2. Stakeholders
Before you move on any media exposure, you need to inform and consult with those persons - your stakeholders - who are most likely to be involved or have some effect on your ATR. In most cases, the media will be looking for reaction from these people; they would not be doing their job if they did not.

You may feel that your dealings with INAC on the process of making your ATR a reality covers the job of informing your stakeholders, but this is not the case. It is very important that you personally speak with your local politicians, even if they may be members of the opposition in whatever constituency they represent. Politicians always want to be briefed on any activity of consequence which may have an effect on their constituency. No serious politicians have ever acted negatively to an action that will benefit their voters, and in fact they could end up carrying a banner of support for you. Politicians include federal Members of Parliament, provincial members of the legislature, and city/town or municipal counsellors. The president of the local Chamber of Commerce or Board of Trade may also be on this list depending on your area. You will know the influential persons in your community you should contact. Formal ministerial correspondence can best be left to the Communications Department at INAC, which has staff who are very experienced in ATR protocols and processes.

3. Initial Media Contact
When you arrive at the point in your ATR where it is fairly certain that implementation of the agreement is the next obvious step, you will want to inform the media. This is easier said than done. A simple press release will not necessarily result in media exposure.

There is a way to ensure that you will have coverage of your activity, and there are certain things that should be done. You probably know some of your local media, but if not, maybe it is time you did. In a rural or remote community, this may involve finding out who the News Editors are.

You want to arrange a visit to familiarize these people with your community, including its size, background, populationand some history of progress. If the editor works for a media organization in a large area, it may not always be possible to organize a meeting, but you should try to identify the reporter who deals with the issues. If you are a regular reader of the newspaper, you likely will have seen the bylines of those who write most of the stories about Aboriginal issues. You will become aware of how connected you are throughout your community, and this can have a "ripple effect."

It is very important that you develop some sort of relationship with at least one person in each of your local media, beginning with the medium that has the largest coverage. Once you have had a face-to-face meeting, you will find it much easier to deal with this person in the future. For instance, if you can ask to speak personally to that reporter, you are likely to get a direct answer. Most switchboards are good at screening calls and unless they detect some familiarity, you are likely to receive the customary "There's no one at that desk at the moment. Can I have your name and number and have someone call you back?" Even worse, you could be asked the reason for your call and be connected to another reporter unfamiliar with the issues.