Media Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions Photo by isafmedia is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Stories also help cut through the media “clutter”. Editors and journalists generally give greater weight to stories over arguments. The more emotive they are, the more likely it is that they will be given greater prominence. 3.5. SELECTING THE RIGHT MESSENGERS Just as important as having the right message is having the right people to deliver the message. An effective campaign, especially a large-scale one, will feature a diverse range of people who are able to talk to different audiences for different purposes: to inform, to advocate, to persuade, to motivate and to mobilize. The NHRI should identify and enlist spokespeople – or “messengers” – that different audiences respect and relate to, such as: • Business leaders • Religious leaders • Opinion leaders • Leading sports figures • Television or music performers • Independent experts/academics. Chapter 3: Media advocacy | 47