Media Opportunities for Members
Our voices need to be heard by all Floridians, from every walk of life. To achieve that
goal, FAC is forming a robust Media Team dedicated to ensuring our stories reach the
general population and policymakers alike. Together, we can help change hearts and
minds about the registry.
The Media Team also works hand-in-hand with the Legislative Team, tracking and
responding to legislative and bureaucratic news pertaining to the registry and sharing
updates with membership. We need all hands on deck to shed light on the registry in
Florida.
We already know, and agree, that laws need to change, and we’re letting lawmakers
know. Perhaps the best avenue for accomplishing that goal is an enlightened electorate
willing to speak up. Every citizen is affected, whether they realize it or not, through
taxpayer dollars, homelessness in their communities, and false narratives from leaders
declaring safety.
Below are the ways the Media Team works to get the word out.
Press Releases are written as a “teaser” of a potential story for publication or
broadcast, revealing a current event. They should be timely, succinct, and contain
enough information to allow a reporter to flesh out the story in their own words. The FAC
Media Team creates and submits these to our media list, though we welcome input from
membership.
News Articles are written in journalistic style, in a “ready to print” format, containing the
“5 W’s” — Who, What, When, Where, and Why. If compelling enough, a small
publication may value the submission as content to augment their coverage. The Media
Team generates these stories while welcoming ideas from membership.
Letters to the Editor are written in direct response to a published article. They’re most
effective when they supplement a story, correct misinformation with facts, or add
needed dimension — not as an opportunity to expound on issues outside the original
story. Members are encouraged to compose and submit these to the publication that ran
the article.
Op-Eds are carefully reasoned opinion pieces on an issue. They can be bold and
assertive, and need not be tied to a particular story but rather to a broader or
underreported issue. These should be provocative and engaging, identifying a singular
problem and offering solutions.
Writing for a general audience should be easy to read and concise. Readers need to
know, in the first paragraph, what topic they’ll be reading about. The goal is to engage
readers enough that they learn something new, consider a different perspective, or
rethink their perceptions — without acrimony.
Avoid venting a list of grievances. Instead, draw readers in with shared principles, state
a particular issue with the current registry status quo, and explain how it matters to
them. Offer solutions.
Our overarching theme should always reveal that the registry is ineffective at achieving
its intended purpose and antithetical to our shared notions of restorative justice.
Submit Your Story or News Tip
We invite members to submit writing or news tips to [email protected]
with the subject line “ATTN: Alex Murphy.” Submissions should be no more than 150
words and may include opinion pieces on how Florida’s registry has affected you and
your family, as well as factual news tips — such as information regarding an Orlando
Police Department manual recently brought to our attention by a member. Submissions
may be anonymous; you’re welcome to sign as “FAC Member Writing In,” and if no
name or contact information is provided, FAC will treat your submission as anonymous
and confidential.