Calling Out the Troops: Interest Groups, Press Releases, and Policy Promotion Through Speech

Abstract

Policy makers and issue advocates have a keen interest in controlling what the public knows about the issues they champion. On controversial matters, each side wants its base to be informed and active. To acquiesce and leave the task to others is to lose. Notwithstanding mounting evidence of the subject's importance, studies into just how interest groups use messages and communications outreach are a fairly recent phenomenon. Using over 400 press releases, I examine the extent to which advocacy groups' choices of message frames fit other established understandings of political outreach. Notably, frame content is simple and repeated. Moreover, when the public shows indifference, press releases focus on mobilization. When public interest is already aroused, press releases focus on furnishing information. These and other results affirm and extend our understanding of political speech and interest group mobilization. Los que hacen políticas y los promotores de asuntos políticos tienen un fuerte interés en controlar lo que sabe el público sobre los asuntos que abogan. En las cuestiones controvertidas, cada parte quiere tener una base informada y activa. La que ceda y les deje a otras la tarea estará derrotada. A pesar del aumento de evidencia sobre su importancia, los estudios del uso de mensajes y comunicados por los grupos de interés representan un fenómeno bastante reciente. Uso más de 400 comunicados de prensa para examinar hasta qué punto las perspectivas (frames) de mensajes escogidas por los grupos acuerdan con el conocimiento establecido de la interpelación política. Notablemente, el contenido de las perspectivas es sencillo y repetitivo. Además, los comunicados de prensa se enfocan en la movillización cuando el público manifiesta indiferencia, y se enfocan en la información cuando el público ya está interesado. Estos resultados y otros confirman y amplican nuestro conocimiento de la expresión política y de la movilización por los grupos de interés.

Narrative Policy Framework: The Influence of Media Policy Narratives on Public Opinion

“…While the use of framing by various political actors is well documented in the literature (DeGregorio 2009), the empirical studies of its effect on public opinion have generally shown that there are varying amounts of influence (Druckman and Nelson 2003; Graber 1997). Such studies of media influence are typically experimental designs (Brewer 2006; Christen and Huberty 2007; Nelson, Oxley, and Clawson 1997), with the news story used as the treatment to determine any effect.…”

The Story of Good Citizenship: Framing Public Policy in the Context of Duty‐Based versus Engaged Citizenship

“…One type of framing technique is a policy narrative which utilizes the context of a story and thus contains plots, characters, themes, and structure to frame an issue (Stone 2002). The concept of framing political issues has developed over the past 20 years, and addresses the role of language, framing, and policy narratives in the formation of U.S. public policy (e.g., DeGregorio 2009; Layzer 2006; Roe 1994; Stone 2002). How a problem is framed determines who supports and opposes the targeted policies (Stone 2002), who does or does not get involved (Layzer 2006), and whether a problem receives public attention (e.g., Best 1995).…”