A reader sent this one in. File it under bad media relations.
After the Unemployment Security Office in Seattle stonewalled a TV news station, a reporter dropped in to the agency with a camera and tried to speak with a spokesperson. The spokesperson, well, he provided a quick lesson on how not to handle the media.
Click the image below to go to the station’s Web site and see the 2:48 video. (For some reason KING-TV doesn’t provide embed codes for its Web videos.)
Subscribe to this blog's feed
This articles helps me more.Thanks for your sharing,I will pay more attentions to your blog. Looking forward to your bet... 
RSS
Comments (5)
Did that Public Affairs guy for the employment benefits agency keep his job?
Posted by Rodger D. Johnson | January 26, 2009 3:38 PM
Posted on January 26, 2009 15:38
"...a government employee - who by definition serves the public."
What's sad, too, is that this individual's appearance, attitude and inability to communicate feed the public's perception that the above quote is an oxymoron.
It may be difficult serving an often-demanding public, but that's no excuse for this boorishness. Combined with that agency's difficulties in carrying out its primary mission, this makes them look even worse.
Will anyone be held accountable? Doubtful. But it would be interesting to find out if a competent representative of the agency ever followed up with the reporter to try to redeem themselves. How about it, Michael?
Posted by Anonymous in DC | January 26, 2009 7:00 AM
Posted on January 26, 2009 07:00
Perhaps more shocking than the media relations gaffe is the fact that this communicator is a government employee - who by definition serves the public. Anyone with a clue knows that walking away from a reporter with a camera will create the wrong impression.
The comment here by Mike is equally problematic. It infers that the young man in the video has a drinking problem. It's dangerous to assume anything. Just the facts, please.
Posted by Charles Pizzo | January 23, 2009 2:49 PM
Posted on January 23, 2009 14:49
Point of interest on the video. The unemployed guy doesn't know how he's going to pay the February rent, and he says this with a full array of liquor bottles on the counter by his kitchen table. I guess, if you don't know where the rent money is going to come from, you might as well buy some booze to forget your troubles...
Posted by Mike | January 23, 2009 11:24 AM
Posted on January 23, 2009 11:24
The good news is that while unfortunate for the PR industry's reputation, these type of examples are great for educational purposes.
Posted by Susan | January 23, 2009 9:47 AM
Posted on January 23, 2009 09:47