Unlike “paid media,” such as advertisements or sponsored content, earned media is often seen as more credible because it is ostensibly the product of independent journalistic scrutiny or public interest.
However, its impact can be double-edged; while positive earned media can greatly amplify a campaign’s message or bolster a politician’s image, negative coverage can have detrimental effects on public perception and electoral outcomes.
Strategy
For savvy political operators, understanding the news agenda and identifying opportunities to insert themselves into the existing narrative can generate substantial earned media with minimal investment.
Timing is crucial here.
Whether it’s a well-placed op-ed, a newsworthy public appearance, or announcement of a listening tour, capturing the zeitgeist can yield exponential returns in terms of exposure and public engagement.
Moreover, earned media often serves as the raw material for social media conversations, creating a feedback loop that amplifies the original message.
In the age of viral content, a single news story can become the source of numerous social media posts, memes, and community discussions, multiplying its impact far beyond the initial audience.
However, there are downsides.
Relying too heavily on earned media can cede control of the message to external parties, including journalists with their own perspectives and biases, or even to political opponents eager to seize on any missteps.
Furthermore, an overemphasis on earning media coverage can encourage sensationalism over substance, as the race for headlines may overshadow nuanced policy discussion.
More on “Earned Media”
News media coverage, as opposed to “paid media”—TV commercials, radio spots and other advertising.
“Earned media is extremely valuable and also the hardest to garner consistently,” said Reed Galen, a GOP political consultant. “For candidates and campaigns without a lot of money, free press coverage is their main avenue to contacting voters. However, it is more difficult in that the campaign doesn’t control the message, opponents are often given an opportunity to respond and the press can be notoriously fickle—deciding whether or not to cover a candidate based on their chances of winning.”
From Doubletalk © 2016 Chuck McCutcheon and David Mark.
Use of “Earned Media” in a sentence
Quartz: “Clinton peaked at $430 million in earned media during her campaign in July, the company said.”
HuffPost: “Trump received $1.9 billion in free, or 'earned,' media coverage, yet spent just $10 million on paid advertisements this election cycle.”