Using the Media

Packet Synopsis

Land use planning is a public function. Therefore as a public function, it should be a public process. Actually, Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D, Open Meeting Law is very specific on this subject and clearly defines the exceptions where a meeting may be closed to the public.

The flip side of openness is secrecy and secrecy begets mistrust. So even if openness is mandated by state statute, common sense and good public policy also says that planners and planning commissions must attempt to inform their constituents to the greatest extent possible of their deliberations and actions so that their actions and policy decisions are accepted as being free from “fear or favoritism” and have been made on the basis of defined and established public policy, the community’s established comprehensive plan and/or legislatively adopted zoning ordinances.

An informed constituency/citizenry has a second and very important result, namely it can generate feedback that can benefit planners and planning commissions, especially when they are writing or revising a comprehensive land use plan or its supporting ordinances or addressing new issues.

How to accomplish keeping the public informed is always a challenge. But clearly, Using the Media is one of the best tools available. The first essential step is to identify what are the media that service the community, i.e. TV, radio, a daily or weekly newspaper are the obvious ones.

Most of us are not media experts and have often had little or no experience in dealing with the media. The contents of this packet have therefore been selected to help planners and planning commissions to Using the Media to best accomplish their public responsibilities. They are:

Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D § 13D.01, Meetings must be open to the public; exceptions, Revisor of Statutes, State of Minnesota, 2004 – This legally defines to whom and under what circumstances Minnesota’s Open Meeting Law applies.

Tips for Connecting with Your Local Media, American Planning Association, Chicago, IL. – Presents a series of helpful suggestions when working with media.

Public and Media Relations and Basic Definitions: Advertising, Marketing, Promotion, Public Relations and Publicity, and Sales, Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits, St Paul, MN. – Both of these two titles are sponsored by the Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits of St Paul, MN. The first title is a brief but good definition of its title. The second gives understandable definitions of the essential terms in public and media relations.

The Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits has a web site. It is: http://www.mapfornonprofits.org

The two titles and their further links can be reached at: http://www.mapnp.org/library/pblc_rel/pblc_rel.htm

Creating Effective Relationships with the Media, People, Partnerships, and Communities, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Issue 19, August 1998 – Briefly answers the questions of Why, Who, When, and a numbers of Hows of using media.

Media Strategies, Public Involvement Techniques for Transportation Decision-making, Federal Highway Administration/Federal Transit Administration, September 1996 – This paper broadens the usual concept of media. It then describes some of the various forms, why they are useful, and the host of other subjects such as who participates, who leads them, costs, how to organize and more, all very briefly and to the point.

Positive Media Relations Requires Special Efforts, Planning Commissioners Journal, Burlington, VT, Number 5, July/August 1992 – Dealing with the media is at or near the top of the distaste list of many planners and planning commissions. Here are a number of suggestions as to how to make it a rewarding experience.

Dealing With the Press, Planning Commissioners Journal, Burlington, VT, Number 6, September/October 1992 – “The best way to prevent bad press is to take steps to avoid it in the first place.” A number of cogent suggestions are then presented as to how to effectively work with the media.

Think Like a Reporter, Planning Commissioners Journal, Burlington, VT, Number 47 Summer 2002. – The thrust of this paper is “to know what is news and what isn’t” and “the question is not how to squelch controversy but how to manage it”

LEGAL NOTES

Minnesota Statutes Chapter 13D MEETINGS OF PUBLIC BODIES is the applicable statute. Its § 13D.01 is enclosed as a part of this packet. Its other sections, specifically 13D.02 Meetings conducted by interactive TV; conditions, 13D.03 Closed meetings for labor negotiations strategy, 13D.04 Notice of meetings. 13D.05 Meetings having data classified as not public, 13D.06 Civil fines; forfeiture of office; other remedies, and. 13D.07 Citation should also be reviewed.
 

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