Telling Our Story: Communication &

Media RelationsVanessa Jeter

Director

NCDPI Communication and

Information Services

What you need to know about the news media

• It’s a business.• Reporting doesn’t have to be balanced.• Deadlines are important.• They may be friendly, but they may not be

your friends.• NC laws give the public broad access to

records and meetings.

What else you need to know …

• Reporters often have little information.• Time is limited for reporters.• Every interaction you have can be an

opportunity. • Reporters come from traditional and non-

traditional news outlets.

When reporters call…

• Thank them for calling.

• Tell them we want to ensure that they get what they need.

• Connect them to NCDPI’s Communications office (for DPI staff) or follow your district’s policies.

Learning a few basic principles from some cautionary tales…

1. Be honest.

REAL CLEAR POLITICS: Weiner Asked If Photo Is Of Him: "I Wish," "I'm Not Sure"

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/06/01/weiner_asked_if_photo_is_of_him_i_wish_im_not_sure.html

2. Be prepared.CBS NEWS: Sarah Palin Can't Name a Newspaper She Reads

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRkWebP2Q0Y

If you don’t know an answer, don’t make one up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nokTjEdaUGg&feature

3. Use the right tone.

ABC NEWS:Christie Calls Reporter ‘Idiot’ and ‘Stupid’ at Press Conference

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/christie-calls-reporter-an-idiot-and-stupid-at-press-conference/

4. Stay on message.

HUFFINGTON POST: BP CEO Tony Hayward: 'I'd Like My Life Back'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/01/bp-ceo-tony-hayward-video_n_595906.html

5. Recognize that the definition of news media definition is changing.

Hey you’re on YouTube!

• Consider that anything you say or do in a public space could be on YouTube in 5 minutes or less.

Social media are media too.POYNTER: HuffPost, CNN, Mediaite fall for fake Twitter account of NC governor

http://www.poynter.org/latest-news/regret-the-error/173923/huffpost-cnn-mediaite-fall-for-fake-twitter-account-of-nc-governor/

 

6. Always try to tell YOUR story.

http://www2.nbc17.com/news/2012/feb/14/reality-check-k-12-teacher-cuts-ar-1930737/

Interview tips

• Before you speak, ask yourself:

what’s the goal of this communication?

• Plan your message and gather facts ahead of time.

Interview tips

• Keep comments– Simple– Clear– Free of jargon

Interview tips

• Be honest.

• Be prepared.

• Use the right tone.

• Stay on message.

• Know the media.

• Tell YOUR story.

Follow up

• Communications tracks news media coverage and includes it in a daily clips email.

• We also can assist with other strategies to make sure your message is heard. Examples: op ed columns, newsletter articles, email messaging, face-to-face meetings.

How Communicationssupports you

• Practice interviews

• Presence at interviews

• Letters to the editor

• Op eds

• Tracking coverage and social media

PUBLIC RECORDS & OPEN MEETINGS

Katie Cornetto

NC State Board of Education

Attorney

Handling requests

• From news & social media:– Contact Communication and Information

Services (919.807.3450).

• From general public:– Provide requested information and notify

Communication and Information Services.

LEA/School staff: Follow your district’s policies on public records requests.

Protocols

• How we handle calls

• Timeline - 2 hours or less for initial response

• Costs for copies, etc.

Public records laws

• Individual users are responsible for managing state records effectively and efficiently, regardless of the technology used to create them.

• Assume that all information on government e-mail systems is public (and subject to review by state officials).

Definition

• documents• papers• letters• maps• books• photographs• films• sound recordings• magnetic or other tapes• electronic data‑processing

records

• artifacts, or • other documentary

material regardless of physical form or characteristics (email)

• made or received in connection with the transaction of public business by any agency of North Carolina government or its subdivisions.

"Public record" or "public records" = all…

Who can access public records?

• “Public records and public information…are the property of the people.

• Therefore, the people may obtain copies of their public records and public information free or at minimal cost.”

What isn’t “public” (general)?

• Written communications to any public board, council, commission or other governmental body that fall within the attorney-client privilege

• Tax records• Trade secrets, if

properly submitted to a government entity

• Information that reveals an account number for electronic payment

• Settlement documents in medical malpractice actions against a hospital

• Information technology security features (passwords, security standards, procedures, processes, configurations, software, and codes)

• Criminal investigative records

• Medical records • Anything other than basic

personnel information

What isn’t public (for schools)?

• Student files• Former student

records• Mediation records for

children with disabilities

• Student records derived from contractors

• Juvenile court records

• Special education records

• Criminal history checks:– for charter school

boards and employees

– for LEA employees and contractors

• Emergency Response Plans

Records retention/ disposition schedules

• Governed by state statutes

• Maintained by Government Records Branch of NC Department of Cultural Resources (NCDCR)

• Customized with agency Chief Records Officer and NCDCR expert

• Filed and accessible online at

http://www.records.ncdcr.gov

What we should be doing (print)

• Appoint a Chief Records Officer• Follow schedule found at

http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/for non-electronic files• Designate division/area records management contacts• Report contact’s name to Chief Records Officer • Notify Chief Records Officer whenever contact changes• Work with Chief Records Officer to add division-specific

items to generic retention/disposal schedule• Send division/area management plans to the

Government Records Branch (NC Department of Cultural Resources)

• Batch critical archives for NCDCR pick-up

What should we be doing (digital)

Examples of email, email attachments, and text mail messages that are public records:

• Policies or directives • Final drafts or reports and recommendations• Correspondence and memos related to official business• Work schedules and assignments• Meeting agendas or minutes• Any document or message that initiates, facilitates,

authorizes, or completes a business transaction• Messages that create a precedent, such as issuing

instructions or advice

What we should be doing (digital)

• Managing our email individually• Selectively archiving:

– Email (even from personal accounts if messages involve official state business)*

– Text messages (mobile email or Instant Messenger)*– Files created by off-site employees (using separate back-

up medium)– Webinars (as public meetings)– Digital images– Podcasts

• See http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/erecords/default.htm#dig for guidance

*forward message to government account

Records retention/ disposition schedule

• Find DPI email policy on the Intranet under Policies/Procedures/Forms

• Find state policy at http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/erecords/Email_Policy.pdf

Additional resources

• Find a variety of classes (both online and at the Government Records office on Blount Street across from the Executive Mansion) at http://www.records.ncdcr.gov/workshops.htm

OPEN MEETINGS

What are your legal responsibilities?

Open meetings

• A meeting is open to the public if a “public body” meets.

• A public body is defined broadly as any:– Authority – Board – Commission – Committee – Council – Other body of state or local government

What should we be doing?

• Public notice is required.*• Minutes of the meetings must be kept and

available to the public.*– Written– Audio/video taped– Webinar recordings

*As long as the purpose of the meeting is to execute one of five functions: – legislative– policy-making– quasi-judicial– administrative– advisory

Who must followopen meetings laws?

• The State Board of Education and its committees

• Other examples within DPI are: – Compliance Commission– Military Council– Drop-Out Prevention Grant Committee– CIHS Joint Advisory Council

Resources

• Online:– www.ncdoj.com

• NC Department of Justice (primers onopen government laws)

– www.elon.edu/e-web/academics/communications/ncopengov/

• NC Open Government Coalition, a group of organizations interested in promoting public access to government

– www.sunshineweek.org • More info about open access to government

Resources

• Print:– Institute of Government Publications:

• Open Meetings and Local Governments in North Carolina: Some Questions and Answers

– Seventh Edition by David Lawrence

• Public Records Law for North Carolina Local Governments

– by David Lawrence