Writer's Block

Press conferences, Maui style

A few months ago, I vowed to blog on a regular schedule, twice a week. Well, that just hasn't been working out too well. Much as I enjoy blogging, Twitter, Facebook and playing with other forms of "new media," my job as a reporter has to come first. So for now, I'm going back to blogging on an occasional basis. Thanks for reading.

Every now and then, someone on Maui will attempt to call a "press conference." Press conferences may be SOP in a big city, where a multitude of television, print, radio and online outlets will supply the gaggle of reporters necessary to justify such an occasion. It doesn't quite work the same way on Maui.

The Maui News isn't the only game in town. We have a couple of weekly tabloids, a local radio station that has a reporter, and community-access TV station Akaku. But fairly often, when someone calls a press conference for the local media, we might be the only "press" who show up.

A few years ago, a local union called a press conference to announce their political endorsements for that year's election. The press conference consisted of a handfull of union people, eight to 10 of the candidates they were endorsing, and me. They spoke for a couple of minutes, then "opened it up for questions." Everyone turned and looked at me. I'd only been working at the paper for a couple of months and was immediately tongue-tied. Coming up with questions that sound remotely intelligent is a lot harder when you have to do it in front of an audience!

Since we may be the only "media" to show up to these events, press conferences on Maui sometimes feel like a summons, or an attempt to commandeer space on our front page. A group's announcement may not have enough oomph to get attention on its own, but there may be an assumption that if it's presented at a "press conference," we'll be obligated to show up.

Unfortunately, that strategy can backfire. A few years ago, a government agency organized a press conference to promote a program that probably wouldn't have otherwise attracted a lot of attention even on a slow news day. It was something benign, like a program to remind people to recycle, or conserve water. But the press conference was an elaborate affair, with a multitude of dignitaries, hand-made posters, powerpoint presentations, and special guests brought in just for the occasion. Just one problem: it was a busy news day, and not a single member of the press showed up.

I think press events can work in a small community on Maui, but maybe not in the same way they do in a big city. Small newspapers and media outlets have extremely tight staffing, so if even one other newsworthy event is happening at the same time as the press conference, they may not be able to send a reporter or photographer.

Instead, if you have something newsworthy to announce, it might be more effective to put it in a short press release so reporters can contact you on their own time if they need more information. Or, if you want to talk to a reporter in person, you can schedule a meeting at a time when both of you are free.

Other times, simply inviting the local media to an event you're holding anyway for the public could be the way to go. For example, a few weeks ago the county held an event to show off a double-decker bus being considered for the Maui Bus fleet. As it turned out, we had a photographer on the prowl that day, and it turned out to be a great photo opportunity. But if we had been overloaded that day and couldn't send anyone, the show would have gone on without us.