Kicking it off at the Department of Sport and Recreation

Two weeks ago, I started my internship at the Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR). Before I started, I was feeling kind of anxious as I had no idea what to expect. But my anxieties were laid to rest on my first day, as everyone I met in the Department were so friendly and welcoming. The communications team (where I will be placed with over the coming weeks) is quite small, but they are all especially friendly, close and funny.

The past few weeks have been crazy, and I am learning so much. Amazingly, half of the stuff I have learnt is about filming and photography, which perfectly complements PR. This is due to the fact that my table is right next to the filming crew, so they sometimes take me to different events that they are filming at, such as the NAIDOC Netball Carnival, and I get to see what goes on behind-the-scenes in making a video. 

I have participated in the following PR-related tasks so far: media monitoring, writing a media release, proof-reading the reports about their different programs (which gave me a good insight into what the DSR does), and attending their event planning meetings, one of their media events and one of their media ops.

The media event I went to was about the announcement of DSR's new online planning tool for sports clubs. Not a lot of media attended this, as I believe that it had little news value to them. But it was interesting to note that the media, who did attend the event, were only interested in asking questions about the new Sports Stadium at Burswood-this was a completely different topic to what the media event was for. As my boss told me later on, this kind of thing happens quite often. 

The media op contrasted to the media event. The media op was about the State government injecting $7.2 million into 47 State sporting associations. It focused on inviting the media to the NIB sports stadium, where around 10 young athletes from local sporting clubs and the Sport and Recreation minister, Terry Waldron, would be there for the media to take photos and ask questions. Unlike the media event, the media op was more focused on the topic. The West Australian published the resulting story: https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/24468553/7-2m-kicked-in-to-sports-clubs/

(Behind the scenes of getting the right photo)

Every week, the DSR has a performance review meeting with all the different divisions within the department. What I found really refreshing was that, instead of using technology, they used an old-fashion pinboard, pieces of paper and coloured markers to keep track of what each division was up to. I really enjoyed the performance review meetings, as I got to see how the communications team contributed to the overall success of the Department.  

I look forward to seeing what else the DSR experience will bring me in the next few weeks.

A Blueprint

I believe that in the time of a media conference or an event launch, the role of communication or PR department is to offer “a different angle” for the press to pursue; an angle that could be more compelling than whatever others- like the press themselves, commentators and critics- are offering. Now if I were tasked to plan for a media conference then I would ask myself what is it that I can do to make my department’s lead- or our story-, the press story. I could push the matter one-step ahead to question myself, what is it that I can do to make our story, the talk of the town even? And that needs a blueprint basically.

A blueprint, as far as I know, is an internal document of planning & checklists for the special events. It is circulated by communication department in other units to inform the does and don’ts of the event of in-progress. It is not an “itinerary” rather the itinerary is an important part of it. For example, a blueprint outlines

What sound bites would be the more critical in conveying the organizational message and attracting the attention of the media?

What the stage would look like on the day of the announcement?

What should be on the table in front of the speaker?

What image the camera should pick up behind him?

And….I guess you’ve got the idea.

However, things are not like that here in the International non-profit organization that I am working in Malaysia. They simply took a joint national media event with the Malaysian News Agency “like a dinner party” and they had no blueprint of any sort for planning & executing the critical aspects of it. The result? Clear: only one publication reflected the event in a small column, although the number of journalists who attended was noticeable. The rests, didn’t even bother to waste the ink on the story.

Interesting because recently one of our weblog contributors, described my observations as “cynical” and recommended me to become more “open minded” regarding what I see happening in Malaysia. I simply disagree with him. Because as far as I am witnessing chemical engineers, management graduates and office secretaries dare to do “Failed PR” in a professional way, then I cannot simply close my eyes- even as an intern- and call myself “open minded” like this friend of ours.

It seems that we are facing an important challenge after graduation; struggling with those who have poked around “PR” and convincing them that what they have been doing so far is not quite right!

Would they listen then? What do you think of that?

Best regard,

Ali (LUCT)