Telling New Stories About Children's Issues

This article posted on the FrameWorks Institute's "Kids Count E-zine" seeks to help children's advocates become more effective in how they tell their stories about children's and family issues. Parrish suggests that media outlets should change their language and approaches so that messages can prod people to accept responsibility for helping all children.

Parrish's article suggests that both reporters and advocates need to change their language and approaches to help elicit the responses they are seeking. Parrish advocates for news stories to: show success or solutions, stay local, broaden beyond the individual and use the Kids Count indicators for public
understanding. Following these principles, Parrish believes that they will have a positive impact on the news stories that are told.

Parrish suggests that reporters should use their investigative skills to discover why programmes aren't more available or fully funded. Aside from being
proactive in demonstrating ways to finding solutions, she points to a need for data to be packaged with examples of "programs that work." She also advocates for data to be explained in a way that conveys meaning. If used, exact numbers and statistics are helful as long as they are interpreted.

According to Parrish, there are some common themes that affect how people think about children's issues. As a result, she points out that effective communications require children's advocates and reporters to be sensitive to these long held beliefs across issues. Parris frames her discussion under the following headings:

• Acknowledging Public Beliefs and Values
• Starting at the Beginning: Define the Problem
• Using Metaphors to Define the Problem
• Putting the Data in Context
• Offer Solutions and Build Partnerships

According to Parrish, a good news article does not have to have a personal viewpoint to help tell the story. She suggest that a personal view appeals to the
people who are already drawn to the story but does nothing to attract them if they are not interested. Consequently, "readers then focus on the problem of the individual rather than the broader pattern. Instead of making the story person, talk about the community, what the community may lack for its citizens and about public responsibility."