Chapter 16 Flashcards
American form many of their belief and ideas about police from pg 296
Television
What is the “dead air ploy”? Pg 299
when an interviewer remains silent and stares at the person they’re interviewing after they’ve finished speaking
What are the three restrictions on news gathering activities are reasonable and are easily explained to any member of the press questioning their propriety __ 297-298
First, the media cannot be permitted to destroy evidence or otherwise contaminate a scene.
Second, the media cannot be allowed to obstruct or interfere with police operations on-scene
Third members of the media must not be allowed or assisted to break the law
Other traps to avoid include the tricks that certain journalists sometimes pull on their interview subjects , these tricks and their antidotes includes ___ pg 299
The dead air ploy - the interviewer simply remains silent and stares intently at his subject when the person has finished his answer
The convoluted questioner —Whether they do it accidentally or not, some interviewers have a knack for asking complex, multipart questions that are so lengthy the interviewee may be clueless as to exactly what he is answering.
The misinterpreter. This character may begin the interview by stating factually incorrect information, or he may paraphrase the supervisor’s answer incorrectly or with a different meaning than its speaker intended.
The interrupter. This individual may or may not intend to be tricky, but he is rude. A few journalists have the nasty habit of interrupting their subject with opinions of their own or yet another question before the interviewee has finished talking.
Going “off the record.” A street-smart reporter may ask the police leader questions that he states are “off the record. Or “on background only.” The leader who elects to respond is playing a potentially dangerous game.Anything an interviewee says to a reporter, off the record or not, is fair game for publication or broadcast.
“The police supervisor should find doing a news release no more difficult than completing the other writing assignments he handles on a regular basis. By following a few suidelines as well as the dictates his good common sense, he can produce a document that both satisfies his the needs of the media and serves the interests of the law enforcement agency. Here are a few suggestions for doing it the right way.
“Includes the “5 Wi’s and an H.” Those, of course, are who, what,
when, where, why, and how.
Keep it short. The release should be kept to a single, double-spaced page or less.
Type it, if feasible. It is vital that reporters get the information right, so it is important that they be able to read the release easily.
Avoid jargon and legalese- The supervisor should remain mindful that he is writing for the general public, not an audience of cops
It must be right—The release writer must check and double-check his facts for accuracy before they go into a news release.
A news release____is not the place for the writer to éditorialize on the guilt or character of any of the participants
Give it authority and credibility—Reporters who read the news release will want to attribute it to a source.
Get required approvals—-The agency’s guidelines for the release of information to the press must be followed to the letter in preparation of the news release.
Do not overuse it—The supervisor should be certain that the event
he is writing about really merits news release treatment.
Timeliness is vital—Most news organizations feel that, to be of interest to their audience, police news is best savored fresh.
Avoid giving opinions
Any police supervisor can contribute to good news media relations for his department when he is in the spot and on the news. All it takes is the application of attention to detail, good judgment, common sense and an ____ pg 305
Absolute devotion to telling the truth
All that is required is an ample supply of common sense, an ingrained habit of telling the truth, a willingness to treat others as he would want to be treated himself, and adherence to a few basic guidelines for feeding the news hounds without getting bitten. It all starts with ___ pg 291
Thorough, careful preparation
The____ police leader can survive the media circus, even when he is in the center ring. All that is required is an ample supply of common sense , an ingrained habit of telling the truth , a willingness to treat others as he would want to be treated himself, and adherence to a few basic guidelines for feeding the news housed without getting bitten pg 291
Sharp
Fortunately, even a modest effort aimed at preparation for a television interview, live or taped, can help assure that the law enforcement leader represents himself and his agency in the highest traditions of the police service. It all starts with a few, basic guidelines for an effective response in the presence of the Big Eye:
Do not be overly concerned about having a bit of camera fright
As noted previously, assemble your facts ahead of time, double- check them for accuracy, and practice, at least mentally, what you plan to say in response to the questions you anticipate.
Take a few seconds to check your appearance before you go on camera,
Avoid noisy or otherwise distracting mannerisms during the interview
During an on camera interview , look at the person asking the questions, not the camera lens.
Keep statements and responses short and concise.
Be sure you understand the question before you answer
Never get visibly angry with an interviewer
Treat all microphones and camera in your presence as “live” at all times
If it’s a taped interview and you discover that you have made serious misstatements or stumbled badly in your speech, as the interviewer of its is possible to do it over
One way to determine which facts he needs to know is to place himself in the reporters ___pg 292
Shoes
Who is know for this famous quote; “Credibility in an interviewee comes from openness, a willingness to take questions, the understanding that most reporters are simply trying to do the job they are paid for. Some police interviewees seem reluctant to believe that.”pg 295
Mike Wallace of 60 minutes
Mike Wallace of 60 minutes fame had an additional piece of good advice for the law enforcement interviewee. Well forgive you for not knowing . _______ pg 295
But we won’t forgive or forget if you lie to us
During this whole game of thrust and parry, the ______leader must call upon all of the self-control he has developed over a career in policing in order to remain courteous, keep smiling, and convey an honest and earned image for professionalism To both himself and his organization.
Media savvy law enforcement
There is yet another challenge-or opportunity-that the alert supervisor should expect to be there: the members of the ____ pg 290
New media
The supervisor must know his agency’s media policies so that he is aware of what he can and cannot release to a reporter.
