PUBPOL 5403

Media Strategy for Policy Executives

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, even the most impactful initiatives can fail without strategic media communication that moves audiences to action. This course is designed for professionals in or looking to transition to public-facing roles, providing essential skills for anyone who needs to amplify their message, build public support, and drive meaningful change through effective media engagement. In the course, students will gain practical tools and strategies to enhance their media presence while advancing their organization's mission. They will discover the art of building relationships with key media influencers and create powerful narratives that drive action and support for public initiatives. As the course progresses, students will have the opportunity to explore ways to craft and deliver memorable spoken content that captures media attention through strategic storytelling and impactful delivery. By examining persuasive writing techniques for press releases, op-eds, and other media formats, they will discover how to transform complex issues into compelling narratives. Finally, they will strengthen their message in the media by building strategic validator networks that give their stories credible support and authenticity. The courses are particularly valuable for students who want to translate their technical work into narratives that resonate with broader audiences and influence public policy.

Enrollment Priority Enrollment limited to: Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) students.

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Plan, implement, and evaluate media strategy campaigns that leverage your “Most Valuable Press” stakeholders, or “MVPs.”
• Construct and present advocacy tools that utilize the four cornerstones of effective media writing: substance, surplus, sequence, and style. These tools will tap into key elements of persuasion, including credibility, emotional appeal, and logical argument, while leveraging rhetorical devices and storytelling to create compelling narratives.
• Build and demonstrate persuasive speaking skills for media by adopting three essential mindsets to transform ordinary communications into compelling stories: connecting before you communicate, defining your 10% takeaway, and harnessing energy to drive engagement.
• Analyze media stakeholder interests and motivations to uncover opposing perspectives and craft strategies to transform potential opponents into allies. Building on this foundation, you will create a powerful network of validators who will strengthen your initiative in the media in four ways: establishing your credibility, refining messages for specific audiences, sharing powerful personal stories of impact, and creating media interest through unexpected allies.

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