There's a discussion about what is protest and direct action in the environmental movement for decades. Is the point publicity and media attention, Or is it so

There's a discussion about what is protest and direct action in the environmental movement for decades. Is the point publicity and media attention, Or is it something different? One argument against publicity is that it's all about playing the media game. It's similar to how people say you shouldn't put terrorist actions on the news as it only encourages them. If you don't play the media game you don't need to create a media spectacle and can focus on actual effects. For example, what is a successful action in this case? How much co2 was prevented, sound and air pollution? How many people were effected. Might a media action simply stop when it made the news?