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Communicating with the News Media COL Jim Currie Executive Director

Communicating with the News Media COL Jim Currie Executive Director Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS. COA:  Protecting the interests of the USPHS Commissioned Corps since 1951. www.coausphs.org.

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Communicating with the News Media COL Jim Currie Executive Director

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  1. Communicating with the News Media COL Jim Currie Executive Director Commissioned Officers Association of the USPHS

  2. COA:  Protecting the interests of the USPHS Commissioned Corps since 1951. www.coausphs.org

  3. •Understand the nature of the people with whom you are communicating, including what motivates them. Remember: What they do is protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

  4. • Get to know the reporters who cover your organization on a regular basis. Seek them out when you have a news story, rather than sending out a blind press release. Small newspapers and radio stations love everything.

  5. •Tell your story and give your answers simply and in a straight- forward fashion.

  6. In response to a question: "I feel very strongly that these decisions by the agencies should be made in a manner that takes into consideration the sensitivities and exposures associated with the decision, and that when efforts are initiated after the programs have begun to get the type of approval which you sought, which is quite appropriate, the inappropriateness is applicable to when it is initiated."

  7. •Understand that sound-bites are important and can make or break your career.

  8. “I don’t do barracks inspections at Walter Reed.” - Lt Gen Kevin Kiley, Army Surgeon General, March 5, 2007

  9. •Never try to deny the obvious.

  10. Mold and mouse droppings in patient rooms at Walter Reed were considered no big deal by the Army—until the Washington Post revealed them to the world. The Army Surgeon General’s official response to this revelation was to holler “yellow journalism.”

  11. The corollary: Admit it when you have made a mistake and tell what you are doing to fix the problem.

  12. •Do not use jargon or acronyms.

  13. • Don’t ever lie to the News Media. They will get you if you do. Better to fall back on the tactic used by Matt Bahr, a placekicker for the New York Giants: “Rather than withhold information, I’d rather not say anything.”

  14. •It is a myth that all the News Media are after is bad news. If you have a “good news” story, they will want to hear it, but it has to be actual news and not just a self-serving press release.

  15. •Don’t say anything to a reporter that you do not want to see in print.

  16. •Don’t wait for the press to come to you—go to them first, even if you have an embarrassment to report. Never count on their not finding out about something.

  17. •If you play it right, your screw-up will quickly be replaced by someone else’s . . . and always remember: The news media has a very short attention span (but a very long memory).

  18. Questions / Comments?

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