Black History Month — Inclusive Media Practices Are a Step Towards Inclusive Journalism

‍

As an agency, we’re committed to being inclusive in all areas of disciplines and workstreams. This means including journalists of color and media outlets dedicated to marginalized communities when building out media lists, media materials, or selecting media for press mailers.

By including BIPOC, Disability, or LBGTQIA journalists and outlets, we introduce our clients to new audiences, increase our chances of maximizing brand awareness, and secure higher impressions. And by implementing more inclusive media strategies, we provide more opportunities for our team to nurture media relationships while taking steps to lessen the gap between inclusive journalism and marketing. Here are a few best practices for getting started:

INCLUSIVE MEDIA PRACTICES

• Know a media outlet that speaks to marginalized communities like theGrio, mitú, or Out magazine? Add them to your media list! Be sure to research new media outlets and contacts, to strengthen your media strategy along with media outlets targeting marginalized communities that fit each vertical.

• If a media outlet speaks to a specific marginalized community but does not fit your media strategy or target vertical, research journalists from mainstream outlets like Allure, Vogue, or People who are members of marginalized communities. Make sure their beat aligns with your story and reach out.
• Not everyone receives breaking news in English. Take the time to analyze if your media resources (such as pitches or press releases) need to be translated to a different language or written differently to target specific marginalized communities.

Cheers,

Tomikka Anderson, Account Strategy Supervisor

Looking for ways your organization can be an ally to the Black community? Reach out to us directly at allyship@praytellagency.com

About BEACON: Black Employees Advocating for Change and Opportunity Now or BEACON serves as a safe space to unite, retain, and uplift the voices of Black employees at Praytell. We value fellowship, cultural programming, and elevating representation within the industry.

‍