"Dealing With the Media"

Suanne Brooks, ACF Regional Administrator
Richard Belcher, WSB (Atlanta Channel 2) Anchor--Investigative Reporter
Circa February 1995, Atlanta, Georgia

Something (usually bad) happens...you become "defensive." So don't.

Suanne Brooks: I've been dealing with the media since 1973 when I was a DHHS press officer. As we all know, bad news travels ten times faster than good.

Richard Belcher: I first met Suanne while investigating EOA (Economic Opportunity Atlanta) money abuses; EOA: HS was the prize! The biggest check; its financial base! HS "easiest because of the consensus about what it does." That sets "an astonishing degree of agreement" before the reporter arrives.

It also makes the criticism easier if you aren't delivering! (e.g. if programs don't have required materials, etc., etc.). You tend to slip into "self-righteous defensiveness." But your "righteous mission" (like in Prohibition) doesn't mean we're above criticism! In Prohibition, "law of unintended consequences" produced crime. Same with Urban Renewal/Model Cities...driven by "righteous concern" and belief that would work.
Results are what matters! (not righteousness) Cities, parents, taxpayers have the right to demand the finest! "Failure to deliver the service you're paid to deliver," that's what it's about!
We "take it out of context." That's my job; we don't tell the whole story. "Learn to deal with it!" When we come in we're already pre-??; government audits, source testimony, etc. (With EOA by Fall of '84, they were in crisis! Unfortunately, race became the issue: While reporter/tv station versus "the people's agency" (and a "black" agency). Race became their reason not to respond. Our work was little more than reviewing the audits and telling the people about them. EOA responded with a clear rebuke of what we had done. Unfortunately, EOA was gone (in '89). It went away because those who reacted to me--their critic. 1978 was my first encounter with EOA; I visited an EOA delegate which trained workers.
If you begin to get serious criticism (auditors, media, constituents, participants), drop the mantle of righteousness and ask the question, "Are we doing the best to serve the interests we're created for, or are we just working to protect/preserve the agency itself."
Cultures are different (views, history, etc), but the rules aren't different! "Oh those are the rules of a tight-assed white woman," we were told when we asked EOA's vice chair about their problems. One, Barbara Curry, acknowledged [privately] what needed to be done.
If the criticism is unfair, ask to see the General Manager/top executive. Or the paper's "salesman?" Complain "on the facts." Don't get hostile, self-righteous, play the race card. Make your case--if only to head off the next voice of criticism. "You're in the bulls eye, even if it's Head Start."
Being "taken out of context" is one of the prices you pay for being in the public arena today. Reacting with hostility will hurt you.
Ray Donovan, former US Secretary of Labor. Indicted. Tried, acquitted, he asked, "Where do I go to get my reputation back?"
Your first job: Do the job right in the first place!

Audits, substantive criticism, service delivery criticism: Be open to the idea someone's on to something! Life's tough. You've been around the block enough to know some "don't play fair." Life's not fair.
You look best if you answer the reporter's questions--straight forwardly as you can. Don't let one "complaint" overshadow the entire program. TV has aggravated the tendency to listen to every beef that comes along, and we tend to exaggerate it. You may not "correct" the issue, but you can minimize it. This is communication, speaking skills. The tone of your response, particularly on TV defines it. If you've done something wrong, no matter now minor, admit it. Candor sells. If you've made a mistake, admit it. Appeal to the fairmindedness of people.
Nobody's saying Head Start "stinks."

Leonard Dawson: Your point: Religion, race, experience does not give me any special consideration--is good. I need to deal with it. "Righteous versus results:" Just try not to deal with those, but look at it from broader societal issues, expectations.

Balancing the budget: The question is not whether, but how. I'm amazed about some of the things that will stay in the budget, but the political reality is what's upward and onward, not what works. I'm amazed at the way government spends money at all levels. Name me a program where anyone says the program doesn't work, should be cut. Instead, "circle the wagons; defend the dollar to the last dime" mentality has created the budget-cutting frenzy in Washington!!

[A "throw out the baby with with the bath mentality at work?] (Belcher: "I know HS works.

I know how they're [the children] shaped early on.")

Suanne Brooks: There are HS 238 Grantees in Southeast! "You can be open, honest, etc, but unless you have a lot of experience talking with the media, you may want to call the Regional Office first."

Head Start is often the basic (foundational) funding of CAA's -- so any problem with the "grantee" bears upon Head Start because you administer the money. Most of our Region IV problems have been "grantee problems" than Head Start problems.

1) Positive Media Marketing. You invite the media in for a specific event. Call in a friendly reporter for human interest, not investigative reporter. Make sure you stage the event and that it goes off as you intended. Do a positive promotional presentation, don't simply send a press release. Human interest stories. Particularly in rural areas, newspapers are looking for these.

2) Investigative Reporting. Negative news gets more play than good, and different reporters cover them--know which they are.

Arm the press people with facts: services, dollars, served, Board, number of centers, etc., etc. Put these facts in print. Keep these in your file, ready to go.
Be sure you have a planned event, history/growth, community partners, etc.

How are investigative stories born? The one's we've been involved with are (in order)

Internal Sources (staff, parents, PCS) -- most are budgetary [when the reporter comes in your door, he's already got everything, all the documents, he needs to write the story. He has information from somewhere--accurate or otherwise. When he arrives, he's not just passing the day! "I have never seen a reporter walk in on a rumor."
Disgruntled parents -- usually on the basis of rights under "70.2," the budget, treatment received
Agency failure to follow procedures. Particularly with staff discipline/terminations. "Community" often backs those staff.
Actions against you by former staff
Injured child, abuse, neglect; staff person injury, endangering another.

99% claim they're not "fishing." They've got somebody's perception of the truth.

Dealing with investigative situations...

1) Find out specifically what they're there to see you about. Be sure you get from them the subject of the interview, so you can "be prepared to deal with them effectively."

2) Identify an agency press spokesperson. Don't volunteer--or allow others to do so--to talk to the press in an investigative situation. Have an agency policy on dealing with the media and who is authorized to speak for the agency, respective programs etc. The grantee executive(s) should be the one(s) dealing with the media, and its program divisions are there to lend them needed support.

3) Investigative Reporters job is to report the news--and bad news is usually more sale-able. So, spend the time with them to thoroughly explain the program, particularly budgetary/fiscal issues. They are "dumb" about your environment even though they have already in mind what they're going to write: Acknowledge that they're going to write what they will, but emphasize that they must write it from a knowledge base. Start with an educational process. Reporters don't deal with details well. Journalists are supposed to report accurately and fairly, but not all journalists do. If they're going to say something absolutely wrong, explain it to them when their perspective is "flat out wrong."

4) Have an agency media strategy/program. A "PR" person may do the promotional stuff. An executive should do the investigative stuff!

5) If a call from an investigative reporter,

a) Notify your executive director
b) Notify the Regional Office/your representative

[Tell them what reporters say the story is.]

6) If they want a lot of "stuff": minutes, PP&P, OSPRI, grants, Head Start PIR, agency correspondence, etc. Most of your information is public under Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

[It's not an issue of what the press gets, but when they get it.

The best thing--since they'll get it anyway: Get it out and get it over! It guarantees under media scrutiny--give it to them. The story's done, over! The FOIA takes 30-60 days. You're just "buying time" and they won't leave you alone anyway. They'll keep the story alive! It won't go away, and the longer it drags out the worse it'll be.

Keep media at the lowest level: local first, then the Regional Office of needs be, not D.C. Have the Board Chair speak for you!

[Please don't stonewall the press. Return the calls! Don't be haughty in responding to their questions.]

You must talk to them. They won't go away! They may get "mad"--by the time they get to the Regional Office, and they'll probe and press till they really "get something." Provide the media:

--Candor
--A spokesperson

Regarding the Spokesperson, don't say, "We have a policy that only one speaks for the agency;" but do simply configure your organization internally so that everyone inside the organization understands that. To a reporter, you may say, "Our Executive Director is responsible for the overall management of the agency, I'm sure he/she'd be happy to meet/talk with you."

Louisville--the biggest one (current problem): It's the School Board versus the Head Start Policy Council

The professional response is: Here's the requested information.

Key point: Please don't talk too much! People talk too much to the press. Find out specifically what they want. Give them that information, the questions, then be quiet!

Be gracious, cordial. Be careful. On TV, they'll pick a "sound bite." TV is really tough. They'll edit down to what they want to say.
If you're doing a press interview, have someone in there to take notes. They can vouch for what you actually said. That's a good protection, support. They must tell you if they record you.
If things get really hot, heavy, refer them to the Regional Office.

"Off the record." Don't ever do it (unless you can absolutely know you can trust). Never go off the record on your opinion.

If you ever see a lawsuit coming, you nor anyone at agency ever comments. "No comment!" Also:

Never, never, never conjecture! ( "What if" ) If you conjecture, the press will go ahead and project. Say, "I will not speculate. "
If they want a quote, WRITE IT DOWN!
Never lie to a reporter!!! If they catch you in it, they'll finish you. If they ask a question, answer it. Tell the truth. (You don't have to tell them "everything") Don't talk down to them or "abuse" them.

If a staff termination is absolutely done according to your Personnel Policies & Procedures and 70.2, then you've done your homework; only then then you can comment on it. If you fear suit/complaint, you should only comment, or not, with that in mind. Look at the procedure/allegations; make sure you've done it right!

Know your program/community well enough to know when something's "bubbling," when someone's got a beef with you. "Befriend the media whenever you possibly can. Establish trust!

Never trust a reporter--unless you know you can. Show respect to the reporter; recognize their professionalism and professional outlook. Do not be intimidated by them! (Some are more than "pushy") And don't "tell 'em off;" refer them to the Regional Office.

If you give documents to media, "sanitize" them:

Mark out names (personal)

Take out salaries [these are "public" for the feds, not the media!]

Take out corporate identifying names

If they're nasty or unprofessional, know that (through the Regional Office) we can delay up to a year getting information to them.

"Don't kid yourselves?" If you've got deficiencies and the press comes to call, level with them. The best you can do is run an absolutely fantastic high quality program.

"We've got to know in the Regional Office if and when your agency is under fire." Again, most of our problems are not Head Start problems, but grantees' problems. Head Start, be circumspect; don't get caught up in grantee problems.

"Dealing With the Media"

Suanne Brooks, ACF Regional Administrator Richard Belcher, WSB (Atlanta Channel 2) Anchor--Investigative Reporter Circa February 1995, Atlanta, Georgia

Suanne Brooks, ACF Regional Administrator
Richard Belcher, WSB (Atlanta Channel 2) Anchor--Investigative Reporter
Circa February 1995, Atlanta, Georgia