Our Valley overwhelmingly supported reproductive freedom at the ballot this November - and now it's time for our local media to respect our decisions and report more fairly to reflect this mandate.

Tell our local media: you serve us, and we want fair and balanced reporting and adequate attention to reproductive freedom issues in our Valley.

Please sign and share this letter writing campaign today.

CLEAR INSTANCES OF ANTI-CHOICE BIAS IN OUR MEDIA

In the past year, news affiliates including WFMJ, WKBN, and the Vindicator have been not been fair and balanced in their reporting on Issue 1.

First of all, local media has not reported the pro-choice point of view. They have systematically ignored the enormous number of local events and actions organizers like Steel Valley Repro and the Trumbull County Dems have presented in the Valley. In the case of Steel Valley Repro, we have held dozens of fundraisers, public education events, and rallies, they have been invited but did not attend. In some cases, they have sent reports out only to kill the story before it appeared. All of this is silencing of the news that many Valley people have been coming together for a year to share the reasons why reproductive choice is so important.

At the same time, the local news has given an enormous amount of coverage and very little substantive critical engagement to anti-choice electioneers, such as the Catholic Church. With numerous television interviews and reporting pieces, the news has painted the opinion of a one un-elected religious leader, acting as local affliate of the Conference of Catholic Bishops, as if it were the voice of the local people.

This is biased, unfair, and it has to stop.

We the people of Mahoning Valley deserve local media that reflects the values and concerns of our community. This election is a mandate: you must report on reproductive health and freedom, and you must report it to reflect the truth that the vast majority of Ohioans respect and desire abortion access.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Please send a clear message to the newsrooms today! You can send a letter or give them a call to say "stop the bias - reproductive freedom is the majority view and you should report with fairness and balance."

If you fill out the info to the right of this text you can get started in a letter writing campaign to the local media editors and newsrooms. You'll have a chance to edit the letter yourself - there's a template already there.

Or you can call the newsrooms:

WKBN 27 Newsroom Phone: 330-788-2456

WFMJ 21 Newsroom Phone: 330-744-8821

Vindicator/Tribune newsroom: 330-841-1738

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to: steelvalleyrepro@gmail.com

Thank you for being a tireless advocate for reproductive freedom in the Valley!

SOME EXAMPLES OF BIAS:

WFMJ's blatant anti-choice bias, framing the massive win as if a nuclear disaster and putting win in quotes, as if it was not clearly a win.

WKBN and WFMJ giving a big bullhorn to anti-choice electioneers within the Catholic Church

The Vindicator has not reported any local events or quoted any local officials, instead relying on boilerplate reporting from Columbus.