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Activist Toolkit

Farm Animals in the Media: How to Respond Effectively

In our daily lives, we are confronted with stories and images of farm animals — in commercials, television shows, movies, newspapers, magazines, and radio advertisements. What we absorb from the media — both consciously and unconsciously — runs the gamut from incredibly positive to grossly negative, sometimes even abusive. On one hand, you might read an editorial in support of farm animal protection legislation, or an article exposing the mistreatment of egg-laying hens. On the other hand, you might watch a television program in which animals are mistreated or abused, such as a cock-fighting or bull-riding segment. The one thing these examples have in common is that they both call for a response — from you! Media organizations rely on feedback from their audience; a brief and respectful letter or e-mail expressing either support or disappointment really can (and does!) make a difference in the stories and images that we see, shaping the way people perceive farm animals. Though seeing animal cruelty in the media can make you feel helpless, you're anything but! 

Here are some tips on how to respond when you see something regarding farm animals — good or bad — that inspires you to ACT:

• If it's in a publication, either print or online, write a letter to the editor http://www.farmsanctuary.org/get_involved/act/tools.html), or post a comment.  If it’s something positive, express how much you appreciate their taking an interest in the cause of farm animals, and that, as a loyal reader/subscriber, you greatly appreciate their continued support. If it’s something negative, express your dismay at their coverage and false representation of farm animals, and that, as a subscriber, such content is offensive. In a tactful way, debunk the stereotypes that they have fallen prey to.
• If it's on television or in a movie, e-mail the writers or producers, or the TV station directly. Also check to see if there’s a comment section online. If it’s positive, tell them how happy you are that they are taking a stand. If it’s negative, share your concern over their false portrayal or treatment of farm animals, again, debunking the stereotypes.
• If it's on the radio, an e-mail, letter, or phone call would all be great ways to provide feedback. If it’s positive, be sure to demonstrate your support and express your appreciation. If you can get your comment on the air (e.g., a call-in show), that would be the most ideal, as you would reach both the show and its listeners. If it’s negative, try to be in touch with either the specific show, or the radio station, with the goal of explaining what they have done that is offensive. 
• If it’s positive and available online, make it viral! In this age of social networking, you can repost links to articles that you find positive and inspirational to a number of sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Digg, Del.ic.ious, Reddit, etc.  The more that a link to an article is circulated and viewed, the more likely that website will write about the topic in the future. These media outlets want visitors to their websites and if you can help draw more visitors, you can have a say in how often your topic of interest is covered.

The most effective way of finding out the contact details for any form of media is the Internet! Check out the websites of newspapers, magazines, movies, television stations, and radio stations, as they will certainly have the information you’re looking for.

Remember: In your correspondences, please refer to Farm Sanctuary whenever possible, using us as a resource. You can find many answers to questions about farm animals on our issues page. Please be sure to take a look at our letter-writing tips for helpful hints about writing effective letters.

You can also e-mail activist@farmsanctuary.org for more suggestions, or to keep us in the loop of your activism. We love to hear from you.

Keep in mind that even if you don’t get a response right away, somebody got your message, and a seed was planted. The mainstream media is picking up more and more on farm animal issues, and slowly but surely, change is happening for the better — thanks to those like you who refuse to be complacent.