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HENRY LANSFORD
Writing and Consulting
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The primary objective of the TCIPO media relations activities is to ensure that TCIPO responds promptly and effectively to the needs and requests of print journalists, television producers and other media people by:
The following tasks are essential to achieving this objective. I will perform them as TCIPO Media Relations Coordinator (TCIPO/MRC).
1. Develop and maintain a media kit that includes background information on TOGA COARE, news releases, photographs that are available to the media from TCIPO and other relevant materials. The media kit will be updated regularly as new information and photos become available. It will be available at the Washington briefing in September, through TCIPO and funding agency public affairs offices prior to the IOP and from the operations center in Townsville during the IOP.
2. Establish liaison with NSF, NOAA and NASA public affairs people, supply them with media kits and other information about TOGA COARE and support their media relations activities related to TOGA COARE.
3. Establish a working relationship with David Jasper and other key people in Australia prior to the IOP. Work with them to organize a news conference in Townsville in conjunction with the TOGA COARE opening ceremonies and a secondary news conference in Honiara. The news conferences will be designed to provide journalists with accurate, timely, understandable, newsworthy information about TOGA COARE and to give them an opportunity to question and interview knowledgeable scientists and operations people.
4. Issue news releases prior to and during the IOP. Each release will focus on one aspect of COARE; i.e., science, operations, IOP start-up, etc. The releases will be produced and distributed to U.S. and international media through the NCAR Media Relations Office.
5. Organize and conduct a media relations activity in Townsville during the period from October 26 through November 20. Develop written guidelines for on-site media-relations activities; arrange interviews, tours of the Townsville operations center and visits to field sites for media people; write and file news releases for distribution through NCAR; and hand off the on-site media relations responsibilities to others who will cover them after November 20.
TOGA COARE is likely to attract a great deal of media interest throughout the four-month Intensive Observing Period (IOP). Because we place great value on informing the public about our work, our general practice will be to make all reasonable efforts to respond to requests for information, interviews and visits, as long as such efforts do not interfere with the research program or the discharge of individual responsibilities of COARE scientists and support staff.
The TOGA COARE Operations Plan specifies that the Operations Director "oversees press/public affairs statements and activities." To ensure that we respond as effectively as possible to media requests without interfering with our research and support activities, the Operations Director, David Carlson, has designated three members of the TCIPO staff to respond to requests from the media for interviews, visits to the Operations Center, access to aircraft, etc. TCIPO's media relations coordinator, Henry Lansford, handled media requests while he was on site in Townsville from 26 October-15 November 1992. During the remainder of the IOP, Harriet Crowe and David Jasper will share responsibility for coordinating on-site media relations activities.
Media contact log. Lansford started an Australian media contact log based on information provided by Mike Rosel of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology plus additional contacts made during our media relations effort in Townsville thus far. As additional media contacts are made, they should be added to the log with brief notations that describe the nature of the contact. A file of letters and faxes related to these contacts will be maintained with the log.
Media contacts. We should maintain contact with media people who have expressed continuing interest, represent important national media or have done good stories on TOGA COARE. While he was on site, Lansford spoke to several of them to identify their specific interests and recommend appropriate follow-up action (i.e., a visit to the Honiara aircraft when they are here in November). These recommendations are noted on the media contact log.
Interviews. As Operations Director, Carlson is the appropriate spokesperson to respond to requests from the media for interviews about TOGA COARE's broad goals and operations. Journalists who are looking for more scientific detail may want to interview other TOGA COARE scientists who are in Townsville, such as members of the International Scientific Oversight Team. Reporters who are interested in specific aspects of our operations, such as forecasting or aircraft operations, may want to talk with appropriate people from the Bureau of Meteorology, NOAA, NASA, or other organizations. The TCIPO on-site media relations coordinator normally will arrange media interviews, visits, etc.
Aircraft missions. Jim McPhaden, who is in charge of the NOAA aircraft on Honiara, can arrange for media people to fly on P-3 missions. However, anyone who expresses interest should be reminded that: (1) there are only two flights a week from Brisbane to Honiara; (2) the Honiara aircraft may sit on the ground for several days between missions; (3) space may not be available for news media people on some missions; and (4) their insurance may not cover them while flying on research aircraft. Lansford will contact Dean Jaynes at NASA Ames to discuss NASA's policy on news media access to the NASA aircraft while they are based in Townsville.
Freelance journalists. We will provide a media kit and assistance to freelance journalists. It will be important to examine the status of the inquiry in order to judge how extensive a response is appropriate. For example, does the freelancer have a firm assignment in writing or is he or she on a "fishing expedition"?
Public open house. We should hold an open house when the NASA aircraft arrive. We also may want to consider an earlier one when the NCAR Electra and the NOAA P-3s are in Townsville in late November. Crowe and Jasper will work with Karyn Sawyer to organize these events.
Speakers bureau. We should respond to requests from local service clubs, schools, etc., for TOGA COARE speakers to give general (as opposed to scientific or technical) presentations. Lansford will put together a set of 35-mm slides for them to use. Crowe and Sawyer have volunteered to give such presentations.
Liaison with funding agencies. Lansford will provide public affairs people at NOAA, NSF and NASA, as well as Mike Rosel, with a summary of TOGA COARE media relations activities thus far, a copy of these on-site media relations guidelines, a sample media kit and an offer to work with them on media relations activities related to their agencies' roles in TOGA COARE. Lansford also will contact John Kermond at NOAA/OGP about his efforts to produce a TOGA COARE video documentary.
U.S. media contacts. Lansford will follow up several media contacts with publications such as National Geographic, Newsweek, and Science News that have been made by various UCAR and TCIPO people.
Media briefing. The next Townsville media briefing should be in January when the NASA aircraft arrive. Crowe and Jasper will have primary responsibility for organizing it, with advice from Rosel.
News release. We should send a mid-experiment release to selected U.S. and Australian media just before the January media briefing in Townsville. Lansford will write it, obtain the necessary reviews, arrange for U.S. distribution and work with Rosel on Australian distribution. This release should summarize progress during the first half of the IOP and plans for the second half. It should replace the opening day release in the media kit.
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