NAGC's Government Communicators Blog

Cool New Tool: Photosynth

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 16:08:00 +0000

If your agency takes photos, then you need to get familiar with Photosynth, a new product just launched by Microsoft. A great demonstration of the software's capabilities is provided here, courtesy of TED.

Essentially, the software allows for unique and interactive displays of photographs. Let's use a photo of a state Capitol as an example. Rather than just showing a flat image of the Capitol, Photosynth takes dozens of photographs shot of the same building -- but each from a different angle and level of detail -- and allows the viewer to experience the view from each of these perspectives and, one would hope, a higher level of appreciation for the building's beauty and details.

A good example is this one of the front of the Taj Mahal. What I like about this is that I can actually "stand" in front of the structure, turn and look back at the walkway leading up to the famous building. And, if you see the "halo" and hold your "control" key while clicking on it, you get a crude, but pretty cool 3-D effect.

Right now, you can take photos of objects and post them to the Photosynth site. All submissions become public property as Microsoft launches this public phase of the project.

We hope to submit something soon. If you submit a project, let us know so we can publicize it.

Defense Department Changes Create New Job

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 04:29:00 +0000

Interested in being the director of a government communications program that employs 2,400 staff, has a budget of more than $225 million and is just now being created? According to an article in the Washington Post, the Defense Department is advertising for a director of its Defense Media Activity.

The department is, according to its Web site, undertaking an initiative designed to modernize and streamline media operations by consolidating military service and department media components into a single, integrated and transformed organization.

The post could pay up to $172,000.

Holtz: What is a Press Release?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:13:00 +0000

PR blogger Shel Holtz has a great piece today on the definition of a news release. He asks a question all government communicators should consider: can a text message serve as a press release? Think about your answer and see if it falls in line with his reasoning.

Journalism: Could it be People Want a Better Product?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:09:00 +0000

The media, particularly newspapers, is obsessed about what is going to happen to its industry. In a time of changing news consumption habits, a rocky economy and greater online consumer choices, the response by media companies generally has been to cut staff, reduce the product and whine about their woes.

What if someone tried to be radically different, such as increasing the number of reporters to cover news, offer an improved product and learn to adapt to the changing marketplace? Bean counters will tell us that it doesn’t make economic sense to do that. And they are always correct in their analysis, right?

This headline about CNN actually daring to increase its staff covering the news brought a glimmer of hope to our theory. We’ll keep our fingers crossed that it works and other news organizations will follow (since we believe America is stronger with a viable press).

Olympic Deceptions: Harmless Propoganda?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 19:45:00 +0000

The 2008 Olympics have provided some great theater, and a couple of articles today state that some of that theater was improvised by the Chinese government. Further, the articles state, the government thinks that is just fine.

First, there is the revelation in this CNN article that some of the fireworks seen on television during the impressive opening ceremonies were actually animation.

Then, we find out that the girl who sang "Ode to the Motherland," lip-synched the performance, according to this CNN article. The voice of the girl who actually sang the song was determined not to be photogenic enough for television.

Are these types of deception acceptable for a government? We give the Chinese credit for being upfront and honest that they took these two actions to make for a better broadcast -- although the statements appear to have come after the fact. The government doesn't offer any apologies and, quite frankly, sees no reason why they should.

There are examples throughout history when the U.S. government has decided that putting forth the best images are in the national interest. We tend to cringe when these propoganda methods are revealed, because we believe the public wants, and can handle, the truth.

While these two examples coming from the Olympic games appear to be relatively harmless events, it begs the question, what other kinds of propoganda is the government capable of?

Spokesdrone Story: Is It Fake News?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 21:13:00 +0000

Is the government working on a spokesdrone to replace spokespersons? This funny piece from the Onion is a great parody on what one may look and act like. It's good for a chuckle.

We have to wonder, though. About the same time the spokesdrone story arrived on our news reader, we also got a notice from PR Week that the Navy was issuing an RFP to select "its first outside agency to provide communications support for the Navy's Office of Information..."

We're sure it's just a coincidence.

Test Your Grammar Skills

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Rose) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:47:00 +0000

Newsroom101.com has some great exercises for you to find out how much you know about AP style and general grammar. For example, do you the correct answer for this question?

It's a state where __________ swim teams dominate.

1. nationally renown
2. nationally-renown
3. nationally renowned
4. nationally-renowned

Karen Hughes Gets a Job

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:12:00 +0000

When Karen Hughes spoke to NAGC's Communications School in Albuquerque, she mentioned she was looking for a job. She found one that is causing quite a buzz. According to this Washington Post article, she is teaming up with former Hillary Clinton election strategist Mark Penn. Is bipartisanship making a comeback in Washington, D.C.?

Tony Snow

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:20:00 +0000

Former White House press secretary Tony Snow passed away on Saturday. As the Washington Post reported on Sunday, Snow "redefined the role of White House press secretary with his lively banter with reporters." The former CNN and Fox News commentator brought instant credibility to his position. When we learned he had cancer, we all began to feel the void.

As we have mentioned in this blog before, the role of White House secretary tends to be the pinnacle job in this industry of government communications. While his tenure was shorter than it should have been, he served our profession well. To his family and friends, we express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt gratitude for his service as a dedicated public servant.

Give Your Press Release a Grade

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 11:49:00 +0000

Does your online press release contain everything it should? A new Web site PressRelease Grader, analyzes your press release on contact information, company information, links to your agency, "Gobbledygook" words and other criteria. It's rather basic service now, but there appears to be great potential here.

This site was recommended in a post on the My Creative Team Thinking blog.

New Words in New Dictionary: Have a Mondegreen?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:49:00 +0000

The dictionary and AP Stylebook are often cited as two essential sources for government communicators that write news releases. Merriam-Webster keeps its dictionary fresh by adding new words each year. CNN reports there are about 100 new words this year.

"Many of the new entries reflect the nation's growing interest in the culinary arts, including prosecco (a sparkling Italian wine) and soju (a Korean vodka distilled from rice). Others define new technology or products, such as infinity pool -- an outdoor pool with an edge designed to make water appear to flow into the horizon.
Others reflect current events and much-discussed news topics, including dirty bomb (a conventional bomb that releases radioactive material) and Norovirus (small, round single-stranded RNA viruses, such as the Norwalk Virus)."

Perhaps the most fun new word is "mondegreen," which Merriam Webster defines and explains as follows:

("a word or phrase that results from a mishearing of something said or sung") has delighted wordplay aficionados for years. Mondegreen was first coined by author Sylvia Wright in 1954 in Atlantic magazine, when she confessed to a childhood misinterpretation of the Scottish ballad "The Bonny Earl of Moray." When she first heard the lyric "they had slain the Earl of Moray and had laid him on the green," she felt terribly sorry for the "poor Lady Mondegreen."
A few more examples:

The ants are my friends = the answer my friend/is blowin’ in the wind
Bob Dylan, "Blowin’ in the Wind"

There’s a bathroom on the right = there’s a bad moon on the rise
Credence Clearwater Revival, "Bad Moon Rising"

Hold me closer, Tony Danza = hold me closer, tiny dancer
Elton John, "Tiny Dancer"

They've even created a Web site so we can submit our favorite lyrical mistakes.

Presidential Press Secretaries: An Interview with Linda Levin

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:37:00 +0000

The first presidential press secretary, Steve Early, is the focus of a new book. The author is Linda Lotridge Levin, Professor of Journalism and Chair of the Department of Journalism at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston.

Levin was kind enough to respond to some email questions about the book, which can be purchased at any local or online retailer, or direct from www.prometheusbooks.com, The toll free order hotline is 800-421-0351.

What inspired you to write about Early?

I got the idea for this book from my daughter, a senior history major at Mount Holyoke College. She was taking a seminar on "The Biography" with Dr. Joseph Ellis, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian. Dr. Ellis asked his students to select someone in American history and write a 40-page biography of him or her. When my daughter was in high school, she had taken a history of American journalism course with me at my university, and she recalled Stephen T. Early so she chose him as her topic. She found very little material on him, but she did find enough to write her paper. When he returned the paper to her, Dr. Ellis said, "Someone should write a book about him." She told me, and I did. It took me ten years to research and write the book. I spent part of those summers and some of my breaks from the university working there, too. It was an amazing experience.

What surprises did you find along the way?

I had no idea of the breadth of materials related to Steve Early and FDR and many others who worked in the administration in the FDR Library. I did not realize that Early and FDR were more than just president and press secretary. They met in 1912 when Early was covering the Democratic convention in Baltimore for the United Press wire service (later UPI), and Roosevelt was there as a delegate from New York state. The two struck up a friendship that lasted until FDR died in April, 1945. When FDR became under secretary of the navy under Woodrow Wilson, Early, now a reporter for the Associated Press, covered the War Department which included navy where his and FDR's friendship flourished. Years later, Early said that the assistant secretary made for great news copy. I also did not realize what a distinguished journalism career Early had with the Associated Press and then with Paramount (moviereels) News before he went to the White House. It was as an AP reporter covering President's Harding's trip to Alaska and the west coast that Early was the first reporter to learn of and report on Harding's death in San Francisco.

How did Early benefit from the introduction of newsreels, radio and other new mediums during the FDR presidency ?

It was serendipitous that Early and FDR went into the White House when media technology had developed to the point where they were able to utilize it to such a great advantage. When Roosevelt was governor of New York in the late 1920's, he discovered he liked to speak on the radio, and he was effective doing it. In addition, Early had developed a wide array of journalism contacts during his years at United Press and the Associated Press. In World War I, Lieutenant Early was a top editor of the Army newspaper, Stars and Stripes, where he worked along side men who later became leaders in the field of journalism and the arts, men such as Adolph Ochs Jr. of the New York Times family; Alexander Woolcott, the prominent playwright; Harold Ross, founder of the New Yorker magazine, and Grantland Rice, one of the greatest sports writers of his day. In 1920, Early served as the advance man for FDR's failed campaign for vice president on the Democratic ticket. Early would travel around the country a couple of train stops ahead of FDR, and he would set up meetings for Roosevelt at newspapers and radio stations in the towns. In this role, Early got to know many media people whom he later would turn to for coverage of the New Deal. As the head of Paramount's newsreel bureau in Washington, Early became acquainted with a number of people in radio and newsreels and learned about the technology. Thus, it was inevitable that the charismatic Roosevelt and the journalist Early would choose to take full advantage of every bit of media technology available and all those journalism contacts Early--and FDR--had made over the years.

Why do you believe FDR was the first president to recognize the value of public relations in the White House?

I'm not sure he was the first president to recognize this, but he was the first president who really enjoyed (at least until the war when censorship was in place and he was traveling a lot to secret wartime meetings) the give and take of a press conference and speaking into a radio microphone. In addition, he was the first president to have Steve Early as his press secretary. The chapter in the book where FDR and Early go to the White House is called "Launching the Juggernaut," and there's no doubt a juggernaut could not have rolled forward without FDR and Early working as a team. Early understood how the media worked, and FDR needed the media to promote his New Deal policies to the nation.

What do you see as the differences and parallels between Early and the modern era's White House Communications team?

Most press secretaries before and after Steve Early have not enjoyed a long-time friendship with the president before he took office. Often the press secretary has been a journalist the president as a politician knew professionally. As I wrote in my book, because Early came to his job when the country was in the midst of the worst economic depression in its history and on its heels a cataclysmic war, it would have been easy for Early and Roosevelt simply to close their doors and ignore the press as presidents before them had done and continue to do. Another difference is that today the president has a much bigger staff and a larger more complex government to run. This frequently has left him with less time to spend in briefings with his press secretary who, unlike Steve Early, is constantly being asked to feed a 24-hour news cycle beast. The result is that contemporary press secretaries seem to have a higher burn-out rate. We probably never again will see an Early who stayed on for 12 years in the White House.

Why was Early so successful as a presidential press secretary?

Because he had been a part of the news media and understood how it worked, he and FDR immediately decided the president would hold twice-weekly press conferences that were timed so reporters could meet their newspaper (and later radio) deadlines. These wildly popular press conferences continued through the war years, although because Roosevelt traveled to war conferences, he did not meet as often with the reporters. Early decided he would hold a daily press conference, and he continued them until the end. Early also instituted an open-door policy for the news media. One result was that Early had a strong relationship with the press. For instance, when he asked photographers never to take pictures of FDR in a wheelchair or being lifted into and out of his car, the photographers readily agreed. This could never happen today in the all-pervasive news media where television in particular regularly captures the utterances and movements of public officials. There are a number of other instances of that strong relationship between Early and the press that I have detailed in my book.

Newspaper Outsourcing

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:10:00 +0000

In our continuing look at the newspaper industry, check out this NPR story on how some newspapers are outsourcing some services -- including reporting -- to India.

Speechwriter's Resource: Average

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 04:17:00 +0000

Need to know the average teacher salary by state? How about the average house size? Maybe the average IQ?

There's nothing "average" about this Yahoo blog entry that puts together several averages at your fingertips. Are there other Web sites you like to use when you need information in a hurry?

Another Novel Newspaper Experiment?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:27:00 +0000

Rocky Mountain News editor, publisher and president John Temple -- while also crediting his town rival Denver Post publisher Dean Singleton -- on Saturday floated another interesting idea to revive the newspaper industry.

Temple says the technology may soon exist where subscribers can get tailored newspapers. In other words, you could get a newspaper delivered to your home that would be different than the one your neighbor gets.

The newspaper business has long been based on editors selecting stories they thought everyone should be informed about, along with a smorgasbord of topics they think might interest different groups of people. He says:

"The newspaper business has long been based on editors selecting stories they thought everyone should be informed about, along with a smorgasbord of topics they think might interest different groups of people...Technology is emerging - electronic and print - that would allow us to deliver a publication that directly responded to those interests customer by customer."

On the heels of the Orlando Sentinel redesign, are these good ideas, or do you think newspapers are over-reaching?

Online Influence and Public Policy

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 18:48:00 +0000

Not that we need any more proof, but here's another example that it's easier than ever to generate viral excitement over the Internet -- even on public policy issues. Politics Online reports that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich's online petition to encourage Congress to authorize "the exploration of proven energy reserves" and reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil.

Politics Online reports the site has attracted 1.1 million responses in only 30 days. Will it actually have an influence on Congress? Will it move the needle on public opinion on the issue? It's too early to tell, but how many government agencies can say they have created a specific online product that gets more than one million hits in a month? If you do, let us know and tell us how you did it. Leave a comment below or email us at nagconline@gmail.com.

A Radical Redesign for Newspapers?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 03:35:00 +0000

On Sunday, the Orlando Sentinel launched a new redesign of its printed newspaper. (Check out Monday's edition, seen on the left, or view the newspaper's preview of redesigned pages.) The Wall Street Journal says the redesign "is a proving ground for Sam Zell's effort to reinvent floundering Tribune Co., owner of a string of television stations and newspapers, including the Sentinel, the Chicago Tribune and the Los Angeles Times."

Readers of Romenesko know that media owners, shareholders, journalists and readers have been ringing their hands the last few years, wondering where print news is headed. Others say print is dead and that all newspapers will be read online in the not-so-distance future.

The move will work, according to the Tribune's Lee Abrams.

As TV journalists like to say, time will tell if this bold experiment works. What do you think of the design and of newspaper's future in general?

Visualization of This Blog

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:27:00 +0000

If you are familiar with tag clouds, then you will love playing with a program called Wordle. You put in a bunch of words and then, "The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes." We decided to see what this blog looks like visually. We entered every word written on this blog and here's a couple of versions of how it looks.

AP Reconsiders Blog Policy

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 19:13:00 +0000

An article in Editor and Publisher reports that the Associated Press says it will "define clear standards as to how much of its articles and broadcasts bloggers and Web sites can excerpt without infringing on The A.P.’s copyright."

The news organization had come under criticism for trying to make one Web site remove several items that referenced quotes from AP articles. Government communicators should pay attention to the new policy when it is released to get a clear understanding of how A.P. articles can be referenced in blogs.

Bonuses for Government Communicators?

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:58:00 +0000

An article today by Jason Method of the Asbury Park Press discusses the rarity of bonuses for federal government workers. The piece offers a balanced perspective on the difficulty of issuing bonuses from public funds and the reasons why government might benefit from doing so.

This spring, NAGC issued its first Trends and Salary report. Nearly 24 percent of government communicators at the national, state and local levels reported receiving some kind of bonus in the previous year.

The lure of the private sector is a constant pull for government communicators. Job security and job satisfaction are often reasons these professionals more often than not choose to stay in the public sector.

Perhaps another factor that bonuses are not as prevalent is that the public information industry is still searching for ways to efficiently measure our success.

Report Shines Spotlight on 2008 Election Online Activity

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:27:00 +0000

A new report, "The internet and the 2008 election," from the Pew Internet & American Life Project confirms the growing influence of online technologies in the U.S. election cycle. In addition to a summary, the organization listed what it felt was the key findings from the report:

Fully 46% of all Americans have used the internet, email, or phone texting to get news about the campaigns, share their views, and mobilize others.
More Americans have gone online to get political news and campaign information so far than during all of 2004.
Two new internet activities have stormed the political stage: 35% of Americans have watched online videos related to the campaign, and 10% have used social networking sites to engage in political activity.
Nearly one in ten internet users has donated money to a candidate online at this point in the race.
Young voters tilt toward Obama specifically and toward Democrats generally, and that gives the Democrats some online advantages.
39% of online Americans have used the internet to gain access to primary political documents and observe campaign events.
Despite the increased salience of online sources in the political arena, wired Americans have mixed views about the overall impact of the internet on politics.

Best Pactices: Census Bureau Podcasts

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:53:00 +0000

The U.S. Census Bureau produces a daily 60-second podcast that serves as a model for government agencies thinking about novel outreach services. From a piece on Father's Day yesterday to motorcycle safety to fingerprints, the agency offers timely and creative topics that are of interest to the media and the general public. Check it out and let us know what you think about this service. Is your agency using podcasts to communicate?

The White House Press Secretary as Author

noreply@blogger.com (NAGC) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:42:00 +0000

In government communications, the pinnacle job is the White House press secretary. The public perception of a president often is related to the level of success the press secretary has in dealing with the media. A new book, "What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception," has put a new spotlight on the press secretary's role.

Scott McClellan served as press secretary during a difficult time. He chose not to stay until the end of President George W. Bush's final term and, instead, wrote the book.

The book has created a level of controversy worthy of his time in the White House. There are those who charge he has been disloyal to a president that trusted him and others who think he has provided unprecedented insight to the current administration's operations. Still, there are others who suggest McClellan behaved unethically as press secretary by passing on information to the public that he allegedly know was false. Others say he was just doing his job and did it well under trying conditions.

What do you think? What other issues does his book and public statements mean for government communicators? Leave a comment and take our poll on the right hand side of the page.

Tim Russert

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Rose) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:49:00 +0000

Like most government communicators, I subscribe to quite a few "news alerts" from major news organizations. Most of the ones I receive don't really surprise me. Friday's news alerts about the death of Tim Russert was different; they made me stop working for a while.

I like watching people who enjoy their jobs. There is no question that Tim Russert loved his. From his questions each week on "Meet the Press," the audience knew he had done his homework and that his guests were going to get asked the tough questions. He was a student of American politics and, though not a journalist by training, learned the craft -- and arguably learned it better than most.

The tributes being showered on him are well deserved. His death is a loss for journalism, his family and the nation. His death is also a loss for us in government communications. Russert had a passion for politics and respect for those who serve. But he deservedly held all of them -- and us -- to high standards.

He will be missed and we express our deepest sympathy to his family and colleagues.

Name This Blog!

noreply@blogger.com (Gene Rose) — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:39:00 +0000

Help us name this blog, and you could find you or your agency with a free entry to NAGC's Blue Pencil and Gold Screen awards competition next year!

For the last two years, NAGC’s Board of Directors has dedicated itself to providing better member services and outreach. The creation of the blog is another networking tool we are providing to government communicators across the nation. While we will search for articles and items of interest, the blog is set up so you can comment, exchange ideas, and even submit article ideas and questions to ask your colleagues.

Entering this blog naming competition is easy. Either leave a comment in the "comments" section below this posting (you'll have to leave an email address so we can contact you if you win) or send us an email at nagconline@gmail.com if you want a little more privacy.

We look forward to your creative ideas! And don't stop there. If there are other things you would like to see on this blog to make it more useful to you, let us know. We are here for you!