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Media Committee Ideas For All Media

This is the data that has been gathered since July of 1993 by the Media Committee of Santa Barbara. In our use of the term "Media", we refer to radio, television, movies and newspapers. Our goal is to assist the media in becoming positive educators of the public.

1. Give as much coverage to the positive issues, results and actions of individuals as is done when reporting negative news. Make us as aware of the positive in our society as we are of the negative. Balance news--if two negative stories are used, balance with two positive. Reverse your emphasis from the negative to the positive--get excited (be enthusiastic) about the good that happens in your community and transmit that excitement to your customers.

2. Tell of the good that students and schools are doing on a regular basis.

3. Publish "Wish Lists" featuring the needs of public schools so the public can contribute.

4. Create a page written by and for students K-12 with stories of success, issues important to youth and youth activities to teach the habit of reading newspapers.

5. Focus on the good kids in the ghettos, how they meet the challenges of drugs, poverty, working while attending school, etc. Create exciting movies about them without violence.

6. Initiate a "Media Honors Students/Teachers" column or radio or T.V. segment. Run a regular news profile or interview with a student and a teacher.

7. Refuse to glamorize criminals and their lives, which encourages others to imitate their behavior and assists the criminals in making fortunes from their crimes.

8. Refuse to present, as news, information regarding individuals who "may have" broken the law.

9. When sensational news is reported suggesting breach of the law, if the implicated individuals are cleared of wrong doing, report it in an equally sensational manner.

10. Do not search for the bad/sad/negative in role models.

11. Don't allow your radio or TV guests to intentionally talk simultaneously.

12. Refuse to mention names or print photos of gangs and individuals who commit crimes unless it is necessary for the safety of the public. Describe criminals by age, gender and location only.

13. Inform the public of the results of graffiti ("Parents were fined $").

14. Make positive out of negative stories by using them as a lead-in to editorialize the lesson that we could learn from the incident.

15. Tie in national news with local individuals stating their opinions.

16. Use as many positive headlines as negative. Use uplifting words (success, hope, inspire). Eliminate negative predictions ("Lowest voter turnout expected").

17. Mention individuals and businesses associated with positive stories. Such as: "The donation was contributed by Nordstrom" rather than, "by a local business."

18. Give us more news on local business that is thriving.

19. Educate the public in how to communicate with you. Teach us how to send releases. Keep us informed about our legislators and how to contact them.

20. Give us stories and interviews about real people and how they overcome their challenges.

21. Give us regular articles on "The Hero of the Week/Month."

22. Focus on families, education in parenting, family interviews and photos of family activities.

23. Give us colorful photos of happy faces and inspiring scenes.

24. Give names and show on camera or in photos as many people as possible who are involved in positive events and stories.

25. Make us laugh. Give us humor, joy, fun and giggles.

26. Cover all our City Council meetings , not just the sensational aspects.

27. Check all facts (positive & negative) carefully before stating them.

28. Contact organizations and individuals before releasing stories about them. Do not quote gossip and supposition as if it were fact.

29. Cover positive events before, during and after the events.

30. When covering charity fund raisings, rather than describing who was there and their attire, tell what results are expected from the event and how others can contribute.

31. See that the layout of negative articles does not implicate innocent people.

32. Give us information on how consensus is reached. Teach us skills to get along without rude, abusive or violent behavior.

33. Give us information on personal and social responsibility.

34. Teach us to protect ourselves rather than showing us precise methods of criminal actions.

35. Give us information on how to form "Community Watch" programs.

36. Inform us of the destructive trends in our society and of their possible results.

37. Give us stories concerning the experience of death and dying to help us become comfortable with our mortality.

38. Give us examples of random acts of kindness and ideas for kinds acts to do.

39. Cover local charities who serve the same group explaining what each does and how the public can contribute.

40. When witnesses serve to save lives, property or assist the authorities, make sure they are acknowledged, praised, mentioned by name and interviewed, if possible.

41. Create values that your station, newspaper or company will live/operate by. Let the public know what you stand for and follow your philosophy. Become our positive trainers, not just our entertainers, the role models of the best of humanity, by showing us, telling us and teaching us how we can become personally and socially responsible.

*Bold sentences represent Media Committee Ideas that are now being adopted regularly by Santa Barbara's media.

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