Well, I have mixed feelings about the effectiveness of the media training we had in St. George.
Some guidelines we came up with during the meeting for the media are:
Reduce sensationalism - be careful of verbage that colors a story.
Be factual and well balanced.
Differentiate between criminals and the rest of the people.
Don't ask about sexual abuse when you are interviewing a child.
Some tips the media had for us are:
Step forward and tell your story.
Develop a relationship with reporters.
"It is hard for us to demonize you if you talk to us." - Ben Winslow
"No comment is a comment." - Ben Winslow
Unfortuately a lot of the Q & A turned into a pro vs. anti argument about polygamy.
What do you think?
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3 comments:
I agree that there was too much pro/anti polygamy contriversy going on. I appreciated the people that tried to keep the meeting on the subject at hand. However, I also think that we have come along way. The government people and agencies as well as some of the media did not seem as interested in the contriversy as in the past. They just sort of brushed it aside.
It also seemed to me that the media people realy did not want or care to deal with the issue that as long as polygamy is ilegal we are risking our lively hood and families by exposing them to the public.
In case people haven't noticed, even when we tell our story there are many people that hate us for our lifestyle and would love to use this information against us.
I appreciated having the opportunity to go to this meeting. I feel like we have a story to be told, but at the same time am apprehensive in telling it. There are definitely people I appreciate speaking out more than others. Disrespecting people in a position of authority is neither ethical or smart. However, I can't judge too harshly until I am willing to speak up myself. Over all, I believe the outcome was favorable. More of the same is better than a change for the worse.
I also did not appreciate some of the things said about the FLDS. I thought some of it was harmful and meanspirited, and it left me a little uneasy. But I am thrilled in hearing some of the communication lines opening up a little with that group. I was also surprised there was not more outcry for the families in Texas being broken and scattered all over a huge state that seems to have an out of control CPS department. They have a hard time listening to anything positive about these mothers and children, which is strange for an agency that deals with protecting and not destroying lives. Whisking a 6-hour baby across the state to separate the family from their culture and loved ones....what? Thanks goodness a father with an attorney and a apparently decent judge stopped that travesty of justice. What gives with these people?? I loved Attorney General Goddard's quip that he needed to establich diplomatic relations with the Republic of Texas before he could help. (Paraphrased)
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