The result is a public that is overwhelmed by these problems and skeptical of the ability of government and other institutions to implement effective solutions.
Journalists aren’t alone in presenting challenges as too big to solve. Human services communications often do the same, using stark language about the size and scope of a problem. While our goal is to encourage the public to prioritize an issue, FrameWorks Institute’s research consistently indicates that we instead have the opposite effect, leaving the public overwhelmed by the problems and doubtful that anything can be done to adequately address the issue.
So what can we as a sector do to re-engage the public?
- First, remember that the public does not need to be convinced that serious problems exist, they need to be convinced that we can solve them, with their help. When we communicate directly with the public, whether through a fundraising appeal or an advocacy campaign, we should prominently and consistently articulate the policies and programs that are currently working in our communities, or that we know will work if implemented and fully supported.
- Second, we can focus our media strategies on directing journalists towards the many ways that communities are addressing challenges. When journalists reach out to us wanting to know more about a challenge the community is facing, avoid the temptation to provide extreme examples with the-sky-is-falling language. Instead, point to affirmative actions that community groups and leaders are taking to address the problem. As Bornstein and Rosenberg put it: