Leveraging media for physical activity advocacy: Maximising Population Impact

PURPOSE: This hands-on workshop aims to equip participants with effective skills, strategies and tools for using various media platforms – spanning print, digital and social – to advocate for physical activity. It focuses on developing skills and knowledge to enable impactful knowledge translation and advocacy, informed by physical activity message-framing research. LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 1. Physical Activity Message Content: An introduction to evidence-based effective physical activity messaging (including type of information, framing, use of targeting, language and tone) is crucial. Participants will first hear about evidence-based message content and will be introduced to the Physical Activity Messaging Framework (PAMF); a practical tool for creating physical activity messages. 2. Understanding Media: Participants will learn about the opportunities and unique characteristics of different media platforms (e.g. print, digital, social) for promoting physical activity. This includes understanding audience demographics, content creation, and message delivery tailored to each platform. Participants will discuss which message frames may suit which platforms and audiences. Evaluation methods for different media will also be discussed. 3. Practising Media: Attendees will be guided in developing messages for different media from their research/practice/policy. They will practise this in different formats (e.g., mock TV interviews) TARGET AUDIENCE: This workshop is ideal for professionals who are interested in using media as a tool for knowledge translation and/or to advocate for increased physical activity. It is also suitable for those looking to enhance their media communication skills in the context of public health promotion more broadly. ORGANISATION AND METHOD OF PRESENTATION: The workshop will be organized into three main segments, aligning with the learning objectives. Each segment will include a mix of short presentations, interactive discussions, and practical exercises. Case studies of good and bad practice will be discussed. The workshop will emphasize practical application and participant engagement to accommodate diverse learning styles.