2008 Woodie Awards
Media plan directs reporters away from sources
DVC public information official says district 'not in business of withholding information'
Jeremy Frederickson
Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: News
A new proposal designed to improve the media's relationship with the college district is already causing confusion among top officials and delaying journalists' access to information.
The proposal calls for district employees to direct media inquiries to a college president, public information officer or designated spokesperson if asked a question that requires an "official statement" on behalf of the district, said Timothy Leong, the district's new director of communications and community relations.
Leong said he drafted the proposal, which he calls a "media relations plan," in order to improve the district's relationship with the media.
Leong said his plan has three main points: 1) to provide a timely response to media inquiries; 2) to coordinate within the district to give "official messages" on behalf of the district or each college; and 3) to "minimize employee impact" when responding to media inquiries.
Leong said his plan is not limited to media inquiries during a time of crisis.
Although he said he has not yet put his plan in writing, district police services at DVC began acting on it last month..
An Inquirer reporter checking on whether police services was understaffed at DVC was told he could not speak to district police chief Charles Gibson without going through DVC public information officer Chrissanne Knox.
An Inquirer editor seeking an interview with Gibson was referred to Barbara Cella, the director of marketing and media design at Los Medanos College.
And a beginning newswriting student working on a story about campus safety at night was told by Lt. Tom Sharp she had to get the information from Knox, who would get the information from him.
The student submitted her questions to Knox and did an interview with Sharp a few days later in the presence of Knox.
When asked by an Inquirer editor about Leong's plan, district Chancellor Benjamin said it should only govern the flow of information during a crisis.
The proposal calls for district employees to direct media inquiries to a college president, public information officer or designated spokesperson if asked a question that requires an "official statement" on behalf of the district, said Timothy Leong, the district's new director of communications and community relations.
Leong said he drafted the proposal, which he calls a "media relations plan," in order to improve the district's relationship with the media.
Leong said his plan has three main points: 1) to provide a timely response to media inquiries; 2) to coordinate within the district to give "official messages" on behalf of the district or each college; and 3) to "minimize employee impact" when responding to media inquiries.
Leong said his plan is not limited to media inquiries during a time of crisis.
Although he said he has not yet put his plan in writing, district police services at DVC began acting on it last month..
An Inquirer reporter checking on whether police services was understaffed at DVC was told he could not speak to district police chief Charles Gibson without going through DVC public information officer Chrissanne Knox.
An Inquirer editor seeking an interview with Gibson was referred to Barbara Cella, the director of marketing and media design at Los Medanos College.
And a beginning newswriting student working on a story about campus safety at night was told by Lt. Tom Sharp she had to get the information from Knox, who would get the information from him.
The student submitted her questions to Knox and did an interview with Sharp a few days later in the presence of Knox.
When asked by an Inquirer editor about Leong's plan, district Chancellor Benjamin said it should only govern the flow of information during a crisis.
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