Media Conferences are No Place for Amateurs

Who should be allowed into a media conference?

Sadly, the modern world of social media and citizen journalism have blurred the boundaries.

Recent activity involving Australia’s cricketers has heightened thought around this very topic. It’s one I’ve contemplated for a number of years.

Especially a few years ago, when I was at the helm of media and communications for the National Basketball League. It was newly privatised and rebuilding following a rather robust demerger from Basketball Australia. We were a brand being swamped by a much bigger global beast – the NBA - and we were finding it tough to gain traction in the mainstream media.

We had no major sponsor. Without money to pour into marketing, our hands were tied. We sat on a commercial free-to-air network that wanted out. We inherited a live-streaming service that had technical challenges and a disgruntled customer base. Only hard work and a passionate group of private investors were keeping us afloat. It was a truly pivotal 12 months for the NBL.

When I took on the role, I was honest with management in my appraisal of where I thought things sat. The league just wasn’t on the media’s radar when it came to regular coverage. It was cold but true. Sometimes blunt is the only way.

Mainstream media in metropolitan markets just weren’t interested. Our teams in regional markets gained traction in local news services. Townsville. Cairns. Wollongong. Adelaide was fleeting but had a key advocate in town. Perth was passionate and crowds were big. Sydney and Melbourne were impossible to crack.

What we did have though was an undercurrent of passionate followers who instigated and stimulated conversation. A small group of basketball tragics who took it upon themselves to promote the brand. For want of a better word – they were bloggers. Fans with a keyboard and a domain name.

Handy allies. Which is great. But where do you draw the line? We were a brand that needed any publicity we could get. These bloggers were talking to a converted audience who knew where to go to find content that major news stations refused to supply. But blatant copyright breaches were a constant issue.

Their coverage gave us a pulse in a hashtag world. But at what price? I was a firm believer that limits had to be applied. Especially when it came to media accreditation and access privileges.

I was torn. I needed their voice and advocacy. But as an administrator in the media space, I was adamant I had a duty of care to the athletes and management personnel I was handing over to journalists for questioning. Bloggers were off the list. Unless I could establish a history of credibility and a pattern of adhering to protocols, it was a no-go zone.

Not everyone agreed with my stance. Some believed an open-door policy was the only way to grow the brand and its profile. A “beggars can’t be choosers” approach. Part of me could see their point but as far as I was concerned, this was about brand, athlete and spokesperson protection.

The way I see it, when you don’t answer to anyone and face repercussions for breaking ethics or protocol, you present a risk. Especially in an age when media opportunities were being screened live and digital technology was opening the door to mass, immediate amplification of our product through social platforms.

Without respect and professionalism, we are setting ourselves up for fail. Tough questions can be asked. But the fine line should never be crossed. And my athletes, my coaches, my CEO should feel confident that I am not putting their words and reputation up for sabotage by a non-compliant, unqualified hack.

Some good, genuine people missed out as a result. I could only apologise for this and present my case. Not everyone wanted to listen. But journalists too deserve to be convened in a professional forum and know they are not being surrounded and interrupted by amateurs who haven’t earned their stripes.

A bit like the press corp which gathered at Sydney Airport yesterday evening to hear from former Australian cricket team captain Steve Smith on his return from South Africa.

A humming press conference works in unison. It never fully goes smoothly but when it runs close, journalists wait their turn and ask their question. Usually there is a rhythm to the room. The talent usually knows what’s coming. A flow of predictable topics and angles and among the group, they usually all get covered off.

Unless of course that professionalism and respect is ignored and a random clown pipes up to demolish the flow and integrity of the process. Journalists hate those types. They have deadlines to meet. Thoughts and quotes to extract. The news cycle depends on it. It’s not just the talent in front of the camera who fumes.

Yesterday, that happened. It was unacceptable. Inexcusable. Inappropriate. Indecent. Disrespectful. Unprofessional. There’s a time and a place for the comedy act. You wouldn’t do it at a funeral. For Steve Smith, this was his darkest day.

It’s exactly the scenario I made moves to ensure wouldn’t happen to my athletes at the NBL.

Journalism is a profession. The qualification process these days requires years of tertiary training to get through the front door. Long may that continue. It stops what took place yesterday from happening again.