MEDIA DAY
"Leadership Bakersfield participants had the rare opportunity to turn the tables on the media on Jan. 17, during Leadership Bakersfield’s Communications Through the Media Day. The participants asked thoughtful, provocative questions of local media professionals about how to craft and distribute a message, navigate sensitive issues like privacy and ethics and manage crisis communications. The morning started at KGET-TV, Channel 17, which served as home base for the day. Vice President and General Manager Derek Jeffery and News Director Michael Trihey welcomed the class and allowed participants to have fun on set, posing for pictures and experimenting with the famous green screen, used during weather segments. Many selfies later, the class members took their seats to observed a spirited news meeting led by Trihey that included all representatives of the news team: on-air reporters and anchors as well as digital-only reporters and producers. The news crew shared ideas for potential coverage, explaining to the class what constitutes a good story and the importance of finding a unique angle to entice viewers. Joining the class after the news meeting was CSU Bakersfield lecturer and longtime media professional Jamie Butow, who shared her insights and tips on how to manage a comprehensive social media identity. Butow emphasized the importance of knowing your audience, which dictates the platform and content of the message. From KGET, the participants headed to Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace for lunch and a panel discussion of experts from traditional and emerging media: Robert Price, columnist for The Bakersfield Californian; Kenn McCloud, on-air host at KUZZ; Lois Henry, former Californian columnist and founder of SJV Water; and Terry Maxwell, on-air host at KNZR.
METRO | PAGE 10
The panelists tackled a wide swath of topics, from immigration to education, and shared their views on the radical changes taking place in the media landscape today. All the panelists agreed that the days when newspapers, television and radio were the definitive sources of news are gone and that the Digital Age has changed the way the media tells stories and opened doors for non-professional journalists to contribute to the conversation with photos, video and social media posts. A thought-provoking questionand-answer session addressed local, state and national issues on the minds of Leadership Bakersfield participants and sparked lively debate among the panelists. From the Crystal Palace, participants returned to KGET to demonstrate what they had learned – under the bright television lights. But before the participants took the spotlight, they learned from two of the most respected professionals in local public affairs: Michelle Corson, public relations officer for Kern County Public Health Services Department, and Angela Monroe, public information officer for the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Corson and Monroe said that in an emergency, it is imperative to gather information and get a message out quickly to reassure the public and avoid rumors. They gave the class a list of the essential components that make a news story: • Conflict • Controversy • Timeliness • Impact • Prominence • Uniqueness • Human Interest • Sound / Visual
