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Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Rescuing the mayor's [non]-image

It is tempting for PT to characterize Mayor Robinson-Briggs' public relations presence as a shambles.

But that would be too generous. It's really been practically non-existent.

What does Laurence Rice do? PT sees him around with a camera, taking pictures. But the idea was he is supposed to do PRESS for the Mayor -- you know, press releases pitching her activities and accomplishments, staging press conferences, ribbon-cuttings and baby-kissings. That kind of stuff. Instead, the only print output we see is his monthly newspaper -- and no one seems to think there is an ETHICAL question here?

Then there is the Department of Community Newsletters, with Cynthia Crawford in charge. Have you seen one yet? What is that about? Your tax dollars at work?

The one exception is PCTV-74, the cable station, which is treated more like a personal MySpace site for Her Honor than what the cable franchise calls for: a station that trains and equips the public to produce programming about the community, which is then to be aired on the public access channel.

Where is that Cable TV Advisory Board? And why aren't they advising? PT suspects the Board of Public Utilities would not be happy with the content on the station at present. AND, aren't we supposed to be at the review point in the franchise contract? (PT has an inkling, since he was the secretary to the Commission that negotiated the present agreement with Comcast.)

The Mayor has a chance to fix things if the Council approves the creation of a Public Information Officer (PIO) on Wednesday evening.

That is, if she gives the person who gets the job the authority to do it properly and the expectation that it will be done competently.

Jazz Johnson might make a good PIO, but only if the Mayor empowers her.

Will she?

-- Dan Damon

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1 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am quite sure that this PIO (Public Information Officer)post will be given/filled by yet another Green/Robinson-Briggs flunky. Isn't that what they have given since taking office. They have handed out no show jobs/appointments all over and through out the city .