CAP & The Press -- Negative versus Positive News

[RADIOMAN015]

Well sorry my orignal post subject was just a bit too strong just to try to illustrate how many people would read that post versus the new subject.   

HOWEVER, we've seen in the past that when something negative happends in CAP or elsewhere such as murders, drug busts,  riots/fights, etc..   the local press (TV & printed media) tends to dwell on the same story for days.

The good news however, is almost always a one shot deal.   Locally in our area, even getting TV coverage of CAP activities is very difficult.  I've been told by one of the TV station's weekend news producer, that they have limited staffing and have to cover the stories that their competitors & what their research shows have an interest.  So crimes, car accidents, etc get the priority.

Even with newspaper articles, generally you aren't going to see "CAP Cadet Gets Award & Promotion" on the front page of the local regional newspaper, but it will be tucked away somewhere in the paper.

I don't have an answer to this problem.  BUT it is disheartening to see cadets work so hard & achieve so much, yet not get a lot of general public recognition for their achievements

RM     

[NCRblues]

Also, most of the local populace will see cadet joeblow getting promoted as sort of an after school activity and not connected to service to the country. The genpop does not understand, nor truly have any way to find out what civil air patrol really is. "kids in camo" is a term on whiteman (from active duty personnel) I hear a lot, once again they do not understand what cap is and those who do, do not speak against those who dislike or do not understand cap. There is a large feeling against civil air patrol in the enlisted world of the air force, which moves onto civilians as well.

[MIKE]

Not to be mean, but a cadet or senior getting a promotion or an award isn't really news.  Most people, even people in CAP aren't really going to care unless it is somebody they know.

I remember seeing the Coast to Coast section of CAP News or even the online feed, and a lot of it was peoples promotions or squadron award ceremonies.

[BillB]

The key to a news release getting printed or on TV is "News Value". More often than not, a PAO sends out every little event or activity a Squadron has. Who cares if the cadets held a car wash to raise money for encampment? On the other hand if Cadet Jones is ranked the outstaning cadet at a 300 cadet encampment, that has news value.
OPSEC is a problem for the media. Every IC or Commander is afraid to give any information out on a mission for example for fear of security. Encampment PAOs are quit often told not to give information to the media. Fear of looking like a boot camp or making the staff look bad. I'll lert you know about that on Monday since I have an assignment from a local TV station to cover an encampment.

[Smithsonia]

We talk about this topic a fair amount. I advise that some PAOs go to the seach box and Plug in "Public Information", "News Coverage." Etc. Read the various discussions and reflect upon the conversations so far.

If you are a PAO, Public Information Officer, then PUBLIC, is your first name. What makes it public? Why should the public care? What interesting things make me (as a viewer or reader) want to watch or read your story. What significance for me is found in your story?

So, do the leg work. Put in the time. Do the job of the journalist. Do the job of the assignment editor. Do the job for the viewer or reader. DO THE WORK and you will be rewarded with a story in your local or maybe even National
News.

I'm a historian in CAP. My real line of work has been in journalism and media marketing for 40 years. After many complaints from the Wing Staff, my Squadron Commander, and Squadron Mates... I set about to show them how wrong they were about the media. How complaining gets them nowhere. How learning what and how to do good PAO/marketing/positive CAP stories pays off.

You can click here and see the entire thing unfold, even having to defend my work to members of CapTalk: http://captalk.net/index.php?topic=6642.0

Getting media coverage is EASY. Doing the leg work, research, set up, selling of the story...
is HARD. So learn or quit complaining. We generated 20-25 statewide news stories about a positive event that happened 30 years ago in the Colorado CAP. It was straightforward and we got exactly the coverage that I had predicted.

Remember, COMPLAINING IS WORTHLESS. ONLY HARD WORK WILL DO. I can train a chimpanzee to write a news release. I can't train one in one thousand humans to write a good story. Trust me, I train people with solid journalism credits all day. Most of the time - they are mediocre - So give the media what they can never produce on their own... A good story.

[RiverAux]

It is pretty hard to generate negative press coverage about CAP.  It pretty much has to be disaster-level stuff for the papers to be interested in it.  Positive coverage is by far the rule whenever we get coverage.

Sometimes I envy those CAP units in the very small towns where pretty much anything you send in is likely to be in the paper.  Those small town units have a lot of other things that work against them, but public affairs sure is a lot easier.   

[Rotorhead]

On the other hand if Cadet Jones is ranked the outstaning cadet at a 300 cadet encampment, that has news value.

Not really, I'm sorry to say.

You're not going to get coverage on TV or in a major daily on that story.

Maybe, if you're lucky, in a community paper.

You need to ask the question, "Why would anyone other and a CAP member care about my story?" If we find a plane, save a missing hiker, or the like, then, yes, you should be able to get that covered.

But after 25 years in TV news, many of them as an Assignment Editor (the person who decides what gets covered), I can tell you, a  CAP promotion ceremony is not going to be covered.

[JohnKachenmeister]

The PAO has to do the legwork for the local paper.  Write the copy (to AP stylebook standards) and submit a GOOD photo (NOT a grip-and-grin).

Then the local paper, if they have the room after they sell the advertising and cover the local city council's resolution to spend $3 million to re-upholster their own chairs, might put your story in the community weekly news section.

Better coverage?  Write a feature on some innovative new training you are doing to prepare for ES missions.  Include LOTS of good pictures.

Face it... A Mitchell Award is a big event in a cadet's life.  But as far as the general public is concerned, how many graduates of the public schools in America even know who Billy Mitchell was?

[ColonelJack]

I'm the PAO in my unit.  I'm also the evening news anchorman for the local television station -- which, come to think of it, may be why I'm the PAO in my unit.

As anchorman (and chief editor) of TV-33 News, I can tell you with certainty that most things that happen in a CAP unit will not make the 11:00 report.  They are news, but as Kach said, a Mitchell is big in a cadet's life -- but not in the community at large.

See, the issue in my bailiwick is time.  I have a 30 minute newscast.  Give six to eight minutes to commercials (without which I don't have a paycheck), and that leaves 22 to 24 minutes.  (With today's economy, we'll go with 24 minutes.)  The weather is a good five-minute segment -- that leaves 19 minutes.  Another five to seven minutes for sports, and you have 12 to 14 minutes.  CAP now has to compete with accidents, murders, fires, political foolishness, and the occasional celebrity death.  Why a celebrity death is more important than a CAP story would take way too long to explain.

We might wish it were otherwise, you and I ... but, as Durante said, "Those are the conditions what prevail."

To add to the point ... the only reason CAP got national coverage during the Steve Fossett search was because of the high profile of who they were searching for.  (But then you already knew that, didn't you?    )

Jack

[ColonelJack]

The PAO has to do the legwork for the local paper.  Write the copy (to AP stylebook standards) and submit a GOOD photo (NOT a grip-and-grin).

Then the local paper, if they have the room after they sell the advertising and cover the local city council's resolution to spend $3 million to re-upholster their own chairs, might put your story in the community weekly news section.

Better coverage?  Write a feature on some innovative new training you are doing to prepare for ES missions.  Include LOTS of good pictures.

Face it... A Mitchell Award is a big event in a cadet's life.  But as far as the general public is concerned, how many graduates of the public schools in America even know who Billy Mitchell was?

My own situation is even more dicey, Kach ... as the anchor/chief editor for the TV news, I'm the local paper's direct competitor.  The folks there like me, and all that ... but they aren't chomping at the bit to use anything I might write. 

Jack

[JohnKachenmeister]

I have worked as a PAO for a general-officer command in the Army, and as PAO for a Group in the CAP.  The problems are exactly the same, and the solutions are also the same. 

1.  Newspapers and broadcast outlets are NOT in the business of publishing news.  They are in the business of publishing advertising copy.  The news is just the "Hook" to get people to read/watch/listen to advertising.  They sell all the advertising they can, then the space or time left over is devoted to news.  This is an unalterable fact. 

2.  Since the draft ended in 1972 or 1973, very few persons have entered the military as a percentage of the general population.  That means that very few persons have any idea what the military is, what ranks mean, or what the various service branches do.  I have run into reporters who were surprised and shocked to hear me, as a captain, give orders to a sergeant, since they were under the impression that sergeant was a higher rank than captain.  I'm not kidding.  That means for you, most editors will NOT have the background information to appreciate the importance of an achievement in CAP or in the military.

3.  Professionally-trained PAO's are rare.  Both in CAP and in the military.  In order to get your story used, you must do the work of the reporter and the editor, too.  Most CAP folks simply do not have the experience required to do that.  How many CAP pao's even OWN an AP stylebook, let alone establish the stylebook intimacy necessary to write news copy?

[Smithsonia]

Here's the straight and plain truth. The decision for news is made inside the Budget Meeting. The news budget meeting is to review where crews and resources are assigned, what product (stories) are being generated, when the stories will be ready, and to which edition (newspaper) or which newscast these stories are assigned, the length of each story (hence the word budget for the story must be packaged for a certain sized newspaper or 30 minute newscast)

NO ONE IN THE MILITARY OR CAP PAO has ever been to a budget meeting. Until you are and unless you can get into a budget meeting (in my case as a media editor, reporter, news manager, news consultant, promotions consultant) you won't know how to pitch your story properly.

If you aspire to having your PAO work spread via media... then understand the News Budget Process.

I suggest that every one who is serious about a career in news, public affairs, or public relations get training. Go to your local college, junior, community college and take a course. As a member of this course... become a newsroom intern... as an intern
go to a budget meeting. NO, go to as many budget meetings as they will let you go to. Work the assignment desk too. See how it is done. Simultaneously - Get your writing skills in shape. There is nothing in this world as potent as an editorially honed mind. Then once you've seen it from the inside -- figure out how to attack it from the outside. BUT, never complain about what it is. Unless you own your own personal media outlet -- It is what it is. Many times the media is foolish... but in these cases
the fault is the PAO. Not because you (mis)placed your trust in the media... it is because you did NOT understand the process.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Ed:

You are exactly right.  In order to get published, you need to remember a few things:

1.  CAP is not important enough to rate assignment of a reporter.  They will not send someone out to cover you, no matter how nice you ask.  The reporters are running down stories of bloody car crashes, shootings, stabbings, etc.  "If it bleeds, it leads."

2.  If you ARE important enough to rate a reporter, do not look at this as a good thing.  It means someone in your organization is in really big trouble.  Bad news is more entertaining than good news, and therefore more likely to attract readers who will also notice the advertising copy.

3.  Since you can't get a reporter, YOU have to be the reporter.  Write copy and get good pix.  If your story and your pix are entertaining enough, you may get published. YOUR goal is to get publicity for CAP.  THEIR goal is to create a medium that people read so that they can sell advertisers on the concept of putting ads in their paper and paying good money for them.  (REALLY good money, I might mention.  I put a small ad in a weekly for my business and it cost me almost $400.  For that kind of money, I want to make sure people see it.)

4.  Learning to write good news copy is not hard, but it IS a skill that must be learned.  You cannot make the transition from being a pretty good writer of high school essays to being a journalist without special training.  This is the weak point of CAP.  A lot of unit PAO's try to learn journalism by trial and error.  By the time they are decent, they have burned their credibility bridges with the local media outlets.

5.  If writing news copy really was hard, we would not see as many stupid reporters as we do.

6.  PICTURES!  Pictures need to be entertaining and cool.  NOT grip-and-grins.  Pix are what attract readers to the story, and to the paper so they can read the ad copy.  Use good-looking cadets and officers in action roles.  The absolute worst is the grip and grin with others in the picture:  "Capt. Lance Elbowbend receives a certificate for commanding a unit with the lowest rate of sexually-transmitted diseases at Annual Training '09 while Col. Harry Underarms looks on."   The best is to show cadets or officers DOING something:  "Cadet-of-the-Year Sergeant Eric Fahrtsack explains the gauges of an aircraft instrument panel to Cadet Airman Ernie Thighbone."

[openmind]

Might I add a little spin on this discussion?

As a 39 year old American, a member of Generation X (I prefer to call it Gen x86 myself  ) I cannot tell you the last time I either watched the local TV News, or read a Newspaper.  Literally.  I don't remember, it has been that long.

OK, I probably caught a little coverage after the last Hurricane came through town, but in that instance I was tuning into anything that was still transmitting!

You folks who are wondering about getting TV coverage on the Local News and getting in the local Newspaper, are never going to reach me or my friends.  Much less the younger generation!  (Generations plural now, I do feel old all of a sudden...)

What is the game plan for reaching those folks?  Besides the in-school Cadet recruiting activities, those young people would NEVER hear about CAP from any of the sources you are mentioning.

Of course, this drags us back to the lack of an overall National level PA campaign from NHQ, and that's another discussion.

Back to the topic:  Even if you get the stories into the Local TV News or the local Newspaper, who does that reach?  Once you put all the effort into writing the story and taking the pics for the reporter, shouldn't you use that information somewhere that will reach the entire audience?  Or, at least, in another capacity besides just handing it to the local reporters?

openmind

[Rotorhead]

2.  If you ARE important enough to rate a reporter, do not look at this as a good thing.  It means someone in your organization is in really big trouble.

Glib, but not necessarily true.

[Rotorhead]

As a 39 year old American, a member of Generation X (I prefer to call it Gen x86 myself  ) I cannot tell you the last time I either watched the local TV News, or read a Newspaper.  Literally.  I don't remember, it has been that long.

Where do you get your news?

[Smithsonia]

Open mind;
Not that you don't have a point... but you don't have the fine point. Public information is by any means possible. Twitter, You Tube, Social Networks. VLOGS, BLOGS, etc. etc. etc.

Each can be used to ratchet the story to whatever place you think best. Once again, an editorially honed mind is the important thing. Inside information and intimate knowledge of not just the subject matter but the attending media is important. The object is to get it Public. NOT just publicly distributed but in the public consciousness.

How you do this is part of the art of the practice of Public Affairs.

[RiverAux]

1.  CAP is not important enough to rate assignment of a reporter.  They will not send someone out to cover you, no matter how nice you ask. 

Not entirely true.  You're right that no paper or station is going to send someone out to cover a promotion or even an award.  However, it is entirely possible to get them to come to SAREXs and various special events if pitched right.  Granted, most SAREXs may not rate a reporter -- after all, how many ES agencies do drills every day and they don't expect them to be in the paper.  But, if you work it the right way, you can get SAREX coverage assuming you don't expect it more than about once a year. 

[Smithsonia]

Please pick the headline that is most likely to receive attention:
1. Civil Air Patrol; exercises cadets (SAREX headline)
2. Civil Air Patrol; Looks for Homeland Security Threat (SAREX Headline)
3. Civil Air Patrol; Responds to Homeland Security Threat (SAREX headline)

In this headline I am selling the the same thing. The exact same thing. Which one would the reporter most likely attend?

Consider this a PAO aptitude test. If you can't perceive the difference between the 3 headlines above... you have no (or not enough) aptitude.

[JohnKachenmeister]

2.  If you ARE important enough to rate a reporter, do not look at this as a good thing.  It means someone in your organization is in really big trouble.

Glib, but not necessarily true.

Your are right... not "Necessarily" true.  But "Usually" true!

[Rotorhead]

2.  If you ARE important enough to rate a reporter, do not look at this as a good thing.  It means someone in your organization is in really big trouble.

Glib, but not necessarily true.

Your are right... not "Necessarily" true.  But "Usually" true!

Having been the guy who assigns a reporter (or not), I'd say, "Sometimes true."

[JohnKachenmeister]

Having been the point of contact for civilian reporters for 9 years in the Army and 2 years in CAP, I'll stay with "Usually."

[Smithsonia]

Here are the bios of the Chief's of Public Affairs for the Army and his deputy and the Navy.
http://www.army.mil/info/institution/publicaffairs/chief/
http://www.army.mil/info/institution/publicaffairs/deputy/
http://www.navy.mil/navydata/bios/navybio.asp?bioid=348

You will see that they have had 10-15 years Public Affairs experience. They also had admirable careers as War Fighters. These are similar to the careers of the Marine, Coast Guard, and Air Force PA Chiefs. The trouble with 10-15 years public affairs experience is:
1. In the world of civilian PA/Journalism you are only a journeyman and not master of the arts and crafts of the business after 10-15 years.

2. You've served only from one side of the fence. You've always been in the Army/Navy etc. There is a Civilian World that is not hostile but ill-equipped to appreciate the particular place from which you and your fellow officers come.
You need to be able to explain yourself to your boss. You may think that the General or Admiral that you report to is your boss. The American Public is actually your boss. Fail them and they can demand that you fall on your sword right now.

3. Different cultures often breed contempt.

4. With 10-15 years of experience you can do fine with day to day duties. However face an Abu Ghraib and you may wish you had a bit more experience. Of course you can hire experienced PA help from the civilian side but then return to item 3.

If the Army and Navy don't get it, and in fact they actually don't... although they are trying harder... then it is no wonder that CAP has trouble.

Right now the American Military is the strongest on the planet. BUT, they pale in comparison to the power of public opinion which can render them impotent, over night. Otherwise we'd be carpet bombing Wasiristan hoping to catch Bin Laden sleeping. PAO is serious business. Public Opinion and Public Affairs is very darn serious. I'd rather have it in the palm of my hand than the whole arsenal of unusable nukes.

Public Affairs is the world's most chaotic, pervasive, and sustained battlefield. It ain't for the faint.

[Rotorhead]

Having been the point of contact for civilian reporters for 9 years in the Army and 2 years in CAP, I'll stay with "Usually."

If you were "usually" seeing reporters only when something bad happened, then I'd suggest you were working primarily reactively, not proactively.

Good PAO/PIOs can get coverage (including a reporter) on a wider range of stories than just the "bad" ones.

[openmind]

Open mind;
Not that you don't have a point... but you don't have the fine point. Public information is by any means possible. Twitter, You Tube, Social Networks. VLOGS, BLOGS, etc. etc. etc.

Each can be used to ratchet the story to whatever place you think best. Once again, an editorially honed mind is the important thing. Inside information and intimate knowledge of not just the subject matter but the attending media is important. The object is to get it Public. NOT just publicly distributed but in the public consciousness.

How you do this is part of the art of the practice of Public Affairs.

I very much believe you are correct, and I also agree that there is an art to the practice of Public Affairs, as with many crafts.

I was more wanting to point out that, with all the effort everyone seemed to be wanting to expend to 'package' a story for a local TV or Newspaper reporter, no one seemed to be taking the next step:  Put that story out yourself through other channels.

Someone else responded to my post and asked where I get my news.  The answer is simple, ONLINE.  I occasionally will watch CNN, and as a pilot I am always watching the Weather Channel, but that's about it for news on television.  Everything else is online, in one place or forum, or another.  I have been known to check the AP and NY Times feeds on my iPhone, but that is secondary.

I apologize if I wasn't clear before, and made it seem like I thought the Local Press was a waste of time.  Hardly.  I simply recognize that it will NOT reach all of the target audience in the local area, and we shouldn't be wasting all of the blood, sweat, and tears that PAOs go through to package stories by simply handing them to Local Reporters and calling it a day.

And, slightly off-topic, this 'news divide' will only get worse over time.  I'm sorry to tell you guys who work in local news, but I'm not getting any more likely to watch your stuff as time goes by, and neither are any of my friends.  We already see the massive (if not quite wholesale) collapse of Newspapers in this country.  In 10 or 20 years, Online news will dominate, though I bet the access becomes much more ubiquitous and not a 'go sit at a computer' sort of affair that it is now.

Again, I have no qualm with the idea of the PAO professionals 'packaging the story' as best they can, and prepping the whole thing, text, pics, video, etc. for use by the local media.  I just wanted to make sure we also use that packaged info to present the story in other venues.  Squadron website, Blog, heck even on CAPTalk it would get Google search hits.  And, not to sound like a broken record, but you'd think that at some point NHQ would at least provide some guidance on a large scale.  Sometimes I think they've never heard of branding, consistent messages, etc.  Oh wait, then we couldn't have the new 'Logo of the Week.'

openmind

[Rotorhead]

Open mind;
Not that you don't have a point... but you don't have the fine point. Public information is by any means possible. Twitter, You Tube, Social Networks. VLOGS, BLOGS, etc. etc. etc.

Each can be used to ratchet the story to whatever place you think best. Once again, an editorially honed mind is the important thing. Inside information and intimate knowledge of not just the subject matter but the attending media is important. The object is to get it Public. NOT just publicly distributed but in the public consciousness.

How you do this is part of the art of the practice of Public Affairs.

I very much believe you are correct, and I also agree that there is an art to the practice of Public Affairs, as with many crafts.

I was more wanting to point out that, with all the effort everyone seemed to be wanting to expend to 'package' a story for a local TV or Newspaper reporter, no one seemed to be taking the next step:  Put that story out yourself through other channels.

Someone else responded to my post and asked where I get my news.  The answer is simple, ONLINE. 

The reason I asked is because the overwhelming  majority of online news content is provided by print and TV sources which have an online component as well.

Thus, it pays to deal with these people even if you don't specifically read the newspaper or watch TV news.

[RiverAux]

The basic principle is going to be the same.  Some online blog isn't going to be any more interested in a Cadets promotion to A1C than the local paper.  And if all the newspapers go online, it may get a little easier to get stories "published" since space won't be an issue, but still you're going to have to work for it. 

[SarDragon]

The basic principle is going to be the same.  Some online blog isn't going to be any more interested in a Cadets promotion to A1C than the local paper.  And if all the newspapers go online, it may get a little easier to get stories "published" since space won't be an issue, but still you're going to have to work for it.

"Space" may not matter, in terms of sheer quantity, but the front page still does, and it's only as big as the screen on the viewer's computer, much like the difference between "above/below the fold" in a regular newspaper. If someone has to scroll the page to read news, it will very often not get read.

[Smithsonia]

OPEN MIND;
Plugging a story into every blog, all the little corners of various public information platforms, the various vlogs, twitter, etc... Is distribution. That just makes someone an internet paperboy. Each distribution model requires an accommodating editorial revision... but it is all distribution.

Story distribution has very little to do with story generation. One is packaging the other is coverage (or story shaping). SO if you want to be in distribution then your a Webmaster, TV Transmitter Engineer, etc.

We would consider that an ancillary service inside the Public Affairs Discipline. So you may not be plugged into TV or newspapers... and that's fine. BUT, you are plugged into the hive mind. You have heard that Billy Mayes, Ed MacMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson all died this week. Assuming that you didn't know each of these people individually so that you would have been personally called by each of the 4 grieving families. How do you know about these folks deaths? How you heard about it is really unimportant to this discussion. The fact that you know, is the point.

We're a herd animal. AND, may be we are a heard animal too. If you get my drift.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Ed:

As usual you are correct.

In the Army, Navy, and Marines, PA officers are brought from the officer ranks.  I was a first lieutenant when I was selected for my first PA assignment, and was already a qualified Military Police officer with time as a platoon leader and a battalion staff officer.  If you don't KNOW the story, you can't TELL the story.

The AF, however, considers PA a "Primary" officer specialty rather than a "Secondary" specialty as the other branches do.  This makes it very hard for 2LT's right out of ROTC/AF Acad/OTS to adapt, since they not only have to learn their PA job, but also have to immerse themselves in their base or unit's mission very quickly so they can tell the story and intelligently answer questions.

Some officers return to field assignments after their PA experience, others remain in the PA field and never return to their original specialty assignments.  I spent 5 years in two PA assignments, then took an operational command.  After my command tour, I returned to my former PA assignment until I retired.

And... you are correct that the American People are the boss, and they need to be informed.  The challenge of PA operations in the military is to get the information accurately past the filter of professional journalists.  Sometimes, you are successful, sometimes you are not.  Big surprise:  Some journalists are smarter and better than others... who knew?

In the military, before one works a PA assignment, one is sent to a DoD school to learn the basics of the craft.  It is a demanding and academically challenging school.  CAP has no such school to send its PA officers to.  "Welcome to CAP.  You are now our PAO.  Here's the regs.  Read them, and good luck."

Then we wonder why mistakes get made.

But... that's not the worst of it.  Our National PA plan is:  "Let the local PAO's get the word out."  In the Army, I got weekly updates on DA activities, so that I could help the Army "Speak with one voice."  I made frequent trips to the Pentagon for briefings.  My statements on sending the 961st Messkit Repair Battalion to Panama would mesh perfectly with the DA annoucements of a major exercise in Panama involving the Total Force of active/guard/and reserve components.

Then, as an experienced officer, I could provide background on the role of Messkit Repair Battalions, major combat exercises generally, and any other information to fill in the knowledge gaps of the reporter.  I always had tons of background material in the press kit.  How many CAP PA guys are trained in how to make up a press kit?

The fix to this: 

1.  Make NHQ PA do its job.  Its job begins, but does not end with the production of Command-Information materials such as Volunteer.  They should be providing guidance to local PA's, preparing QUALITY PSA's for use by local PA's, and coordinating paid media advertising.

2.  Provide some real, resident training at the wing level for PA officers.  The local PA should understand completely the roles of the PAO in Command Information, Public Information, and Community Relations.  He or she should be trained to work all three mission areas, and to develop plans to support the efforts in all three areas.

3.  Encourage (we cannot force) PAO's to get involved in all mission areas of CAP.  The PAO should be ES qualified, work with cadets, and understand the AE program.  Again... you can't TELL the story unless you KNOW the story.

[ColonelJack]

I was more wanting to point out that, with all the effort everyone seemed to be wanting to expend to 'package' a story for a local TV or Newspaper reporter, no one seemed to be taking the next step:  Put that story out yourself through other channels.

Someone else responded to my post and asked where I get my news.  The answer is simple, ONLINE.  I occasionally will watch CNN, and as a pilot I am always watching the Weather Channel, but that's about it for news on television.  Everything else is online, in one place or forum, or another.  I have been known to check the AP and NY Times feeds on my iPhone, but that is secondary.

I apologize if I wasn't clear before, and made it seem like I thought the Local Press was a waste of time.  Hardly.  I simply recognize that it will NOT reach all of the target audience in the local area, and we shouldn't be wasting all of the blood, sweat, and tears that PAOs go through to package stories by simply handing them to Local Reporters and calling it a day.

It sounds like you're a very well-informed individual, OpenMind.  And that's great, of course! 

Your basic idea is correct -- PAOs need to get the word out in many and varied ways.  A PAO's job is never done when the story is handed off to the news.  That is really just the beginning!

And, slightly off-topic, this 'news divide' will only get worse over time.  I'm sorry to tell you guys who work in local news, but I'm not getting any more likely to watch your stuff as time goes by, and neither are any of my friends.  We already see the massive (if not quite wholesale) collapse of Newspapers in this country.  In 10 or 20 years, Online news will dominate, though I bet the access becomes much more ubiquitous and not a 'go sit at a computer' sort of affair that it is now.

No offense taken.  I firmly believe in "to each his own" and if you and your friends prefer your news from online sources, then more power to you!  I, too, am watching the demise of the newspaper -- and the growth of broadcast news.  While print media may be in decline, broadcast -- via television, cable, and Internet -- is on the upswing.  Maybe the local end isn't that great, but it's all part of the game.

Again, I have no qualm with the idea of the PAO professionals 'packaging the story' as best they can, and prepping the whole thing, text, pics, video, etc. for use by the local media.  I just wanted to make sure we also use that packaged info to present the story in other venues.  Squadron website, Blog, heck even on CAPTalk it would get Google search hits.  And, not to sound like a broken record, but you'd think that at some point NHQ would at least provide some guidance on a large scale.  Sometimes I think they've never heard of branding, consistent messages, etc.  Oh wait, then we couldn't have the new 'Logo of the Week.'

:clap:  I like that one

Jack

[Rotorhead]

The fix to this: 

1.  Make NHQ PA do its job.  Its job begins, but does not end with the production of Command-Information materials such as Volunteer.  They should be providing guidance to local PA's, preparing QUALITY PSA's for use by local PA's, and coordinating paid media advertising.

2.  Provide some real, resident training at the wing level for PA officers.  The local PA should understand completely the roles of the PAO in Command Information, Public Information, and Community Relations.  He or she should be trained to work all three mission areas, and to develop plans to support the efforts in all three areas.

3.  Encourage (we cannot force) PAO's to get involved in all mission areas of CAP.  The PAO should be ES qualified, work with cadets, and understand the AE program.  Again... you can't TELL the story unless you KNOW the story.

All very good points.

#2 and #3 are, for lack of a better phrase, within our control. We ought to put more emphasis on them.

[RiverAux]

Oddly enough the CG Aux has a much more well developed public affairs training program that is available, but for the most part their PAs are so restricted by the CG on actually sending out news releases that it is difficult to do anything but basic boating safety stuff that hardly ever changes.  Contrast that with CAP where it is very probable that a IO with only minimal training could be the primary face associated with a regional or national-level story. 

However, even with the general poor training available to CAP you don't see a whole lot of our PAOs make major mistakes.  The most common ones being problems with their uniform that no one but CAP members are likely to notice.   If there are mistakes made it seems to be associated with comments made by non-PAO CAP members making comments that they probably shouldn't.     

[Smithsonia]

You can spray and pray your news stories and PIO releases. OR you can get to the Holy of Holy Daily News Budget meeting. Instead of silly quals like how to change a typewriter ribbon and where to find a stenographer, CAP and the Military need to take apart the rudimentary steps of News production in it various forms and build a complete training syllabus on the end product. In other words, What is the mission, how can it be accomplished, and how can it be taught.

Right now it is built on an academic model. Most of the academic background is foolishly out of date and anachronistic. It should be built on a Craft model and taught through a Guild like system (or mentoring). The military trains front line war fighters SEALS, DASH4s, Combat Controllers, and Tactical Response Teams (Delta Force) in the same way. Real world after action lessons learned and modifications made on the fly to achieve the mission objective. I've talked to several Military PAO Academic Types at the major Command Schools. They are nice people and completely out of date as to their practices. CAP is much the same.

Think what you want on the subject and do as you please. BUT, Rotorhead (whom I work with all the time, but I am not speaking for) and myself see it as an art that is a continuum of best and timely practices - which is basically a mystery to the military and it shows in the work that is produced. Journalism Schools have the same problem. By the time you write the text book - it is out of date. Journalism and Public Affairs are actually active verbs. Quit pretending these are stable nouns. (so to speak)

When I started speaking about this 2 years ago or so on this board... most of the responses I got were about 39-1 issues and not about craft, storytelling, editorial refinement, etc. So at least this discussion in this thread has progressed. Nobody has spoken much about the uniform. This is progress, but it is glacial progress at best.

[arajca]

Most of here don't know enough about the PAO job and how to do it right to fill a thimble. And most of us will admit it. But we do know when it is done wrong. That is part of the frustration.

Something I have seen is on exercises, a PIO will be identified followed by a statement to the effect of "no media contact will be initated by CAP during this exercise. Direct all media inquiries to the PIO." WTF?! It get especially annoying when congress critters will be coming to the exercise and the PIO is PROHIBITED from publicizing the visit by CAP! (seen this several times)

It may help if PIOs have some exposure to how media operates at an incident before the real deal comes around. An interesting idea would be to contact a college with a journalism program and see if a couple of students would be help by acting as media reporters at an exercise. I think it would provide valuable experience for both parties and may help establish a good relationship in the future.

[Rotorhead]

It may help if PIOs have some exposure to how media operates at an incident before the real deal comes around. An interesting idea would be to contact a college with a journalism program and see if a couple of students would be help by acting as media reporters at an exercise. I think it would provide valuable experience for both parties and may help establish a good relationship in the future.

Or if the Wing held training seminars where actual reporters come out and help teach the PAOs what to do and what not to do (and say).

That's what we're doing in Colorado. I think it is helping.

Seems like this is a no-brainer: Wing PAO and staff ought to be training unit PAOs.

[arajca]

It may help if PIOs have some exposure to how media operates at an incident before the real deal comes around. An interesting idea would be to contact a college with a journalism program and see if a couple of students would be help by acting as media reporters at an exercise. I think it would provide valuable experience for both parties and may help establish a good relationship in the future.

Or if the Wing held training seminars where actual reporters come out and help teach the PAOs what to do and what not to do (and say).

That's what we're doing in Colorado. I think it is helping.

Seems like this is a no-brainer: Wing PAO and staff ought to be training unit PAOs.

I haven't been to a COWG PAO course (not my field and no time), but I did attend the CO OEM Incident PAO course many years ago. Attending a class, even taught by experienced PAO's and media folks, is vastly different than working in an incident base.

I think most states offer a similar course - it's a FEMA hand-off course. In CO, volunteers can take it (and several other EM courses) for free. The state will even pay for lodging if you travel more than 50 miles for the class - meals are still on you. The course is three days, usually during the week.

[Smithsonia]

Arajca, Rotorhead, and I are all in the CO/WG. So is Wuzafuzz. I have the greatest respect for the work of each. Rotorhead has it right. BUT let me add that the business of PAO is important enough to require daily attention.

I write every day. Most days I write many things per hour. It is what I get paid for and how I make my living. At least I edit something every hour. To have a limber and constant contact with words... to know the subject intimately (as suggested by Kach) to work on media relations, to know what the media wants/needs, to work for a news operation, to never miss an opportunity to speak publicly, to practice the craft even when you are not working as a PAO ... are important training items that should become a daily constitutional habit. My habits have been honed consistently for decades.

Practice writing broader than just journalism. Journalism, mostly, requires basic writing skills. Add to your kit. Write short fiction. It'll teach you a sense of place, story forming, sensory elements, character study, development, and revelation, you'll find the beginning-middle-and denounment of your work.   Write jokes. That will teach you the sense of human touch, surprise, and the ability to serve broader needs. Humor works in everyplace but tragedy. Humor is however built on empathy. Write poetry. It will work your word choice and brevity. Write well founded and effective opinion in places like CapTalk. Write, write, write - everyday. I can teach the skills but unless a PAO is ready to practice then my time is ultimately a waste. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Rotorhead has put together a great Wing PAO training program. That said, dedication to your own product is equally valuable. To develop that product into a thing of refinement and distinction is the true PAO test. This dedication will reveal more than who, where, what, why, when... but what is important, what is of value, why I should stop and read your work.

Hence, this is a craft we talking about. Become a dedicated artist and practitioner of this craft. We have numerous members of the Colorado Wing; at least 5 of them are members of Captalk - and I am proud to serve with each of them. They practice.

In this work you're a master marksman. Instead of putting a bullet through a brain, your job is to put words through a heart.

[Rotorhead]

It may help if PIOs have some exposure to how media operates at an incident before the real deal comes around. An interesting idea would be to contact a college with a journalism program and see if a couple of students would be help by acting as media reporters at an exercise. I think it would provide valuable experience for both parties and may help establish a good relationship in the future.

Or if the Wing held training seminars where actual reporters come out and help teach the PAOs what to do and what not to do (and say).

That's what we're doing in Colorado. I think it is helping.

Seems like this is a no-brainer: Wing PAO and staff ought to be training unit PAOs.

I haven't been to a COWG PAO course (not my field and no time), but I did attend the CO OEM Incident PAO course many years ago. Attending a class, even taught by experienced PAO's and media folks, is vastly different than working in an incident base.

Well, of course, nothing beats OJT / experience.

[RiverAux]

Since this appears to be a general thread about public affairs...I just happened to come upon the CG Aux national-level strategic plan for 2009-2010 that may be of interest.  Quite a bit more detailed than the last thing I remember seeing from CAP NHQ, however it doesn't have much in the way of specific targets.  FYI, the Aux national PA staff is all volunteer unlike CAP's which is paid. 

http://www.auxadept.org/resources/ADept/A_Dept_Strategy_2009_P&P_10-09.pdf

[JohnKachenmeister]

Ed, and some posters after his last comment, hit upon yet another problem with being PAO... Stupid commanders.  The PAO is a staff officer, and works for the commander.  The commander determines the PA posture of the unit or the mission.  Most commanders do NOT understand the function of the PAO, nor do they appreciate the help that a good PAO can provide for their unit.

Most commanders in CAP (In the RM, most senior commanders have been taught how to use the PAO) consider the PAO to be in a RE-action role, and limited to "Keep the media out of the way."  They do not understand that a good PA program incorporates and coordinates three things:  Command Information, Public Information, and Community Relations.

PAO's in CAP first must educate their commanders about what they can do, and make sure the commander is on board the train.

Yes, the field of journalism and PA is dynamic and always changing, but there are certain consistent truths:  Always be honest, Always have superior writing skills, and a good photograph is a good photograph no matter what era it depicts. 

The reciprocal is also true:  If you lie to a reporter, your credibility is forever ruined.  If you cannot write well, you will not be successful in this field.  And... Grip-and-grins go in the trash, good pictures get published.

[Smithsonia]

Kach - You have caught (or Katched) the paradoxical problem:
Bad PA is tougher to find than you might imagine. Most PA is serviceable. Idiots persist at all levels. Bad Commanders happen too.

I worked for Exxon on their critical response team in Chicago during the Exxon Valdez incident. We would craft and brief and then some Senior VP, Company President, or dumb lawyer would modify the work to the point of trivialization. "We've only killed a few thousand birds" "Sea Otters aren't that affected" OR the more common, "Don't you people have something better to do than stand in front of my building asking dumb questions." blah, blah, blah. This lack of sensitivity caused an entire 2 levels of Exxon Executives their careers. Frankly they were idiots. They were petty, paltry, insulated, fools.

So I have seen it up close and I was not impressed. I've figured that the Exxon PA gaffs cost the company extra billions because the American People heard the comments and decided to be punitive to the company. Punishment and social retribution is the worst possible place a company or institution can find itself.

Social retribution is GMs, Banks, Investment Houses, the Republican Party, the Stock Market, the housing markets current and biggest problem. Social retribution will have to run its course before confidence can be restored.

"Deem NOT to be despised." Is a principle that goes back to Machiavelli. That said, you can't account for every idiot with good PR. The best you can hope for is a trusting client that has a soul. I am sure Bernie Madoff's Lawyers feel the same, today.

A top down PR service seldom works. PA that is about making the boss a star is not the best for the institution. The trouble with PA in the military is that it's a top down protection service, mostly. PA should serve the institution first and boss second.

Abu Ghraib would have gone better if all those involved at the top has been made to pay by early retirement - than hanging a bunch of Non-Comms. How many American soldiers eventually died because of this PA Gaff and lack of response to dig up the line of officers responsible. How many enraged young Muslims came to the fight? How many bombs? How much carnage? How many innocent civilians were hurt too? Anyway serve the institution first. Find the right words, not only for the public pronouncements but for the one on one conferences with the leader, IC, Commander, etc. It keeps the "lying" down to a minimum and takes a pressure point off the public pronouncements. Always take the hit, declare sincere sorrow and fallibility and move on.

A PAO that understands that social retribution is a ground up enterprise is important. I must say that I have a CC in the Colorado Wing that seems very ground up savvy. If you lead make sure somebody is following. He invests in PA at all levels. If you do PA work... check for a soul in the person, enterprise, institution, or cause you serve. Otherwise you can wake up one morning and find yourself working for the Taliban or Bernie Madoff.

I left a presidential candidate's campaign, who was a front runner, about 2 years ago, because I couldn't detect a soul. In this there is no pure and simple test. It is a human intuition thing. Hopefully I've developed a better antenna on this issue.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Abu Graib is a case study in two things:

1.  How NOT to run prisoner operations, and

2.  How NOT to respond to a public scandal.

And, you are right.  At DINFOS the mantra was "Bad news goes away.  Bad PR lasts forever."  If one admits a mistake, emphasizes the corrective actions, and moves on, the media will soon be distracted by some Congresscritter having an affair with a female (or male) mud wrestler and your incident will be forgotten quicker than you can say "Old News."

Very few of us actually read the AR 15-6 investigation report on Abu Graib, but I did.  In the Army I had been on the staff of the 300th Military Police Command, which was the Army's central command for POW operations up to the Clinton Administration, when the unit was reduced to a brigade.

Frankly, the punishment imposed on the NCO's and the troops were about right, the punishments imposed upon the commanders were way too lenient.  The Russian Army would have had them shot.

The scandal has tainted ALL prisoner operations, and may have cost us the war.  The PA guy for Centcom SHOULD have been out front, and emphasizing the corrections that DID take place but which nobody knows about.  Too late now.

The PAO has to have his nose in ALL command levels, and has to be proactive.  He has to be aggressive enough (and ballsy enough) to stand up to the boss and say, "Sir, this is a real dumb thing that you are about to do, and here is how the American Public will view it."  You can't sit in your office composing news releases and waiting for a crisis to manage.

The PAO is the organizations attorney and advocate in the Court of Public Opinion, and as any good lawyer must not only be able to plead the case, but has to offer sound advice for staying out of trouble in the first place.

When I was a PAO with the 300th, a staff officer came up with a great idea for the MP's involved in prisoner operations to work in Federal pens to train in prisoner security.  I heard about this plan by being nosy, it was not discussed at staff meetings.  I met with the commanding general that week to raise some questions:

1.  Had anybody considered the effect on the Fed prison guards and their unions to be bringing in Army troops to train on their jobs only 10 years after the ATC strike when Reagan replaced all the ATC folks with military controllers?

2.  Had anybody considered that a small but violent percentage of Americans believe that the govt. has a secret plan to place Americans in concentration camps, and that this program could be seen as furthering such a plan?

3.  Did anybody check with the SJA to see if this was even legal, considering that the Posse Comitatus Act forbids the military from enforcing civil laws?

A crisis prevented beats a crisis handled.  Not as dramatic, but way less heartburn! 

[Smithsonia]

Kach;
You and I have been in many discussions on this board. We seem to always wind up agreeing. AND so it is here too.

The Public Affairs Officer Song sung to Stars and Stripes Forever.
I can't keep people from being dumb;
I can't fix it when they are... are,
I can resign and say I told you so,
and retire, and retire to the bar,

I will drink and drink till I'm dumb
but not so stupid as youuu,
I will drink to the end of the job,
and drink and drink till I am blue.

Here's to Affairs that are Public
And to the good ladies and the savvy
men... to those who are so few!
But not so, not ever so true!

The rest of this song goes into scatology and is banned
from proper company.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Ed:

I know you have been in this business way longer than me, and unlike you, I have seen it only from the PA side, never from the journalist side.

But I DO understand how important the PAO is to an organization, and how CAP suffers from its amateurish attempts to manage its own PA.  The military may not do everything right from a PA standpoint, but they still do it way better than CAP does. 

If CAP would emulate the military PA model, with all of the military's warts, we would still be doing better than we are.

[Smithsonia]

Kach;
I do believe that the regular military does a better job at regular PA than does CAP. They work full time at it, get paid for it, receive training and they should. Frankly, I think the US military should be the PA Gold Standard. Given the resources, people, training, etc. it misses by a mile. The reason is they can't think out of their box. They need a PA-DARPA.

I do NOT believe CAP should use the military model. For breaking news-briefings, perhaps yes. For every other thing... there is a much higher standard in modern Civilian PA.

Once again there needs to be cross training between the two institutions. Media needs to have military PAs see how they make decisions. Media needs to spend time seeing how and why the military does what it does. I worked on the embed program at the DOD for a while. Both need a good deal more cross referencing, communications, and
knowledge.

When IRAQ/Gulf War 2 started -- how many out going rounds were misidentified as incoming? How many F16s were identified as F18s-14s-15s. Etc. It was easy to tell which dummy hadn't studied their briefings. Its a mutual education society.

That said the Military does try. And the media does try. But the trying is on again off again.

[JohnKachenmeister]

You are absolutely right on the issue about ignorance by media people on military matters.  I already told the story about the reporter who thought sergeant was a higher rank than captain, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

I had one TV reporter so caught up in her personal agenda that she was doing a stand-up in front of some vehicles, saying:  "Although the military has assured us of the safety of troops in this area, these ominous-looking machine-gun trucks are kept constantly at the ready near the flight line."

Cool, impressive, and trendy... except the vehicles were fire trucks.

There is not a single reporter who plans to keep his job who would go out to cover say... a heart transplant story without knowing the difference between a doctor and a nurse, and maybe why the heart is considered one of the more important vital organs.  But going to cover a story about the military while being totally ignorant about the subject is considered almost a badge of honor among reporters.

OK, CAP maybe SHOULD emulate the best of the best in PA, but the military model does fit for us.  By that I mean:

--   Formal, resident training for PA folks.  Schedule it over a few weekends, and give them hands-on experience in writing the various kinds of news copy; hard news, features, personality features, broadcast copy.  Teach them what makes a good news photo.  Give them practical experices through exercises in running a news briefing.  Teach them how to provide background materials in press kits,  all the nuts-and-bolts of PA work.

At YOUR level, you are an experienced doctor.  I want to train the PA guys to at least be EMT's.

--   Incorporate PA training in SLS and CLC.  Both courses, and maybe a refresher in RSC.  ALL officers have to be PAO's in CAP.  Some just have to be specially trained in it. 

Continuing the analogy, if PAO's are the EMT's, everybody needs to learn CPR and first aid.

That way we will have PAO's that can step into a crisis and not fall down, who can put together a rudimentary PA program, and who are trained to do the yeoman work of the news reporter so that an editor can get good copy and good photos of CAP activities without having to commit an expensive reporter to cover what to him is an interesting but pretty unimportant story.

[Smithsonia]

Kach;
A perfect example between refined mass PA training and standard PA is found in CAP 60-1 or 60-3.

I can't remember precisely, but basically it states that aircrews are not allowed to talk to Media. This can lead to the brusque and easily confusable; "NO COMMENT."

"No Comment" can be variously interpreted as: "I don't know," "I don't have to tell you," OR "I know but don't have to talk to the likes of you the American Public. OR, and this is the worst interpretation, "I have something to hide from you."
No Comment can be a miserable quote and placed in a most disturbing context.

Instead, how about putting it a different way. If a crew member is approached by the media simply reply; "I'm sorry, I don't have that answer. However, if you come with me I will be happy to introduce you to our Mission Information Officer/PIO/PAO/ Incident Commander and I am sure he/she can be of more service to you."

This simple piece of PA should be taught to everyone in CAP who might come in contact with the media while performing a mission. It should be rehearsed aloud and signed off as a required task on every mission SQTRS. In this way it will be taught in a repetitive fashion. It should be a 10 minute piece of business and should be easier than OPSEC/SET to teach. That's about as basic as it gets.

[JohnKachenmeister]

Kach;
A perfect example between refined mass PA training and standard PA is found in CAP 60-1 or 60-3.

I can't remember precisely, but basically it states that aircrews are not allowed to talk to Media. This can lead to the brusque and easily confusable; "NO COMMENT."

"No Comment" can be variously interpreted as: "I don't know," "I don't have to tell you," OR "I know but don't have to talk to the likes of you the American Public. OR, and this is the worst interpretation, "I have something to hide from you."
No Comment can be a miserable quote and placed in a most disturbing context.

Instead, how about putting it a different way. If a crew member is approached by the media simply reply; "I'm sorry, I don't have that answer. However, if you come with me I will be happy to introduce you to our Mission Information Officer/PIO/PAO/ Incident Commander and I am sure he/she can be of more service to you."

This simple piece of PA should be taught to everyone in CAP who might come in contact with the media while performing a mission. It should be rehearsed aloud and signed off as a required task on every mission SQTRS. In this way it will be taught in a repetitive fashion. It should be a 10 minute piece of business and should be easier than OPSEC/SET to teach. That's about as basic as it gets.

Absolutely.  I train security officers in Florida and teach them that the media needs to be handled by "Polite referral."

But... Warn them of the pitfalls.  While they are politely referring or escorting, the reporter will be casually conversing with them and continuing to seek information.  They will also try to loiter near a radio where they can eavesdrop and either get information or hear enough information so they can make something up about it.

[Smithsonia]

Here's another basic PA lesson.

If there is a live shot, TV camera shooting B-roll, report from the scene, etc... either clear out the background of CAP personnel or better yet... make sure everyone looks busy, doesn't look at the camera in dumb curiosity, doesn't eat, doesn't laugh, or pick at scabs, pluck nasal hairs, yawn, etc. etc. etc... Eventhough - this may seem natural at the time when layered over a worried family member, Air Force General/CAP Commander explaining something in earnest, or just a reporter stand up... your background will tell a different and negative story.

[RADIOMAN015]

The good news however, is almost always a one shot deal.   Locally in our area, even getting TV coverage of CAP activities is very difficult.  I've been told by one of the TV station's weekend news producer, that they have limited staffing and have to cover the stories that their competitors & what their research shows have an interest.  So crimes, car accidents, etc get the priority.

Even with newspaper articles, generally you aren't going to see "CAP Cadet Gets Award & Promotion" on the front page of the local regional newspaper, but it will be tucked away somewhere in the paper.

I don't have an answer to this problem.  BUT it is disheartening to see cadets work so hard & achieve so much, yet not get a lot of general public recognition for their achievements

RM     

Hmm, interestingly if you do a Google's news search and to the archives, there's a chart at the top of the search page that shows the results from 1940 to the present date.   apparently google has found 50,400 articles using the search term  "Civil Air Patrol". 
CY 2000 - 2009 23,000 articles
CY 1990-2000 9,760 articles
CY 1980-1990 4460 articles
CY 1970-1980 2760 articles
CY 1960-1970 2980 articles
CY 1950-1960 3640 articles
CY 1940-1950 2550 articles
I would assume that statistically there were probably more articles written, but smaller newspapers don't keep google searchable data bases, so that may account for the difference.  What's interesting is a lot of the big large circulation newspaper in CAP early years published quite a few articles.
If you have some time start with 1940 and work your way up scanning the articles.  it's a good walk through history.
RM
 

[Smithsonia]

In Colorado we ran a regular SAREX this weekend. We got a nice 3 minute piece on the largest TV station in the state. It ran tonight 7-12-09. Click here:
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=119334&catid=339

Capt. Scott Orr, Maj. Mike Daniels, MSgt Cynthia Smith did a very nice job selling the story, telling the story, and working with the media.

I keep track of these things in the WING. We get 10-15 good stories a year. Only two or three would be consider critical. Those usually have nothing to do with what CAP does or doesn't do but more with frustration that some people are lost and we can't seem to find them. It is a reflection of general anxiety. Once every 3 to 4 years one of our members will do something real boneheaded, only occasionally is the CAP mentioned. However, every 10 years or so... we get a pasting in the press. It is the nature of the business, the media, and the world.

So I can only conclude that we get fair press. We get good press more often than not. AND, when it is bad press -- it is likely deserved on some way.

Complaining of this sort of coverage is like complaining about the weather... it doesn't do much good.

[BuckeyeDEJ]

NO ONE IN THE MILITARY OR CAP PAO has ever been to a budget meeting. Until you are and unless you can get into a budget meeting (in my case as a media editor, reporter, news manager, news consultant, promotions consultant) you won't know how to pitch your story properly.

I've been in thousands of them. And unlike what Kach said, newspapers aren't in the business of running advertising copy. We run news. Advertising copy may be the bailiwick of some small-town rag or a shopper, but at the last few papers I've toiled at, we've been interested in the news. Oh, and we've supplied TV with their leads most of the time, not to mention feed the aggregators like Google. After all, if it wasn't for The New York Times, Katie, Brian and Charlie wouldn't know what's important for their nightly feeds.

Big papers care when CAP has something it considers big. Community rags run grip-and-grins, promotions and event-calendar stuff. CAP PAs many times aren't good at targeting, and that's probably the biggest problem our public affairs efforts face. Much of the stuff we release is better off in the little papers, which many times connect better with readers than the big boys, unfortunately.

It's also important to note that we would do better if we could figure out what we're all about -- seems like CAP is having an identity crisis these days -- and if we could look the part instead of like a ragtag bunch. Unfortunately, TV has a way of simplifying things too much, and we have to tailor the message and our image much, much better. Even our slogan is NOT made for the modern media environment. We could be so much more.

[Smithsonia]

We now have a real world first person event to choose from:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbciFZYHGzk

Denver TV station KUSA/9News did a nice package on us this past weekend. It ran once that I know of. It was on their web page one day. It was a nice puff piece.

It was a slow news day. They were nice people. There is no complaint from me. I was one of the IOs on the SAREX and so by happenstance I look better than I should. ("Rotorhead" Scott Orr deserves the credit not me)

Below are all the posted comments from the story. Not one of these comments is negative. I've not edited any of the comments.

User Image     
BugBug31 wrote:
"Thank you to the many many people who give countless hours of unpaid time and effort for Search and Rescue."
7/13/2009 9:52 AM PDT on 9news.com

aubseric wrote:
"So that's what was going on overhead all weekend while we backpacked an 18 mile loop in the Indian Peaks wilderness. Good to know there out there training for a real situation. We wondered why there was so much single engine activity above, always in a east/west route. Those little Cessenas did sound to be strugling over the Divide, but they were still clipping along at what I quessed to be about 125 knots."
7/12/2009 5:19 PM PDT on 9news.com
   
C2dltCAP (16 hours ago) Show Hide
"hey when did this air... I always watch 9News!"

bollywood (11 hours ago) Show:
"These guy are Greaat! Thanks for a feel good story."

Dan Weaver of 9 News (the videographer/reporter on this story) sent this reply after my email of appreciation to him.
"You're welcome Ed! I enjoyed meeting you folks, and of course I appreciate all the work the CAP does for our state."

SO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE PATROL -- Quit complaining so much about the press. Quit complaining so much about getting no respect.

MY POINT IS -- The public seems to likes us just fine. The Media seems to like us just fine. We got lucky. We were blessed. - we'll take it today and be appreciative for it.

[wuzafuzz]

Many news websites allow comments now.  Those can go ugly sometimes.  One of the things we recently taught our cadets was the importance of comments they may post.  News articles don't always turn out the way we might wish.  A tepid news story followed by an online tantrum in the comments section can make us look awful. 

On the other hand, it's sure nice to see unsolicited positive comments!