Ethnic Television
- A station may offer talk shows and public affairs programs that can provide an excellent opportunity to feature local safe infant sleep experts, such as a pediatrician or other health provider that is trusted and respected by your audience. These shows, which on average last half an hour, provide public educators with an excellent opportunity to deliver their messages unfiltered by reporters or editors — directly to the audience.
- Local cable access channels with health and family features are another resource you can approach. While this programming is not specific to any one population, it is often an influential community news resource across audiences.
- Visuals can make or break a television spot. To get the attention of local television crews, create an opportunity for good TV with an exciting event or by sharing clips of your spokesperson or safe infant sleep expert to illustrate his or her camera-ready appeal. Remember that it is critical for ethnic television that your visuals and spokespeople represent the cultural experiences of the audience.
- Language counts. If you are pitching an ethnic television station that broadcasts in another language, make sure you have spokespeople who are fluent in that language and comfortable talking about complex health issues in that language as well. The same is true for radio.
Consider: Do you have a good visual? Can your story about safe infant sleep be told in pictures and not words? Can you get your message across in a 30- to 60-second spot? Do you have a spokesperson that is culturally appropriate and prepared for television interviews in the native language of the station’s audience?
