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MDHOAN 9847
4. INSOFAR AS THEY ARE COVERING THE VISIT, WE SHOULD TRY TO KEEP THEM UP TO DATE WITH WHAT IS HAPPENING AND AS FAR AS POSSIBLE ALONGSIDE THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S PARTY. THEY NEED TO PRODUCE STORIES TO KEEP THEIR EDITORS HAPPY. UNLESS WE CAN OFFER GOOD NEWS OPPORTUNITIES, THEY MAY FIND MISCHIEVOUS ONES. 5. HERE IS AN ACTION CHECKLIST:
(I) WHEREVER POSSIBLE THE ACCOMPANYING JOURNALISTS SHOULD FOLLOW THE SECRETARY OF STATE WITHIN THE COUNTRY BEING VISITED ON ALL OFFICIAL PARTS OF THE PROGRAMME. WHERE LOGISTICALLY THIS DOES NOT PROVE POSSIBLE, THEN AT LEAST A POOL CONSISTING EG OF ONE TV CREW, A RADIO JOURNALIST, A WRITING JOURNALIST AND ONE AGENCY, SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED.
(II) IT WILL BE APPRECIATED IF AT LEAST A REPRESENTATIVE GROUP OF THE JOURNALISTS CAN BE INVITED TO SOME OF THE SOCIAL FUNCTIONS.
(III) IT WILL USUALLY BE HELPFUL IF ANY VISITING
JOURNALISTS
STAY AT THE SAME HOTEL AS THE HEAD OF NEWS DEPT. IF THEY CONTACT YOU, THEY CAN BE ADVISED ACCORDINGLY.
(IV) THE PROGRAMME NEEDS TO BE DEVISED IN SUCH A WAY THAT GOOD STORIES, PRESS CONFERENCES AND ADEQUATE FILING TIME ARE AVAILABLE TO ANY BRITISH PRESS AND LOCAL PRESS BY FIRST EDITION DEADLINES. THESE ARE AROUND 1600 LONDON TIME FOR THE DAILY PRESS IN THE UK. THE SUNDAYS AND TV HAVE DIFFERENT TIME PRESSURES. NEWS AGENCIES AND THE RADIO CORRESPONDENTS (DOMESTIC AND WORLD SERVICE) WILL FILE AT ANY TIME. COULD YOUR INFORMATION OFFICER PLEASE PRODUCE A DRAFT PRESS PROGRAMME FOR US TO LOOK AT IN GOOD TIME BEFORE THE VISIT.
(V) PLEASE BE ALERT TO ANY POTENTIALLY HOSTILE BRIEFING GIVEN EITHER TO THE BRITISH OR LOCAL PRESS BY OTHER LOCAL SOURCES. (VI) IT IS IMPORTANT TO AVOID THE SECRETARY OF STATE BEING BOUNCED BY PRESS QUESTIONS ABOUT BREAKING NEWS WHICH HE HIMSELF HAS NOT HEARD. ANY ARRANGEMENTS YOU CAN MAKE TO MONITOR WIRE SERVICES, CNN, ETC AND TO ALERT THE PARTY AT ONCE WILL BE VERY HELPFUL.
LOCAL MEDIA
6. COVERAGE OF THE TRIP IN THE LOCAL MEDIA MAY BE BENIGN OR OTHERWISE DEPENDING ON NUMEROUS FACTORS, INCLUDING ANY CURRENT CONTROVERSIES INVOLVING BRITAIN AND THE HOST COUNTRY. UNHELPFUL STORIES AND COMMENT CAN AFFECT NOT ONLY LOCAL PERCEPTIONS BUT THE SUCCESS OF THE VISIT ITSELF. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT COVERAGE ON LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION AND IN NEWSPAPER FIRST EDITIONS IS MONITORED SO THAT CORRECTIVE ACTION CAN, IF NECESSARY, BE ATTEMPTED AT THE EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY.
THE OPPORTUNITIES
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