Newspaper article on Conventions—why so glowing?

by Londo111 38 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  Hecce

  Agree with all the reasons that have been provided.

  WT is very conscious of PR and they have a nice set of press releases for every Convention need, reporters will just follow that. With regards to the comparisons with other conventions, generally speaking they are looking at different groups related to entertainment, sports, politic and stuff like that; if they were to match the WT Conventions with another religious groups like Evangelicals they will find that the good behavior is very similar.
• 

  DesirousOfChange

  Let me tell you how this works (at least up to several years ago).

  The RC Overseer or Chairman or his Public Relations representative will send a well prepared "News Release" written by the PR Dept and submitted to various media sources. It's not unusual for the newspaper to simply print word-for-word what was provided by the WT Conv PR Dept.

  The fact is, no one gives a sh!t about JWs (they are only 0.10% of the readership -- or less, since many cannot read) and thus most journalists will not spend any real effort in writing a comprehensive article on JWs unless it's about Armageddon. You see, Armageddon sells newpapers.  What they get via the WT PR Dept is nearly as bad as the JW propaganda in the WT.

  Doc
  
• 

  sparrowdown

  Why so glowing?

  JWs are boring.

  JW conventions are boring.

  Most cities and towns advertise acts, performances, and conventions that come to town as a way of advertising the city or town.
• 

  Simon

  Yeah, as doc says, they are 90% press release that the local rag just has to localize a little and boom, some column inches filled unless something actually newsworthy happens that day that needs the space.
• 

  Crazyguy

  Who's to say these little puff pieces aren't paid advertising by the borg? I did such thing in a business I had years ago little so-called interview on the radio it all sounded great and like an actual interview and what not but it was just a paid advertisement.
• 

  steve2

  Crazyguy, it's even easier than that. As I said earlier and others elaborated on, official press releases are sent to the media beforehand. "Journalists" tweak the press releases, a photographer turns up - sometimes a JW - and presto! There you have a lovely, sanitized "article" in the paper. Easy!

  And when the throngs leave the convention for the day, newspaper venues great them with pro-JW billboards. Increased sales for the day - important in this day of declining sales.
• 

  smiddy

  I sent Emily Thornton an e-mail suggesting she do her homework on Jehovah`s Witnesses before just copying a PR statement from the convention , especially since the Witnesses are very vocal in their publications about the dangers of higher education , as well as shunning,and Child Abuse cases with the ARC .

  Not surprisingly it was never acknowledged , at least she got it.

  And that`s what you can do ,comment on any article that`s printed in a newspaper either by contacting the journalist or writing in " Letters To The Editor" section

  smiddy
• 

  steve2

  Does the article have a link so that comments can be left?
• 

  smiddy

  steve2

  If you click on the article (top one ) and click on Emily Thornton , you have her email contact and go from their.

  Many newspapers have a Letters to the Editor section where you can have your say about something they have published

  otherwise you can just look up the Newspaper in the phone book and contact them , their are multiple ways of contacting newspapers and TV studios , Radio stations , as well , when you want your voice heard.

  Even if it isn`t , your concern , made to print ,or acknowledged by the TV studio , or does not come to air on Radio , those institutions , Newspapers ,TV studios , Radio ,etc , have been made aware of your concern or gripe.

  The more people do it the more it will have an effect in the media

  It`s like the squeaky gate is the one that gets oiled .

  We have to bombard the media ,Radio ,Television ,Newspapers with our concerns about the Jehovah`s Witnesses /WTB&TS as regards their public image that they project against the reality of broken families , shunning of family members even children who have been baptized , etc.

  smiddy
• 

  zeb

  There was a convention large I believe in the UK and the towns paper took a few photos threw a few short pieces together and quickly ran off some extra pages to wrap around the evenings paper and sold a heap of them just outside the convention centre. That edition with its 'extra' pages was not sold anywhere else.