WEBINAR: Taking the Lede: How advocates can shape news coverage of the criminal legal system
How small organizations can make the most of their resources to build relationships with the media.
by Wanda Bertram, August 18, 2025
With every sheriff’s office, department of corrections, district attorney, and police department armed with its own media relations team, the news cycle is all too often stacked toward the status quo when it comes to criminal legal system issues. How can advocates for system reform have their voices amplified — and their priority issues covered — without overworking themselves to get the media’s attention? And how can advocates frame issues in ways that resonate with journalists?
On September 18th, the Prison Policy Initiative and the Center for Just Journalism hosted a webinar to help advocacy organizations home their media strategies and get attention on critical issues. Panelists Wanda Bertram of the Prison Policy Initiative and Hannah Riley of the Center for Just Journalism provided guidance on how small organizations can make the most of their limited resources and staff capacity. They covered:
- The lay of the contemporary news media landscape and basic tips for interacting with journalists;
- The strategic benefits of building relationships with reporters, and how advocates should select reporters to reach out to;
- How to have informal conversations with the media that can influence the news cycle, as well as write formal pitches that can lead to news clippings.
Watch the full webinar:
Additional resources:
- Webinar slides
- Freedom of the Press Foundation’s guide to interviewing incarcerated people
- Institute for Nonprofit News’ publications directory
- Ad Fontes’ media bias chart
