With Congress and many legislatures threatening to end government funding for public broadcasting, a legislative strategy is more important than ever.
I have used these ideas before, and they helped me build strong relationships with many lawmakers. I turned them into supporters.
- Make sure that your lawmakers (federal and local) are invited to station events. They won’t always show up, but when they do, they will rub shoulders with their constituents who also support you.
- Visit them in their office. Make an appointment first. Sometimes, you will meet with a staff member, but that’s okay. Staff frequently help lawmakers develop their positions.
- Send them your newsletters. Include a note amplifying how your work is beneficial to the community.
- If they do something that helps your station (supporting legislation, signing on to a funding bill, or supporting that fits your station’s objectives), send a note of thanks.
- Invite them to speak to your board. They can tell their story and hear yours. Give them an award.
- Get your board chair (or University administrator) to invite them to see your station and staff.
The idea is to get your elected representatives to put a face to the call letters and understand your importance to their constituents and the community you both serve.
Tell me what your station’s legislative strategy entails. Email me and good luck.
For more than 30-years, Dave Edwards successfully managed WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio, which was widely recognized as a successful NPR station. In addition to receiving recognition inside the public media industry, WUWM was named “Station of the Year” and “News Operation of the Year” by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. He was also elected to the NPR Board of Directors and chosen by his peers to serve as board chair during some of the organization’s most challenging years.
Dave is also the author of “The Public Media Managers Handbook.”
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