Cultivating Relationships: The Key to a Successful Media Presence.

Media organizations have the mission of communicating information to large numbers of people. Sounds simple enough, but why does the information pro-lifers disseminate to the media often go into the system one way but come out so very different?

There are many reasons why this happens, but there are two main explanations. Just as every person is unique and has his or her own perspective and opinions, there are many ways to take in or understand or perceive a story.

Equally important is that each reporter who writes a story for print or broadcast brings his or her life experiences to the story. In other words, like all of us, they filter the message through a kind of grid.

Although the electronic media is in theory regulated by the Federal Communications Commission, news organizations are essentially free agents--money-making corporations that rely on advertising revenue to remain solvent. Bigger news outlets even sell stock in their companies.

They are required to turn a profit, not necessarily to be "fair" in their coverage. (Reporters will also tell you that "fairness" is in the eye of the beholder.)

News organizations, however, will tell you that they are being objective.

But even when this is blatantly untrue, this "requirement" is self-imposed by the news organizations on themselves. There is an industry-wide ethic that journalists are taught in journalism school which states that unless you are working for a news agency which purports to convey a special interest, you should report both sides of an issue in a neutral and impartial fashion.