This.
Apply today's environment to all manner of real, actual debates from the past and one or both sides could be shut down if someone so wished.
Take away their ability to use mainstream media or to occupy public spaces (eg for a rally) and they're not going to achieve overly much just chatting to their mates lamenting whatever situation they disagree with.
Go to the first meetings of any lobby group and pretty much the entire focus will be about how to get the message in the media. Anyone with contacts at any significant media organisation, or who otherwise knows how to get the issue covered, will immediately find themselves a "senior" person within that lobby group no matter who they are. Because everyone grasps that getting the message out is the key to all the rest, fail at that point and you won't achieve anything at all.
News Corp
Fairfax / Channel 9
ABC
Other commercial broadcast media especially talk radio
Mainstream social media especially Facebook
Between them they'll make or break you and each one you're not on cuts your reach and chance of success with whatever you're trying to do.
If the media won't work with you then you've got a problem. If they won't use some creative license to make it look like the 50 people who turned up was a capacity crowd, if they won't give fair coverage of whatever your point is, well then you've got a problem getting your message across to the masses.
A point often overlooked is that if you're trying to change mainstream opinion well the people you need to reach aren't those who turn up to your meetings or follow you on Facebook. No, the people you need to convince are the ones who are neutral or opposed but willing to hear and give consideration to ideas they disagree with.
Those who are opposed and whose minds are closed you've no chance of convincing so don't waste your time on them.