Do we need to train the media?

[Guest burbles1]

I was flicking through the latest issue of Australian Pilot Extra, and in an article about how bad GA aviation has become, I noticed one point in particular. Apart from the doom and gloom of local governments ruining airfields, and increasing regulation, the article mentioned that sensationalist media coverage of aviation accidents has been "disastrous" for the industry.

 

Now, I've mentioned a couple of times that I'm not overly impressed with the simplistic coverage of accidents, with seemingly ridiculous assertions that aircraft "plummet to earth", using the outdated term "ultralights", etc. I can't say whether this typical reporting has been disastrous for recreational aviation because our membership is increasing - the advantages seem to outweigh the negatives of poor press coverage.

 

But do we need to get more facts out to the media? Maybe a standard media fact sheet that talks up our best points such as human factors training? Or would that simply fuel more speculation and lead to even worse coverage?

 

 

[Ultralights]

in short, yes, but also the level of journalism in this country is in a serious decline, so i doubt any journo will actually care about accurate reporting these days.... who cares about the facts when it sells...

 

 

[Owi]

Many probably think "Flying High" was quite authentic, surely?

 

 

[winsor68]

....take a reporter for a fly??????

Just don't bring him back... lol

 

 

[turboplanner]

We've had a few discussions on this, and we are not the only victims.

 

The Southern 80 water ski race drew TV attention with a dark comment that the future of the race was "under a cloud" after an engine fire occurred in one boat, another boat climbed a fallen tree after an apparent steering bale failure and a wanker in a helicopter followed another boat at an altitude of around 1 metre through the many sharp bends.

 

There was no comment from the race organizer, who could easily have defused this with some plain facts.

 

Every sport thinks it has to sell itself, but the task is too big. Firstly, have a look at your local paper and count the different subjects - you might get to a hundred or so. Then imagine that tomorrow there'll probably be 60 new ones, and so on day after day through the years.

 

The journalist's job is to write a story about every one of those millions of subjects, and he has to write it by the deadline.

 

There may never be an aircraft accident in your home town in your lifetime, so how is today's journalist going to write an explanation of a techical failure which caused a forced landing when all he knows is that aircraft "crash"

 

Add to this the constant turnover in local journalists, and you can see that it's a big ask that the journalist who receives the phone call about the "crash" from the local farmer is going to write anything other than quote him "I knew it was going to crash, I heard the engine racing before he hit".

 

Usually the pilot is standing there beside his aircraft giving the journalist the cold shoulder when he should be explaining how his training kicked in, what a forced landing is, amnd how he executed a perfect one with no damage to the engine, and "if you aim the camera here, you can show the component which caused all the trouble" It actually make a better story if it's done well.

 

Your idea is great Burbles because the journalist may file it away and use it as a base. What I would add to that is that a local pilot should be a "source of information" ready to comment on any event, or even email a journalist with a story about, say Pud and his current rebuild. To do that correctly you need to be watching the paper for bylines and keeping the contact details of the new journalists up to date.

 

I'd have to say, having done that for many years, that I've only ever got a couple of stories where I could have throttled the journalist.

 

 

[youngster]

It's a great idea to take a local journo for a fly - perhaps sell the angle about recreational aviation being a growing and enjoyable activity which is more accessible than traditionally thought. Particularly in country areas, journos have some slow news days and need a few non-time sensitive stories to use as fill material. You do need to have a "story" for the journo to cover - maybe a fly-in with some unusual planes, or the youngest or oldest pilot ever to graduate from your flight school, etc.

 

This would also have the added benefit of creating a local media contact who may ask you for comment on future aviation related stories.

 

Another story could be to take your local state or federal MP or mayor on a joy-flight to highlight the importance of recreational aviation, airstrip retention/maintenance, etc.

 

 

[farri]

Train the media???????????

 

Frank.

 

 

[old man emu]

I'm in a kind of battle with one of the local Camden papers. They are quite willing to publish complaints from airport neighbours about aircraft noise and low flying, but show a great reluctance to arrange for a reporter to so any sort of investigation into what goes on at the airport and what value to airport is to the comunity.

 

In my last letter to the editor (which was published) I accused her of having a bias against the airport. I told the editor that she had my address, my phone number and my email address and to feel free to contact me for an interview. That was a couple of weeks ago, and I've heard nothing. I suppose I should let fly with another letter with stronger wording.

 

But as been said by others, in the world of journalism, airplanes plummet into the ground; airplanes fly too low, airplanes make too much noise. It's amazing that the same paper recently did not produce much when the trainee pilot of a twin engined airplane accidentally shut down the wrong engine during an assymetric simulation shortly after take-off and the instructor recovered it from a 90 degree bank, levelled it off and landed on its belly in a paddock of teh end of the runway. Neither occupant was badly injured.

 

OME

 

 

[youngster]

I'm in a kind of battle with one of the local Camden papers. They are quite willing to publish complaints from airport neighbours about aircraft noise and low flying, but show a great reluctance to arrange for a reporter to so any sort of investigation into what goes on at the airport and what value to airport is to the comunity.In my last letter to the editor (which was published) I accused her of having a bias against the airport. I told the editor that she had my address, my phone number and my email address and to feel free to contact me for an interview. That was a couple of weeks ago, and I've heard nothing. I suppose I should let fly with another letter with stronger wording.

 

OME

Most of these reporters from local papers are overworked and underpaid, and would probably appreciate a free ride in an aeroplane (on company time too!)!

 

 

[turboplanner]

You've gone down the wrong track for the wrong reasons OME.

 

She has one of the toughest jobs around - like grading fruit on a conveyor belt. She has to ensure the right amount of advertising is in to pay the wages, argue over placements, and flog the journalists to post ANYTHING by the deadline.

 

Under normal circumstances she wouldn't be the one interviewing you, it would be a journalist if it was a boring story, and a journalist and photographer if it was a good one.

 

Also, take a tip, you can NEVER beat an Editor, they just lie in wait and get you two years later.

 

She's published your accusation that she has a bias against the airport, so she was probably short of material that week, and doesn't mind one way or the other.

 

Also, since you are competing for space in the Letters section, and you want to be sure of getting your letter in you are limited to about 25 to 50 words

 

My guess is she's not against you, just doesn't have space

 

The point of contact with most newspapers is the journalist, and if you look at their byline and read their stories, it often tells you which one is interested in mechanics.

 

Whinging residents have an edge because local Councillors are always looking for a way to support them, the journalists know that, and in the daily grind there's a loose network which has critical mass.

 

I wouldn't suggest you try to bet the Editor into submission, but choose a journalist and write a 150 word story to him/her. They get point from the Editor for exclusives, so I never cc the story to other journalists. In 9 time out of then though, they call me and ask questions then print their own stories, so you message gets legs.

 

The journalists really need to read your story before they'll commit to going anywhere for an interview. 95% of my interviews are over the phone or email exchanges.

 

If there's something interesting about a local person, just write a little story - it may well be published verbatim. Send a photo as well.

 

There's another barrier for the unwary, and that is that local papers are unlikely to write a story of State significance and State newspapers usually don't print stories of local interest - its just a journalist turf thing.

 

As for taking them up for joy flights, by all means if you've got the money, but in my town you would need to take 8 up to avoid making enemies.

 

Mostly they don't like people sucking up to them then expecting a one way story; they do like people who are consistently honest, and call a spade a spade even if they are wrong.

 

 

[old man emu]

Turbo,

 

In my letter I made it clear that I would be prepared to talk to the reporter who had written the original story. I was only saying that the editor had my contact details which could be passed on to the particular reporter.

 

I agree with you that the Editor would not be going out to do stories - not her job.

 

OME

 

 

[turboplanner]

Have another go OME, friendly persistence always wins. Good luck.

 

 

[shafs64]

I know a person who works for a certain paper in melbourne. (who would never let the truth get in the way of a good story) he asked me once about motorbike riders. going flat out past speed camera's with there number plates covered and asked me why they do that. my response was they are sticking it to the man! (and we all know speed camera's are for saving life not makeing money)

 

He then told me they are anti motorcycle! I siad who the paper.yes that's right was the response.

 

And if i hear about that wedding anymore i will kill someone!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Tomo]

And if i hear about that wedding anymore i will kill someone!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey! he flies aeroplanes!! I'm watching it just to see if they depart using a personal jet...

 

Did you hear about the wedding Chafs?

 

Speaking of training the media... friend of mine is doing journo at Uni... she only knows the right stuff - I make sure!

 

 

[Teckair]

Hey! he flies aeroplanes!! I'm watching it just to see if they depart using a personal jet... Did you hear about the wedding Chafs?

 

Speaking of training the media... friend of mine is doing journo at Uni... she only knows the right stuff - I make sure!

Train the media???? I'd rather try and train a cat:laugh:

 

 

[shafs64]

i thought cats only have staff members

 

 

[farri]

And if i hear about that wedding anymore i will kill someone!!!!!!!!!!!!

Totaly agree ! Doesn`t it give you sh#ts....oops, the runs?

 

Frank.

 

 

[shafs64]

I know we need good news story's but this is overkill. all this what is she going to where how many kid are going to have where will they go on the honeymoon what colour jock does he wear when will the rest of his hair fall out!

 

 

[old man emu]

No I don't think so. we no need to train media because they know very well that what they are doing? what they want to do? and how can they do? they know their work and they are doing their work properly.

Obviously written by a fully trained Australian journalist.

 

OME

 

It was forum spam from India but has gone now - mod

 

 

[Yenn]

One way to get the journo's off our backs would be to reduce the accident rate. RAAus seemed to be going well until a few months ago and then we had a spate of accidents. I don't know the actual figures, but I suspect that the recreational part of GA has a poorer record than us, but it is still too high.

 

With all the human factors training we have had to endure, the situation doesn't seem to have improved.

 

 

[Ben Longden]

Turbo has it pretty well nailed really.

 

Ive been behind a news camera since 1982, and consider myself reasonably experienced as a newso.

 

With media the big issue is SPACE. The second issue is get quotes from people; plods and eyewitnesses. Quote what they said. Even if it is factually wrong. What they said is what THEY said.

 

TV news is easier, as people cant hide from what they said... plods and all..

 

Ive been to many tragic scenes and the police report bore no resemblance to what actually happened, so you cant trust the plods to write a prang up correctly either, especially when its an aviation one. I shot the aftermath of a fatal glider crash, and the police report had an eyewitness saying he knew "the plane was in trouble as there was no engine sound"...

 

Yes, training is they key to getting a report right. Im many cases, the beatup is written by a freshly graduated journalist who knows that they know everything. You find the best, fairest and most accurate reports are written by those with experience under their belts.

 

With the training issue, its the editor that you have a greater chance of training, and familiarising with aviation terms.... and if you make yourself available to the local paper as an local aviation 'expert', they will then use you as a source for information, and by default, you will be able to help them write a more accurate and fairly balanced story....

 

And, be nice to us in the news biz.... :)