Editor’s Notes: Starved for media attention
Trending
Ah, campaign season, a time during which politicians -- even if they aren't on the ballot, but believe they must remain in constant campaign mode or be forgotten -- look for EVERY opportunity to be seen and heard.
What that means for media consumers is reading a lot of words such as "highlights," "announces," or even "awards" when what is really happening is a politician saw a thing they thought voters might find appealing and wanted to attach their name to it.
Sometimes they'll even have signs or checks printed up to make the campaign events they've created seem even more like something for which THEY should receive the credit.
So, what you are meant to see is that So-And-So "awarded" a certain amount of money to an organization or a department voters know is important and worthy of financial support. But the reality is that organization would have received the grant or other federal or state funding without the involvement or presence of the politician.
Or, if you read that a politician is "highlighting" or "announcing" something, read the rest carefully. Even their own public relations people have a hard time fully disguising that the politician had zero involvement and just wants you to learn about the positive thing in a way that associated them with it.
For the ones who attempt this kind of "pay no attention to the man who WASN'T behind the curtain" campaigning, it's just an attempt at scoring political points (and later, votes) by association. It's also exactly the kind of thing that gives incumbents an advantage over those who can't yet tell their staff "Hey, write up something 'highlighting' that Nonprofit Do-Gooder is receiving the government funding that was budgeted for them by another body last year; and make sure I'm scheduled to attend the event we'll force them to host so we can be in the pictures."
And they know the media will take those pictures, because we want to bring news to our communities about good things happening for our nonprofits and other departments and organizations.
As I say, then, discernment is key. Word choice matters. Look at what they are hoping you will believe, and then look at whether that is an accurate reflection of the real story.
***
Speaking of what politicians hope you will believe. Please, I'm begging you, understand that if something sounds too good to be true, it almost always is. Again, consider not only the "wow" factor a politician is hoping will overwhelm your sense of logic; but the timing of a particularly enticing statement.
Then, consider the action the politician is hoping you will take if you buy the absolute whopper of a political gimmick. If you begin to wonder, "Wait, what if that was just to make me do what they wanted; and once that happens there will be no reason at all to actually try to make it happen? How stupid does this person think we are?!" listen to your instincts.
Not the first one -- the one that reacted with "Yes! That would be great!" but the second one -- the one that knows a dirty trick when it sees one and reacts accordingly.
Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com.