Also in Politics & Social Justice

Ready, Set, Talk!

A Guide to Getting Your Message Heard by Millions on Talk Radio, Talk Television, and Talk Internet

by Ellen Ratner, Kathie Scarrah

Reviews

Kirkus Review

A well-oiled media manual from political editor Ratner and television news producer Scarrah.

Whatever campaign you are running, effective exposure through the talk medium—the Internet, podcasting, videocasting radio and television—will get your ideas into the hands of the voters. Ignore this at your peril, write Ratner and Scarrah, as the Democrats discovered by dodging airtime. You have to be ready, willing and able to hit the airwaves, like a rapid-response military unit, no matter the venue. Be accessible, be organized, consistent, energized, capable of distilling the message, ready to engage in conflict, willing to display emotion. Show some class and respect the right of others to have differing values. Learn the importance of buzzwords and bites, pranks, humor and negativity. Ratner and Scarrah walk readers through this maze of attributes with clarity, while demanding of advocates the gumption and talent to juggle the many balls of media success. Character plays its part, but preparation is everything.

In today’s medialand, ignorance of the process will be your undoing. Ratner and Scarrah make sure you understand what’s at stake, and how to succeed.