Meeting the press

"Meeting the Press identifies the pressures of the trade which influence reporters and discusses the irritants and pitfalls that are part and parcel of military-media relations. By understanding the media's right to freedom of inquiry, military and civilian officials alike will be better prepared to meet the press when necessary as part of their mission." -- Foreword, p. ix.

In our democratic system, public servants have to meet the press from time to time as part of their responsibilities. Freedom of the press is, of course, one of the freedoms everyone in the Department of Defense is sworn to protect, but it can translate into an unpleasant experience for any defense manager unprepared for the encounter. The public official who relies on luck, intuition, and charm may be in for a rude awakening in a stressful, perhaps adversarial, brush with the media. Prudent defense managers count among their executive skills the ability to communicate effectively with members of the public media. This guide offers practical advice for building healthy media relations. It should prove especially useful for managers who are neophytes in dealing with the media. Representing the reflective wisdom of a former military officer with many years of press experience, it guides the reader through the standard interview, the fast-breaking news ambush, the television spot, and other encounters. Written in plain English and laced with humor, anecdotes, tips, and check lists, the guide is as user friendly as the morning paper itself.