[Sosfbay-discuss] [usgp-media] Re: SF Chronicle editors explain why they barGreens from debates

[Wes Rolley]

I am not on the national email list, so this won't go there... maybe you 
can forward it, Drew, if you think it worthy.

I want to basically agreee with your position that normal process is not 
getting what we want.  My experience is limited. I am not a journalist.  
My closest contact is a son-in-law who graduated from the U,. of 
Missouri School of Journalism and then went in to advertising.  However, 
I have been heavily involved in the 11th Congressional District campaign 
in California and have worked on a number of efforts to influence the 
media, both local and national. It has been a pleasure to watch Pete 
McCloskey work the media.  So, what I say is based on knowing what 
worked and what did not work in  this role.

I would add that we need to extend the range of what we do, not replace 
the current release process, just because there are some who measure 
your effectiveness (and associated credibility) by the quality and 
timliness of the press releases that are produced.

Andy is right about the dedication to the "story."  In some cases, it is 
for the story.  In others, it is more for the advancement of one's 
career by being the one to get the story first.

I am an active blogger.  I have a diary on DailyKos.  I own a local blog 
called PomboWatch and another called CAGreening.  If I blog something, 
it does not get picked up in the press.  There is no story for the 
reporter then unless the story is about bloggers. However, if I do all 
of my homework outlining a story, laying out the facts, developing a 
timeline if needbe, and make that availabe to members of the press with 
whom I have taken the time to develop a relationship, then it may be 
picked up.  I won't get any credit at all.  Then, once that story hits, 
I can make it rattle through the blogoshpere to amplify it, and by 
association, amplify the career of the reporter.

The best examle that I know of where someone did this was the recent 
story about Richard Pombo and Jack Abramoff that was released by Erica 
Werner of AP.  That story came from someone I know, was offered around 
to several reporters and finally Erica picked up on it.  The fact is 
that every one of those reporters had all of the information that would 
have made the story, they just did not take the time and trouble to 
connect the dots.

The other thing that I know is that bloggers have a reputation of 
critiquing reporters, or their newspapers. For every story there are 
potentiall hundreds of fact checkers. If that is all you do, then, as a 
blogger, you eventually fail and make enemies out of the reporters.  The 
antidote is to be factual, give the reporter the credit they deserve, 
keep the fact checking critiques out of the public eye unless it is so 
blatant that you must comment, then give the reporter a warning or a 
concurrent note. It is all about maintaining one's credibility.

I know of at least 3 more stories about Pombo or his opponent, Jerry 
McNerney, that are in the works and which reporter is working them.

My goal is to create situations where both the reporter or editor and I 
can achieve our goals.  I get the word out, they get the story.  We both 
know that we are using each other.

Finally, we have had good results by setting up a type of rapid response 
effort outside of any campaign.  I do get campaign press releases sent 
to me.  I also get multiple news alerts and various pieces of 
information tossed through the transom.  By having a distribution list 
of those who are more skilled than I in writing or have others that are 
willing to modify, sign and send letters to local papers across the 
district, I can have some degree of control on which messages are 
getting attention.

Humor works.  So does havig a "name".  Editors will print something with 
McCloskey's name when they would not print the same thing with my name.

That is it.  If this helps extend the range of what we are doing, then 
that is a plus.  Note, I said "extend the range".  We still need to be 
able to respond quickly and precisely to events in the normal manner.


Thank you Andy, Cres, and Scott for sharing your experience! I'm

>really appreciating the quality of discussion that y'all are
>contributing.  
>
>I've also been a reporter and editor, and PR person so I judge that my
>experience and view point will provide similar value.
>
>To a large degree I believe we need to play our hand quite differently
>than we would if we were representing a Dem or Repub.  I think we are
>not succeeding in getting the coverage we need with our present
>strategy.  We are churning out marvelous press releases, but are they
>getting written into stories and published?  No, I'm not seeing it
>happen currently.
>
>I think we need to operate in a very 'guerilla marketing' sort of way
>to get media coverage.  I think we need to stir up the muck, create
>some positive (for us) controversy that really throws a cold light on
>the fixed nature of this political game.   Our conventional approach is
>not getting us where we want to go IMO. 
>

Wes Rolley		 
17211 Quail Court	
Morgan Hill, CA 95037
(408)778-3024

"Happiness is to be fully engaged in the activity that you believe in and, if you are very good at it, well that's a bonus." -- Henry Moore