I?ve been a fan of the fake news for a few years. But last week (I think) I heard my first fake press conference.
How can a press conference ? a staged media event ? be fake you ask?
When the PR team asks and answers all the questions!
OK, I know this blog is dedicated to IMC 617 Sales Promotion, but I hope it?s OK to touch on the news conference FEMA held last week since it brings up a lot of IMC issues.

A little background:
FEMA announced a press conference last Tuesday (10/23) with its deputy administrator to discuss its response to the California wild fires. FEMA?s response had been rapid and apparently effective, a big contrast to its performance during Hurricane Katrina.
FEMA gave only 15 minutes? notice before the event. Journalists were provided with a telephone line they could call, but the line allowed listening only, not two-way communication so they could ask questions.
Harvey Johnson, FEMA deputy administrator, stood behind a podium and took questions from a group of earnest-sounding people in the audience who acted as though they were reporters. The un-reporters (FEMA PR staffers) asked not-very-hard-hitting questions, like ?are you happy with FEMA?s reponse so far?? to which FEMA?s deputy administrator answered without skipping a beat: ?I?m very happy with FEMA?s response so far??

Fallout:
The Washington Post broke the story three days (!) after it happened. FEMA apologized for its ?error in judgement.? The White House distanced itself from the event. Letters of reprimand were put in the personnel files of FEMA employees who participated. And, FEMA?s PR director lost his job. Michael Chertoff, the head of Homeland Security (which oversees FEMA), said: ?this is one of the dumbest and most inappropriate things I?ve seen since I?ve been in government.?

So what?s so wrong about a fake news conference?

• Do you guys think there are ethical problems in holding a new conference without disclosing who is asking the questions? Even if only true statements are made?

• How about this: should the TV news channels that broadcast the news conference have been responsible for verifying that it was real?

• What do you think this does to FEMA from an IMC point of view? Did it impact FEMA?s credibility with the news media? With average citizens?

• And finally ? you knew this was coming – what do you think FEMA should do to address this crisis? (and would you want the job?)

Personally, this episode makes me feel kinda embarrassed to tell people I?m involved in paid communications. Especially when people discussing this story at dinner start sliding knowing glances my way and using the “f-word” (flack). * looks innocent * Hey, I just market industrial equipment!

Also:

?Ask April? (like ?Ask Todd?) is Open! Click ?reply to article? and ask any old thing that comes to your mind about IMC 617 and the IMC program.