Journalists

[James Heald <j.heald@ucl.ac.uk>]

xdrudis wrote:
> 
> I already told Meller. He was just not aware of some things and looked
> open, receptive, interested, etc. So it seems more of a mistake than
> any conspiration theory. Both of his articles were before the
> contact, I don't know if he has written anything later on swpats.
> 
> Xavi Drudis Ferran
> xdrudis@tinet.org


What we have to remember is tht typically journalists only have about 2
hours to research, write and file a story like this.

If the information is close to hand, they may use it.  Otherwise they
will go with what they have got.

If there is a nuance they get wrong, it's not their mistake -- it's
*our* mistake: we should have given them an easy-to-follow press release
that got the details right, that they could have lifted paragraphs from
wholesale.

So, for example with the vote coming up on June 10, we need to make sure
that we have press releases ready to go out two days before, and more
press releases ready to go out as soon as the vote is done, explaining
what is happening, why it is important, who we represent, and who they
can contact on a mobile telephone for further information or
soundbites.  And this ought to go out to everyone who has shown any
interest in the story, as well as EuropeanVoice, EU Politix, and the
rest of the Brussels / EU Parliament media.

It might also be worth getting together a page of quotes and contact
details for people who gave presentations at the Brussels conference, to
send out with the press release above.

But if we haven't told journalists what to write, we can't complain if
they get it wrong.

    James.