public Relations firms in the Washington DC area. The volume of calls and emails coming in, requesting interviews, press releases, information, etc. is overwhelming at times.
There are many reasons that the March for Life has not been covered by media outlets in the past, but staff at the March for Life, in the last year or so, have made a conscious effort to make sure that the media is welcome at the event. We have worked to provide the media with the tools, and information that they need to accurately report on the March.
Over the past 40 years, pro-lifers have become so used to complaining about the lack of coverage at the March that we have forgotten to recognize, and be grateful when media coverage does happen. Here is a link to over forty media hits, some friendly, some neutral, and some negative, (note: this is NOT a comprehensive list).
Please take a minute to read and watch some of these media hits about the March for Life. Then take a moment to share them and thank the networks and news outlets for their coverage.
Of course the coverage of the March wasn’t perfect, but it seems that we are moving in the right direction. If we thank the networks for their coverage this year, open our arms to the media and appreciate what they have done, maybe they will come back in full force next year, and report on this important annual human rights event!
Remember, we want the media to cover the March, not because we went to an awesome, energizing event with a lot of people, rather we want the media to cover the event so that we can tell the world “Why We March”. We March to bring attention to the tragedy of abortion, that the millions of lives lost have been lost and, and millions of mothers and fathers have been hurt by abortion in America. We march to build a culture of life. Let’s not forget that.
