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Waging a Living (2006)

By Roger Weisberg

In this Case Study
The Film
Strategy & Goals
Resource Materials
Outcomes

Campaign Outcomes

The broadcast of Waging a Living drew over 1.5 million viewers, with some of the highest ratings in parts of the country that were actively engaged in living wage campaigns, including: Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; Phoenix, AZ; and San Francisco, CA.

PROMOTION

The media campaign was developed targeting labor writers, television and film critics, along with business, Hispanic, family and education reporters in print, radio, television and online. Ms. Ehrenreich and Mr. Weisberg attended the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, California, where they were interviewed by television critics from around the country. In addition, P.O.V. coordinated satellite media and radio tours to increase coverage on television morning news programs and national radio news broadcasts. The four subjects of the film, who live in San Francisco and in the New York/New Jersey area, also made themselves available for local print, radio and television interviews.

As a result, we secured over 3,440 press placements, including 175 print articles, 3,258 radio spots and 16 television interviews. Highlights included appearances on CNN's "American Morning," WNBC-TV New York's "Today in New York," morning programs in San Francisco, Denver and other major markets; reviews and highlights in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Newsday and the AARP Bulletin; and national radio interviews, including the highly rated "Bev Smith Show" on the Urban Radio Network, a "morning prep" interview on the Westwood One Radio Networks, and local radio interviews in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Newark and other markets.

OUTREACH

P.O.V. partnered with 10 public television stations, 30 educational institutions and 17 community-based organizations, including youth-serving organizations targeted by our Youth Views initiative, to present over 60 screening and discussion events in 52 cities in 27 states. For example, in August 2006, over 140 people attended an event hosted by the San Diego Public Library and the Center on Policy Initiatives. The event featured a screening and discussion that focused on the state of labor unions, worker's rights and pending legislation that would increase California's minimum wage by $1.25 by 2008. In conjunction with the screening, the Center on Policy Initiatives organized house parties around the local broadcast of the film. (Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill the following month.)

In New York, public television station Thirteen/WNET and the Community Service Society of New York hosted a preview screening for an audience of over 120 civic leaders, policy makers, educators, advocates for the poor, members of the press, and representatives of various community groups and labor organizations. The screening was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Raphael P. Roman, host of local public affairs programming at Thirteen/WNET, and featuring: Linda Gibbs, Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services; David R. Jones, CEO and President, Community Service Society; Jean Reynolds, profiled in the film; and Lawrence Mead, Professor, NYU Wilf Family Department of Politics. The discussion focused on the living wage issues and resources for those searching for social services.

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