TPO 2.6: Public Affairs Flashcards
What is the definition of external affairs?
The program the Coast Guard uses to engage and communicate with the public and stakeholder groups
What are the 5 main groups that are encompassed by External Affairs?
1.) Public affairs
2.) Congressional affairs
3.) Tribal affairs
4.) External outreach and heritage
5.) Coordination of operations and outreach activities
What are the 2 types of public affairs?
1.) Media relations (one way)
2.) Social media (two way)
PA is a responsibility of ___.
command
What is the main duty of the public affairs officer, and what are the 5 ways they go about accomplishing it?
Main duty: tell the Coast Guard story
1.) Liase with district public affairs office
2.) Manage unit’s Social Media sites
3.) Take photos/video and encourage operators to take photos/video and share with local PA office
4.) Seek opportunities for media engagement and coordinate with local PA office
5.) Facilitate interviews when applicable
The media is a ___ trying to deliver a ___ to their consumers.
business, product
What are the 6 things you need to know when reporting to the news?
1.) Who’s who
2.) Deadlines
3.) Capabilities
4.) Audience
5.) Preferences
6.) Mindset
Why does the media sometimes want to talk to you in particular over PAs?
Public affairs specialists can talk “generally” about anything, but you have higher credibility as the SME with your knowledge and experience
What are the 2 things the media wants from you?
1.) Clear, concise, and factual answers
2.) Great imagery
What is the saying for the proper release of information?
Maximum disclosure with minimum delay
Consider whether you have the ___, ___, and ___ to release information.
ability, authority, and competency
What is the SAPP Rule regarding limitations for the release of information?
Security: Don’t release classified or sensitive OPSEC info
Accuracy: Facts only
Policy: Make sure your answer is IAW unit, district, area, and HQ policies
Propriety: Are you the right source for the info? Use your best judgement to answer questions
What are the 3 most important rules to follow for acing an interview?
1.) Set ground rules
2.) Never say “No comment”
3.) You are always “On the Record”
What is the LPTR Method for acing an interview?
Listen: What exactly is the reporter asking you?
Pause: Don’t immediately react, first stop to…
Think: About what you’ll say and how to say it
Respond: Answer the question and bridge to your key messages
What are the 2 things a press release is used to inform?
1.) The media about a newsworthy event or to provide more info about an ongoing case in a clear, easily understood manner
2.) A number of media outlets simultaneously about a newsworthy event
What is the purpose of headlines?
To quickly tell what happened without exaggeration (“Coast Guard what happened”)
What is the structure of a news release from least to most important facts?
Body –> Bridge –> Lead
What is the purpose of the Lead?
Used to answer: Who, What, Where, When
What are the specifications of the Lead?
It is one sentence (30 words or less) and should be emphasized within the first 5/6 words following the dateline
___ are almost always your lead emphasis.
People
What are the 2 purposes of the Bridge?
It is a transition paragraph that connects the lead to the body to answer the “why” and “how” if available, and also to fully ID any impersonal “who” mentioned in the lead
What is the purpose of the Body?
Where you tell the “rest of the story” and list all remaining pieces of releasable info in descending order of importance, and allows an editor to safely chop from the bottom up to make a story fit
What is a Media Advisory?
Invites the media or public to your event
What are the 3 capacities in which social media is utilized in CG Public Affairs?
1.) Official: Content posted by USCG Personnel pertaining to official duties
2.) Unofficial: Content posted about the Coast Guard but not speaking in an official capacity
3.) Personal: Not speaking as a Coast Guard member and the Coast Guard is not the subject
