| The Reentry National Media Outreach Campaign offers media tools and resources to support informed discussion, decision making, and action about solution-based reentry programs that foster public safety and support healthy communities. We encourage you to review the diverse materials and consider how you may be able to use them effectively. |
| The Reentry National Media Outreach Campaign acts as a catalyst to encourage solution-based reentry activities. Review this chronicle of public television and community events/actions to gain ideas on what may work in your arena. |
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Outreach Extensions Founded in 1992, Outreach Extensions is a national consulting firm that specializes in comprehensive, high-profile educational and community outreach campaigns for media projects. With innovation as its hallmark, Outreach Extensions utilizes a strategic methodology called "building synergistic outreach pathways" to empower community groups around core issues and create linkages between media and the community. Our custom designed outreach campaigns extend the impact of a series / program beyond the television broadcast and build the capacity of community organizations to utilize media tools and resources. Outreach Extensions provides a full range of outreach development services to work in collaboration with film producers to design and market multi-tiered outreach campaigns, including strategic planning, issue and content definition, and fund development. Outreach implementation strategies include designing incentives to motivate station involvement and broadcast placement; creating activities and events that can be leveraged by the project’s promotion team; identifying partners who advise on community needs, assist with content development, and provide access to key audiences; and aligning the campaign with funder and community initiatives. Outreach Extensions is currently engaged in two significant outreach efforts, both of which are funded by The Annie E. Casey Foundation (AECF). Launched in spring 2003, the Reentry National Media Outreach Campaign is unique in that it incorporates several public television documentaries that span a time period of at least two years. All productions incorporate the theme of reentry into family and community by individuals who were formerly incarcerated, which provides the title “Reentry.” These and other programs are elements of the Making Connections Media Outreach Initiative (MCMOI) that was introduced in February 2001. The MCMOI links public television stations to local stakeholders as a means to promote AECF’s Core Results for strong and connected neighborhoods for children and families. Leveraging outreach projects to achieve outcomes and build visibility has been an important objective for all campaigns. A notable example is The Foster Care Project, an extensive national community mobilization effort, which resulted in progressive federal legislation, in association with the PBS documentary Take This Heart. The National Legacy Outreach Campaign gained attention at the May 2000 annual meeting of the Council on Foundations as the focus of a session on “The Changing Role of Producers” where Outreach Extensions presented its pioneering outreach strategies for cable broadcast. Legacy is also expected to result in new federal legislation. Notable national outreach implementation campaigns have included: American Family, 2001-2002 and 2003-2004 campaigns (PBS); The New Americans (PBS); Matters of Race (PBS); Legacy (HBO/PBS); This Far By Faith (PBS); Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (Hallmark/CBS); Jesus (CBS); Take This Heart (PBS); Brooklyn Family Tale; Why Can’t We Be A Family Again; numerous children's series for PBS, including Liberty’s Kids, Kratts' Creatures, Noddy, Tots TV, Shining Time Station, and Disney Presents Bill Nye, the Science Guy; as well as other series (To The Contrary), multi-part documentaries (No Time To Be a Child), and documentaries (I'm Really Going to Miss Me) broadcast on PBS. Projects in development include Aging Out and Breaking the Cycle. Outreach Extensions has also designed campaigns for numerous other television projects.
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