Journalism v. Public Relations (a.k.a. Government run around hurts my soul Part Deux)

As I related in the last post in this series, I have had a time getting the proverbial “scoop” in the Farquhar Cattle Ranch  story, on which I have been working.

Which leads me to the title of this second part of the series. As you may or may not know (if you don’t, you need to quit reading this and check out the news), I was privy to a press conference at the state capital Wednesday, compliments of Gov. Riley and State Department of Corrections Commissioner Richard Allen. At this event the bomb dropped — the cattle ranch will soon be no more.

Today I got back up with Department of Corrections Information Manager Brian Corbett to get some follow up information and received a cordial response. He told me he would get me a line item list of the cost and financial records from the ranch that shows its monetary state as well as set up an interview with the ranch warden.

After I got off the phone, I realized I had been bested in a struggle between journalism and public relations.

You see at college, our groups were taught under the same roofs, and some skills are even taught in the same classes. It became apparent at college that the two groups, while they interacted quite frequently in the professional world, would be at odds in a battle of wills occasionally as each tried to do their jobs.

It is interesting that both groups are trained almost identically in writing style and the theories of the business. Unfortunately, the groups have different purposes. Journalists seek all the information they can to try and write an unbiased article for pubic consumption. Public relations folks are trained to release what nuggets of information that illuminate their employers in the best light and suppress that which might cast a shadow on their cause.  If they have to release something that might not be well received, they are taught to do it on their terms — don’t be caught unawares.

Well, Corbett bested me. I still have a story, but I was unable to write anything of significance that would give the public a taste of what was to come. Now I am left to clarify what has lead up to the decision and the reaction of those it will involve.

I tip my hat sir.

Government run around hurts my soul

In the Friday, June 22, edition of The Demopolis Times I wrote a story on the possibility that the Farquhar Cattle Ranch, a state correctional facility/work farm, could face the possibility of closing and having its land and facilities auctioned to make up for a $30 million Department of Corrections budget deficit.

The 4,610-acre ranch has an economic impact on this area, and, after the initial story, I intended on following up on this economic effect. Unfortunately, the Department of Corrections had other ideas.

I called to set up an interview with the warden of the ranch, George Free, and was told by Mr. Free that he would love to do an interview, but I must first clear it with the department’s public information manager, Brian Corbett.

I called Corbett, who said he would run it past department Commissioner Allen, whom I had already interviewed for the first piece. I received a call back from Corbett, who said he had read my story and felt I was a bit vague when I stated the statewide income from department of correction farm programs (and after reading over it again he may have a point, for which I am sorry).

He said that the department would rather wait until the commissioner presented his recommendations to the governor on how to rectify the budget shortfall before again commenting on the issue. He said I should call back Thursday (June 28), and I could set up an interview with Allen.

I did as instructed and on Thursday was told by Allen’s office he was not in, nor was his secretary who could set up an interview. I called on Friday and heard no response until, returning from covering something around 4:30 p.m., I saw a blinking dot on my phone.

A voice-mail from Allen’s secretary informed me that all requests involving the sale of department land should be forwarded to the governor’s Press Secretary, Jeff Emerson.

Today, Monday, July 2, I came in and called Emerson, leaving him a message and then writing a public information request to Corbett at Department of Corrections for the revenues brought in by the ranch, costs of the ranch and local expenditures by the ranch for the past three years. I also asked for an estimate of the value of the property and facilities owned by the ranch and the number of local employees.

Corbett sent me a response stating my request must be sent to the governor’s press secretary, and he also noted:

“I’ll be working a half day on Tuesday and on vacation for the rest of
the week.

“I’ll see if Commissioner Allen wishes to fulfill any part of your
request or wait until the Governor makes any announcement.”

I later received a call back from Emerson, who seemed accommodating. He said he likely wouldn’t have the information I needed, but, if I forwarded him the e-mail, he would see what he could do.

After resending the e-mail I received a reply stating Emerson had called the Department of Corrections and found that the person with the information I needed was not in the office but they would contact me when they returned.

At this point I am obviously skeptical that this will be done in a timely manner, but, as Emerson was one of the more helpful people I have thus far conversed with, I remain somewhat optimistic it will be done.

Which brings me to my point (and I know I went around the the world to get to it), when did public information become so difficult to get. I suppose this is a sensitive subject and nothing is yet written in stone, but my major point of interest at this time is not a yes or no answer on whether its a done deal or not.

I want to analyze the pros and cons of such a venture. And I want the people that this will touch, in Greensboro and the surrounding areas, to know why such a decision is being made and give them the chance to pass judgment on, through analyzing of the economics involved, whether this is a good idea for the state.

Right now it appears to me a quick fix that robs the state of resources and, I assume because I have no documentation other than the report stating work farms combined in the state bring in over $2 million a year, future revenues.

Fight in the senate

As I am sure everyone knows, a fight broke out among members of the Alabama State Senate last week. While I won’t go into the particulars, I would like to talk about the repercussions the actions of our elected officials have had on the state’s image.

Unfortunately, Alabama is not the shining golden child of the United States, so every incident like this gets blow out of proportion. It probably wouldn’t hurt either if the reason of the scuffle was over a sense of right over a controversial issue rather than one guy calling the other a “son-of-a-bitch.”

It would  have also been better if the senator throwing the punch would have just said he got pissed off and hit the guy because he just didn’t like him. Instead the senator, representing the fine folks of Jasper, said where he came from that was construed as a slight to ones mother and the people of Jasper did not stand for such (of course he said this a little less succinctly).

I guess the senator was going for the chivalry defense of his actions, but I doubt anyone (other than those that support his reelection next time he is up) would buy that load.

The video clip of these actions of our fine senators was recorded and can be found on CNN’s Web site, so the whole world can watch the lack of class.

Both of these men in my opinion should be thrown out of office for such classless behavior inside the state senate. Cursing and hitting is bar room behavior, not something to which a person advancing the ideals of a democratic republic should lower themselves.

Crazy criminal code

In my line of work having a book containing criminal codes for the state of Alabama comes in quite handy when you have an obscure charge staring you in the face, or you want to find what repercussions come with what infractions.

Today I was looking up something for our newest member of the editorial staff, Kelli Hilyer, and I decided to fill through my little green book of code and peruse. During my little session I came across some things that, well, made me laugh some that made me scratch my head.

Here are some observations I feel compelled to share.

First, a line that I feel was added for the consumption of any police or sheriff department that might have a Bull Conner complex. Under the section for “Killing a dog used by a peace officer” the code finishes by saying that “the provisions of this section do not apply to person who violates the provision of this section during the course of an orderly demonstration or actively in pursuit of ones civil rights.”

My questions: Why would the above exceptions in this day and age have to worry about that? And what peace office needs such a passage to remind them?

Another fun code fact is that abusing a corpse will get an offender the same punishment as someone presenting an erotic performance depicting “covered male genitals in a discernibly turgid state.” So whether your a person who wants to treat a human corpse in a way that “would outrage ordinary family sensibilities,” or a male who just gets excited stripping look to receive a Class C felony in Alabama.

The last one I will share similarly made me wonder who sets the punishments for crime. In the state a person found guilty of cockfighting faces a fine no less than $20 and no more than $50. In contrast a person carrying concealed brass knuckles or a slingshot faces a fine no less than $50 and no more that $500. They can also be “imprisoned in the county jail or sentenced to hard labor for the county for no more than six months.”

Does anyone else find this disturbing? I do, and I’ll keep you updated.

Prescription drugs and the government

The Senate today passed a bill that gives the Food and Drug Administration the power to regulate drug safety, change drug labels, restrict the use and distribution of medicines found harmful to the public and have a say in advertising regulation.

Such a move shifts the philosophy of the FDA away from its old focus on drugs up to the time they are approved by the group and allows it power over the drug industry during the entire lifespan of a drug in the United States.

To this I say, its about time. I know  drug companies have a strangle hold on our Legislature with their deep purses and high priced lobbyists, but it is time something was done to continue to regulate drugs after they receive the once over by the FDA and are sent on their way.

See Vioxx for example. Or the depression drugs that were recently found to increase the probability of teen suicide. If these measures would have already been taken chances are those slip ups, which cost numerous lives before being discovered, would have been rooted out much more quickly.

But, better late than never I suppose. Unfortunately the new legislation also blocked other needed prescription drug legislation that would allow approved drugs from Canada and other countries to cross the boarder legally and thus lower drug costs for a public pressed by rising health-care costs.

I guess the interests of our oligopoly pharmaceutical companies take precedence over those of our citizens. In fact due to the recent clamor of prescription costs and oversight, it seems drug companies chose the lesser of two evils as a concession to a public out for blood.

Well I wasn’t duped, and I hope the public wasn’t either. When the well being of companies takes precedence over the people something is wrong. I guess the “average Joes” up in Washington, with their government health-care, doesn’t feel the press by prescriptions that the real average Joe does.  I bet they care come election time.

Vegas vacation

I know we haven’t talked in a while, but don’t think it is because I don’t like you — I do. It is just that your boy has been on a little vacation to Las Vegas and doing a little catching up once I got back late last week.

To make it up I will regale you with some of my observations from Vegas:

1) Vegas is not my kind of town — The place is like a grownup Disneyland for debauchery. Not that I am the leading expert of morality, but it seems that the town just attracts a certain cross-section of the population looking for glitz and glam and all the trappings that follow. It isn’t my seen. There isn’t even one museum worth gracing in the joint.

2) I will not make a living as a professional gambler — I broke even, don’t get me wrong, but it was rare that I got up sitting at the black jack table. Most of my time was spent fighting back from a deficit while free drinks laced with copious amounts of alcohol were shoved in my face. A fifth hour rally on a cold dealer saw me break even, and apparently I don’t have the gambling gene because I took the dough and headed for the door.

3) 98 degrees is nothing without humidity — I went during record temperature this time of year in Vegas. I walked around for four days and it didn’t hardly phase me. I came home and tried playing nine holes of golf Sunday, when I estimate it was in the mid-eighties, and about died.

Vacations are good and all, but I think next time I’ll just hook up a hammock and chill in the back yard with a grill, a beer and a good book.

Too much VT coverage

As a member of the “media” I get a lot of crap from people about how the media operates. There has been more than one occasion when people seem leery talking with me or blatantly ask me not to make them look bad in print, which is understandable with the Hollywood stereotype showing the media as self absorbed folks who would cut their mother’s throats for a story.

I have also heard a lot about how the media runs stories into the ground and over state violence, which is true on some level. But I must say I have about had it with television news coverage.

The way the VTech incident was covered, with the release of  Cho’s tapes and pictures, pisses me off. The deranged guy killed these young people hoping that he would be perceived as a martyr and receive national media attention.

He sent the stuff to a national news broadcaster for the sole reason of having the garbage spread throughout the media after his death. Well, Cho old boy they played into your hand on that one.

You cannot turn on the television without seeing that crap. I agree wholeheartedly with the poor families of the victims that are subjected to seeing Cho’s propaganda on every news station they turn to as they look for NEWS about what happened to their loved ones.

These stations have steadily lost ground in the public, and my, eyes as far as their credibility is concerned. Just when you think the Nancy Grace type poor programming they pass off as news these days can get no worse the idiots running the broadcast news world come out and remind us there is not limit to their stupidity or lack of ethical values.

When does racism end?

I was taking a co-worker down to Linden today to show them were to go to get police reports and public records that we run in the paper — a job that used to be mine own — and ran across something I feel is important to relate.

We were in the room that houses deed transaction records, liens, marriages and all other public record type stuff for Marengo County, and my co-worker began taking down deeds for the paper. I having naught else to do and have a bit of an attention problem, began perusing some of the older records.

Of course there is nothing of pressing interest in the room for yours truly, or so I thought until I ran across the book bindings for marriages. I notices they were first recorded around 1813, which held my attention for a moment, and I looked through the hand written records.

As I was putting the book up I noticed on the shelf over a binder that said colored marriages. Not thinking that people would can to split so mundane a task along racial divides as marriage licenses I immediately became interested.

It seems the records were first divided, or maybe first kept for blacks, in 1866 in Marengo County. After flipping through a few records, I decided to look at where the divided books ended.

I figured the late 1960s would be the best place to start, but no they weren’t integrated. I looked at the 1970s for sure that the division must end, but I was wrong. Scanning the 1980s I was appalled that the separate books remained.

It seems, despite whatever integration efforts of the area since the Civil Rights Movement, integration of marriage license did not occur until 1992.  I was speechless. I told my co-worker, who is from the area, and she didn’t seem surprised.

What is the point, I asked myself, to such madness? Does having ones marriage recorded with another race offend someone? 1992?

Could’a been at VT

After I graduated college last May, my first move was not to look for a job. No I was headed to grad school and not necessarily for the right reasons.

I was following my college sweetheart, who was starting med school, up to Lewisburg, West Virginia. Not one to spin my own wheels and feeling I would need something productive to do while flirting the boarder of being in Yankee land, I decided grad would be a worthwhile pursuit.

Virginia Polytechnical Institute, as I would find Virgina Tech’s
real title to be, was the closest school offering a masters in Communications to Lewisburg, a mere one hour drive each way. Thus I took the tests, applied and was accepted.

I moved to Lewisburg, worked at as a bartender, host and waiter to pay my part of the lady and my dues and waited for school to begin. I went to orientation and worked my school and bar schedule to juggle both, so I could get an education without ending up in the poor house afterwards.

The week before classes were scheduled to start my female companion began her work toward becoming an M.D. Within two days the only girl I had any inkling of marrying decided she couldn’t juggle both me and her studies, therefore it was time I left.

After a couple of days in a bottle, staying with friends I had made during my three month stint, I recovered from the blow enough contemplate my situation. Stay in school, move to Blacksburg, where VT is located, or move home, tail between my legs.

After a day of searching myself I chose the latter. The idea of struggling to pay my way through school in a place I knew no one in a time I was quite depressed just didn’t jive with me.

Of course I hate the idea of giving up, but it is what I did. I have to say I have been blessed with what has transpired since, but I have continued to look at that as a failure of character, grit and determination on my part leaving school days before it started. I had a chance to face overwhelming odds and come out on top, yet I ran to comfort of family and friends to sulk.

However, looking back after the gruesome and terrible events that happened at the school I have looked at as my failed attempt at Everest today. I think I might have been wrong. Maybe somewhere in the weak-willed flee back home there was a spark of divine intervention. If I had stayed, if things had turned out differently I could have been there. There is an off chance I could have been in that classroom. There is a chance, a good chance, someone I would have know would have been involved.

These are the things I have thought of today.

Man up

Today I received a letter at work from a disgruntled reader of the paper. It is not unusual for some one to write the paper, send an e-mail or even call when they are upset or would like to comment on something we do here.

And I don’t mind feedback, good or bad, from anyone that take the time to read what I write. In fact I welcome feedback, especial constructive feedback meant to help me do a better job.

However, this letter was different.

I agreed with some of the points made in it, and I disagreed with others. But what angered me the most was the way it was presented.

The letter came in the mail to our post box. It had no return address. Inside was a hand written letter that presented no name.

It galls me to no end that this person, whose criticism is not near the worst I have ever received, had the audacity to call me out on something, yet lacked the nerve to sign a name.

Did the person think I would come after them? Write bad about their letter?

No, I wouldn’t, and I wouldn’t have written this if it had born a signature.

I like reader response, but I loath people who lack the gonads to identify themselves when stating their arguments and expect me to abide by their wishes.

It was a good letter, I will reiterate, but delivered in poor taste.

SIGNED

BRANDON GLOVER