In the political world Friday is known as "Take Out The Trash Day" because most politicos know better than to say or do anything important just prior to the weekend.(SC Gov. Mark Sanford might have fared better if he waited until Friday to come back from his "hiking trip" and bare his infidelity. He would have done a whole lot better if he had just waited a day and had been overshadowed by Michael Jackson's demise.)
News coverage is a 24-hour continuous cycle and in politics you learn to "feed the beast" with information that you want showcased and learn to hide the tidbits you'd rather not see on page one. In Episode 13 of "The West Wing" we learn about "Take Out The Trash Day." The title refers to the Friday press briefing wherein the White House releases information about several sensitive stories, thereby preventing discussion and reducing any probable impact in the media.
Josh: Friday.
Donna: I mean, what is it?
Josh: Any stories we have to give the press that we're not wild about, we give all in a lump on Friday.
Donna: Why do you do it in a lump?
Josh: Instead of one at a time?
Donna: I'd think you'd want to spread them out.
Josh: They've got X column inches to fill, right? They're going to fill them no matter what.
Donna: Yes.
Josh: So if we give them one story, that story's X column inches.
Donna: And if we give them five stories ...
Josh: They're a fifth the size.
Donna: Why do you do it on Friday?
Josh: Because no one reads the paper on Saturday.
Donna: You guys are real populists, aren't you?
It irked the press no end when Sarah Palin, presumptive presidential candidate announced - on a Friday - that she would step down as Governor of Alaska. The talking heads questioned her motives and reran her press conference throughout the weekend while providing background that you never make such an announcement on Friday because it would not be noticed. They were even saying this on Tuesday of the next week as they continued to ponder the motives of Gov. Palin.
You can't predict the time of your crisis, but you can adjust and refine your message depending on what part of the news cycle you are in:
· Morning - What is said at a morning press briefing will be reported all day long.
· Noon - If the story is big enough or ongoing, a press availability during the lunch hour might be aired live.
· 4 p.m. - The deadest time of day for a news story. Print reporters are writing their main story and TV reporters have footage packaged for the evening broadcast.
· 6 p.m. - This is the time that journalism does rewrites. New information and comments get added to the story either in print or on-air by the TV anchor.
Nothing in here suggests that there is a best time of day for a crisis to happen. As Murphy's Law states -- if anything can go wrong, it will -- a crisis will occur at the worst possible time. Be prepared and have a plan.
Timing also means that you learn not to step on your own stories. Like cycles in nature, news coverage sometimes needs a chance to ripen and bloom before harvest.
If you are making a major announcement, keep it to one a day and try to stay away from muddying you own waters.
As Mike Memoli in Real Clear Politics Blog writes on July 15:
If that's the case, the White House isn't doing her any favors by scheduling President Obama's remarks on health care in the Rose Garden at the same time as her speech. Both are set for 1 pm.
Make your announcement, take questions, and let it ripen and bloom, then wait for the coverage. In the cycle of news there's the news coverage and the next day there is the follow-up and the commentary.
Be patient and let it happen. Don't step on the toes of your own story.
# # #
Make sure you are ready to respond. Call Lipsett & Associates, Inc. at 770-426-9388.
No comments:
Post a Comment