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Thanksgiving Should Only Be Once A Year

Why thanking everyone at a press conference has become annoying.

Feb 4, 2025 | Media Relations

Thanksgiving Should Only Be Once A Year

As a field reporter for over thirty years, I have covered thousands of press conferences. And in the last decade or so I have seen more press conferences at disaster/crime scenes turn into political events.

Take for example, a press conference in north Los Angeles County. The state fire agency, CalFire, introduced a councilmember from the small city most impacted by the fire; that person began by thanking every agency involved, lawmakers, and personal family members; the next speaker was the county supervisor for the district who did pretty much the same thing; next up, the State Assemblymember from the area, who mirrored the previous speakers. When a State Senator came up to the microphone I finally blurted out, “Are we ever going to hear about the fire?” That caused panic, as no one expected a reporter to interrupt a carefully planned press event. We were about twelve minutes into the conference before we got an update on the fire. That is unacceptable!

I commissioned a research study a few years ago to get a sense of what people’s viewing/listening habits are like during a press conference. Overwhelmingly, participants said there was a sense of credibility when someone with a badge or uniform spoke. Trust dropped when a politician stepped to the microphone. The consensus was that the moment an elected was involved the event turned political. Another look at the bulk of press conferences during the Covid-19 Pandemic illustrates the point.

The city and county of Los Angeles are notorious for politicizing every major press event. This is a press conference about the recent Palisades Fire. Thankfully, fire and police officials spoke first but around the 8:15 mark the politicos began.

You might have noticed in the video electeds are now tasked with giving out pertinent information, evacuations, road closures, etc. – this little trick began after public outcry over politicians exploiting press conferences during wildfires in Malibu a few years ago. It is disingenuous and people see through it.

Some strategies to consider:

  • Introduce the politicians and VIP’s in attendance and explain that they’re available immediately following the conference for one on ones. This approach satisfies egos and provides reporters with valuable content.
  • Always start with critical information. Save the less urgent news for the back half of the press conference. Don’t bury the lead!
  • Keep your press conference short and to the point.

Experts (people like you) should be the only speakers during the active phase of an incident, electeds should be used during the recovery phase. Simply put, people want to hear from boots on the ground when lives are at stake, save the politicians for the post-event wrap up.

For a deeper dive into this and other media relations topics join me and other experts for an exclusive PIO course March 24th and 25th at the Buena Park Police Department.

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Author

  • Steve Gregory

    Steve Gregory is California’s first and only working journalist who is a POST-Certified Instructor. He teaches media relations and crisis communications around the country and is an adjunct instructor with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the National Public Safety Innovation Academy.