GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE PRESS: THE MICHIGAN EXECUTIVE BRANCH . ‘3. Thesis for the Degree of M. A. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY Gerald .Ianes Keir 1966 LIBRARY Michigan State University wINIWUIHHIIUIIllllllNUIIIHHHUIHIIHUWHIHHI 31293 10431 7544 ABSTRACT GOVIRIHBIT PUBLIC RELATIONS ‘ AID III PRESS: IE! HICHIGAN’BXBCUTIVI BRAICH by Gerald Janos Keir In recent years, government at all levels has become increas- ingly image-conscious and interested in public relations. Government press agents are now employed at federal, state, and municipal levels amid discussions of secrecy, managed news, propaganda, and similar issues. This study was an examination of one aspect of the public re- lations efforts of the executive branch of the State of Michigan. At- tention wee focused on those state employee classified by the Civil Service Commission as public information personnel. The goal was to determine what kinds of people were doing government public relations work and to see how effectively they work with the press. Included in the original sample for the study were thirty-four state employee in the classifications of public information special- ist, public information executive, and conservation education execu- tive. They were asked to complete questionnaires describing their educational backgrounds, employment histories, and their opinions about the work they performed. Completed questionnaires were obtained from twenty-mine, or 85.3 per cent of the total. The responses showed that almost all had some education beyond high school, and that most (62.1 per cent) had received bachelor's de- grees. Four of the respondents hold master's degrees. Host had Gerald Janes Keir attended liichigan state universities and has majored in fields which would be considered communication arts--journalism or speech. .ell but seven of those in the public information classes had some ex- perience with newspapers or radio-television news work before their employment with the state government. All but a few considered this background helpful in their present work, but few said that such experience was essential. Although Michigan public information employee do more than deal‘with reporters, they do have constant contact with the newsman in the Capitol bureaus in Lansing. Interviews with reporters from five Capitol news bureaus led to the conclusion that the public in- formation personnel and the reporters have a generally harmonious working relationship. The state public relations personnel seem to be an accepted part of the job of gathering state government news. nest of the usual newspaper complaints about public relations-~the non-news story, propagandising, inaccessibility of news sources-- seem to present no major problems in Lansing. The reporters also agreed that experience with the mass media was useful background for a state public relations man or woman. Knowledge of the working conditions and problems of the newsman seems to produce a degree of empathy among the state public relations employes. This descriptive study of public relations in the Michigan executive branch also suggests a number of possibilities for future research: Civil Service procedures, Executive Office publicity, hidden public relations men, the role of the handout, and legisla- tive public relations personnel. GOVERNI‘TENT PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE PRESS: THE MICHIGAN EXECUTIVE BRANCH 53’ Gerald Janes Keir A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS School of Journalism 1996 Copyright by GERALD JANES KEIR 1966 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish eSpecially to thank Dr. George A. Hough III, my the- sis adviser, whose continuing interest provided the seed for this study, for his guidance in its planning and execution, and sugges- tions and encouragement during the entire undertaking. His help and advice have always been most willingly offered, most useful, and most appreciated. My thanks also go to Dr. John T. McNelly, who assisted me in the presentation of the tabular and statistical matter here. Much of the information for this thesis would have been im- possible to come by without the ready assistance of Mr. Otis S. Hardy, assistant to the director of the Michigan Civil Service Com- mission, and his staff. Their willingness to rummage through dusty files to answer my many questions was most helpful. Many members of the Capitol press corps also willingly gave of their time and information--special thanks to Richard L. Barnes, Roger Lane, Willard Baird, William Kulsea, Carl Rudow, and Bud Vestal. And, of course, the state public information workers have cooperated with me by taking the time to tell me about themselves, their work, and their opinions. Although I promised them anonym- ity in the body of the thesis, I would like to thank here Holly M. Boelio, Peter F. Bommarito, Curtis H. Boos, Edward Boucher, Paul Challancin, John Richard Cook, Charles Floyd, John Gray, Gordon iii Hanna, Otis S. Hardy, William R. Hardy, Gladys M. Johnson, John N. McCall, Russell McKee, James Mosher, William Mullendore, Ernest B. Mullings, Russell Patterson, Merrill L. Petoskey, Henry G. Shippey, Tricia D. Street, Justin C. Sutton, Jr., Helen I. Wallin, John Watt, Charles Welch, and Joe E. Wells. Despite the fact that untold thousands of written works have been dedicated to the parents of the writer, I must now add one more to the list. It is perhaps trite to say that without them none of what follows would have been possible, but it certainly would have been very, very improbable. For all your help, your son thanks you very much. - Gerald Janes Keir iv TABLE OF CON’F NTS Page ACKNONLEDGEMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii Chapter I. GOVERI‘IMENT AND THE, PRESS IN THE UNITED STATES . . l Theories of the Government-Press Relationship . 2 The Social Responsibility Model . . 7 II. THE. GROWTH OF GOVERNEENT PUBLIC RELATIONS . . . . 9 The New Deal and the Information Explosion . . 9 Public Relations and Government Service . . . . 12 Administrative Publicity: The Risks . . . . . 14 Congress and Government Publicity . . . . . . . l? The States and Government Publicity . . . . . . 22 III. STATE PUBLIC RELATIONS IN MICHIGAN. . . . . . . . . 26 Michigan Civil Service and Public Relations . . 27 Public Information in Civil Service Today . . . 30 Selection of Public Information Personnel . . 41 IV. MICHIGAN PUBLIC INFORMATION PERSONNEL . . Ab Length of State Service . . . . . , 45 Job EXperience with State . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Prior Job Experience . . . . . . . . . . 52 Medi.a Experience and Public Information . . . . 54 V. PUBLIC INFORMATION PERSONNEL AND THE CAPITOL REPORTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Acceptance of Public Information Personnel . . 60 Is State Government News Coverage Adequate? . . 6: Accessibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 The Handout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Public Information Men and News Experience . . 69 Chapter Page V I . SUMMARY . I o 9 s 71 Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Other Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 IBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 APPENDICES . ' U . D O O Q I . vi Table 10. LIST OF TASK 3 Page Respondents to Personal History Questionnaire Sent to Michigan Public Information Personnel . . . . . . AS Length of State Government Employment of Michigan Public Information Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Occurrence of Non-Public Information Jobs in Employ- ment Histories of Michigan Public Information Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Interdepartmental Mobility of Michigan Public Infor‘ mation Personnel . . . . . . . . 49 Educational Backgrounds of Michigan Public Informa- tion Personnel . . . . . . . . A9 Institutions Granting Bachelor's Degrees to Michigan Public Information Personnel . . . . 50 Major Fields of Study of Michigan Public Information Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Relationship of Amount of Education and Length of State Service of Michigan Public Information Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Previous work Experience of Michigan Public Infor- mation Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Annual Salaries for State Public Information Personnel in Michigan: 1965 . . . . . . . 88 vii CHAPTER I covtmm AND THE PRESS IN THE UNITED STATES The Twentieth Century, more than any other time in history, has been an image conscious era. Business firms hire thousands of people to help keep a favorable impression before the millions of Americans who determine the patterns on their sales charts. Huge advertising budgets enable competitors to spread their messages throughout the nation in magazines and newspapers, and into mil- lions of television~dominated living rooms. Even charitable organizations are now big users of bill- board space, advertising inches, and television time as Americans are urged to dig deep for the United Fund, Mothers' March on Polio, March of Dimes, and dozens of other funds. As the media have grown and their power to reach people everywhere has been multiplied, big business and charities have not been the only institutions to see the desirability of keeping a good image before the public. The government itself has, in this century more than ever before, become actively involved in the gathering and presentation of information about itself to the peeple. In fact, one British student of the American political scene contends that "the employment of information officers by public authorities at all levels of government is one of the l notable developments of the present century.”1 The increasing participation by public administrators in the flow of information has already and will continue to affect the government-press relationship at all levels-~federal, state, and municipal. When the framers of the United States Constitution added the Bill of Rights to that document, one of the main beneficiaries was the press. The constitutions of the states contain similar provisions for freeing the press from governmental restraint. In Michigan the Constitution guarantees that every person may "freely speak, write, express and publish his views on all subjects,” and forbids any law which would "restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press."2 Thggrles of the Government-Press Relationship Since the days of Milton, the proponents of popular rule have been concerned about the proper role of the press in the plotting of the course of government. The Miltonian view advocated ”discussion proceeding freely among all those who wish to speak.. to facilitate a reasonable consensus.“3 Thomas Jefferson, probably America's most widely-quoted authority on the proper role of the press in the political system, trusted to the ”common sense and u A-“ 1William A. Robson, The Governors and the Governed (Baton mm. Rouge, La.: Louisiana State fihiversity Press, 195:), p. 42, 2Michigan, Constitition, rt. I, See. 5. 3.1. Edward Gerald, The Social Respgqgibilitv o§__the Press (Minneapolis: The University of Minnesota Press, 1903), p. ll. reliable judgment: of the people if they were kept fully-informed about politics and government.4 Coupled with this advocacy of free press was the concept that the press ought to act as a counterweight to guard against government overstepping its bounds. That mark of the libertarian theory of the press which distinguishes it from other views is the ”right and duty of the press to serve as an extralegal check on ”5 government. In a Nieman lecture at Marquette University, Alan Barth of the Washington Post contended that: ”In a free society . . the function of the press is, rather, to oppose the govern- ment, to scrutinize its activities and to keep its authority with- in appropriate bounds.”6 Inherent in this concept is the idea that the press ought to have more or less free access to the activities and parapherna- lia of the government in order to better keep watch over the state. In a government based on pepular rule, it is generally agreed that one of the prerequisites for the existence of an informed public opinion is the "free availability of information about public issues and public questions.”7 When such information is kept in the ._ .— 4Ibid., p. 16. 5Fred S. Siebert, Theodore Peterson, and Wilbur Schramm, Pour Theories of the Press (Urbana, 111.: University of Illinois Press, 1956), p. 56. 6Alan Barth, ”The Press as Censor of Government.” yital Speechegmof the Day, XXVIII (March I), 1962), 341. 7V. 0. Key, Jr., Public_9pinig3‘gndmgmegiganflgemocracv (New York: Alfred A. Knopf. lQOl), p. l3. open, the characteristic ”interplay of opinion and policy” of popu- lar rule is free to occur.8 Under the traditional libertarian theory of the press, the government was to play a passive role in the collection and dis- semination of information to the public. There was to be no gov- ernment restraint upon the flow of facts, nor was there to be any assistance by the government to keep the facts flowing. This view, in the mold of the Milton-Locke-Jefferson thesis, was based on an Enlightenment Era suspicion of any encroachment by the government upon the basic rights of the people.9 As the role of government expanded, however, so too its relationship with the press was altered. Instead of its former passive role, the state now assumed a more active role in the pro- cess of gathering and disseminating information. The new role in- cluded such tasks as restriction, regulation. and facilitation. Under the traditional libertarian system, the state's activities had been an open book, accessible to the press, and reporting the contents to the people in a meaningful way. For those who abused the freedom of the press, the state had recourse in statutes for libel or contempt of court. With the new, expanded role for government, the book was partitioned instead into three distinct sections: (1) some of government is now "secret," records are hidden, proceedings often become executive sessions, (2) some 8Harold D. Lasswell, Democracy through Public Opinion (Menasha, Wis.: Banta, 1941), p. l5. 9William A. Hachten, "The Press as Reporter and Critic of Government," Journalism Quarterly, XL (Winter, 1963), 12-14. remains merely open to the press, just as it was under traditional libertarian theory (this includes public proceedings and many re- cords), (3) some activity is now positively reported on by the gov- ernment itself.10 Because of this new role for the state in deciding which bits of information are to be handled in which way, there have been new dangers introduced into the government-press relationship. Both the secret areas and those areas in which government itself handles newsgathering impose new problems on the press. One quite obvious danger inherent in such a situation is that of an unwarranted expansion by the government of the area of information considered secret, so that the state assumes an author- itarian control over the flow of ideas.11 The press's continuing fight for open meeting and open records statues is one aspect of this dilemma. Several news organizations have backed Congressional 2 and Sigma Delta efforts to reduce the scope of federal secrecy,1 Chi, the professional journalistic society, carries on a constant campaign which has helped to get model "Freedom of Information" laws passed in twenty-eight states since 1953.13 Congressional concern over apparently widening secrecy in government has long been evident. In 1946, the Congress passed 101b1d., p. 16. 111b1d., p. 17. 12”Press Backed FoI Bill Passed and Recalled," Editor and Publisher, XCVII (August 1, 1964), 50. 13"The F01 Report for '63," Quill, LI (December, 1963), I9. an Administrative Procedure Act which laid down certain guidelines for the release and withholding of information. The legislation was somewhat vague--it allowed withholding information "in the public interest” or "for good cause shown"--but it did loosen up same agencies and set a precedent for open records. Attempts have been made to further delimit the areas considered secret, notably by United States Senator Edward V. Long, a Missouri Democrat. Thus far, the Long legislation has met with little success.14 In addition to controlling news by concealing it, govern- ment has added another dimension to the news process by employing an increasing number of public relations personnel. Ostensibly, the goal of these peOple is to facilitate the gathering and publi- cation of information of value to the public. The added use of these public information personnel has, however, resulted in some cries of alarm from both the press and other sources. Some have suggested that government preparation of news inevitahéy leads to reduced access for the press in the adminis- trative halls of government. Because of the ready availability of prepared handouts and instant press releases, reporters may be un- able or may simply neglect their traditional rule as watchdog on the government. In addition, many feel that direct contact with the people through such means as prepared handouts and televised presidential announcements is an undesirable develrpment which threatens to reduce the role of the press in the flow of informa- tion,15 1“"I’ress 3a.2ad FoI Bill Passed and Recalled," p. 50. 15Gideon Feymour, "The Relationship of the Press to SguaFW' tent and to the People,” :sgqjglisn Quaggerly, xxx (March, 1942), 55-57. The éoeial Respewihilisrilzeoaz If government control of information was frowned upon by the libertarians, it is made even more abhorrent by the emergence cizatheory which postulates a positive role for the press in the development of society. Although the libertarian view of LP: press espoused the principle of an unfette ed flow of information, there was nothing in this concept which established the ”people's righ: to (accurate) information."16 This element i , hrwever, an important part of a new model for g v‘rnment-press relations which has been : lied the social responsibility theory. Under this system, the press is seen as having the (bligation to: (I) serve the political syst*m by providing an objective platform for informing the people and allow-- ing discussion and debate about public affairs, (2) enlighten the public, (3) serve as a watchdog against government for the indiv- idual citizens, and (4) serve the economic system (i.e., through advertising).17 In recent years, the Commission on Freedom of the Press has advocated a course for the p sis which follows closely this social reagwnsibility model. Its reconcrwfiq:qus have received much criti- cism from the press itself, but the standards set forth in the com- mission's 1947 report are relevant to any discussion of government and the press in modern times. In its 1947 report, the commission 16Siebert, Peterson, and Schramm, p. 73. 17Ibid.. p. 74. said:18 ”Today, our society needs, first, a truthful, comprehensive and intelligent account of the day's events in a context which gives them meaning; Second, a forum for the exchange of comment and criticism; Third, a means of projecting the opinions and attitudes of the groups in society to one another; Fourth, a method of presenting and clarifying the goals and values of society; and Fifth, a way of reaching every member of the society by the currents of information, thought, and feeling which the press supplies.” The commission urged that all levels of government work actively to make information available and to clarify government programs. In a similar statement from the Same report, Zechariah Chafee suggests that "a democratic society must have a right posi- tively to foster in the community its own philosophy of life."19 18Commission on Freedom of the Press, A Free and Responsible Press (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1947), pp. 20-21. 19Zechariah Chafee. Jr., Government and Mass Communications (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1947), II, 665. CHAPTER II THE GROWTH OF GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS ”The difficulty of government work is that it not only has to be well done, but the people have to be convinced that it is being well done. In other words, there is a necessity for both competence and exposition.”1-—James V. Forrestal, Secretary of Defense, l947-h9. Just as public relations consciousness has affected all of American business during this century, so has it also crept into the practice of public administration. Those people who handle the everyday business of keeping the governnnnt running are being urged more and more to be aware of the possibilities for image- making in contact between the bureaucracy and the citizens. The New Deal and the Information Explosion Although public relations in business got off the ground early in this century, many have pointed to the New Deal era as the point at which public administrators first became conscious of the possibility of an active role for government in the flow of infor- mation. Although government had always been a participant in the gathering and dissemination of news, the early years of the 1James V. Forrestal, quwted in Walter Millis and E. S. Duffield (eds.), Porrestal Diaries (New York: The Viking Press, 1951), p. 300. ' 10 Franklin Roosevelt administration fostered the first administrative lobby in the federal government.2 In 1936 a study of the government public information func- tion by the Brookings Institution estimated the annual cost of fed- eral government publicity at one million dollars. They found that public information personnel prepared and distributed in excess of 4,900 news releases each year.3 By the end of the 1941 fiscal year, the federal government was employing 2,895 full-time public information workers just in those agencies concerned with the peacetime administration of the government. Those bureaus concerned with military and defense activities contributed another 1.500 to the public relations work force.4 A study of the then existing federal information agencies in 1942 found that most were fledgling departments which had been created since the late thirties. The Office of Government Reports, including the United States Information Service, was created in 1939 within the Executive Office of the President. Several other public relations units were created as war approached in 1941, in- cluding the Office of Facts and Figures in the Civil Defense agency, William Donovan's Office of Coordination of Information, the Office of Coordination of Inter-American Affairs headed by Nelson A. Rockefeller, and the Office of the Director of Censorship, a post filled by former Associated Press executive news director Byron 2John M. Pfiffner and Vance R. Presthus, Public Administra- tion (4th ed. rev,; New York: Ronald Press, 1960), p. 166. 31bid. I “Seymour, p. 55. ll Price. Within the armed forces the War Department created a Public Relations Bureau, and the Navy Department formed the Office of Pub- lic Relations in 1941.5 So, in addition to the numerous public information personnel tucked away in dark corners, the federal government had come to accept publicity activities and information-processing as a normal part of managing the state by the time World War II arrived. By post-war standards, however, the public relations efforts of the late thirties in Washington seemed a drop in the bucket. In 1948 the Bureau of the Budget estimated that there were 45,000 federal employees either directly or indirectly involved in govern- ment publicity and information services. Their salaries exceeded thirteen million dollars annually, and their collective efforts resulted in an output of sixty million pieces of government litera- ture each year.6 In 1950 the Hoover Commission reported that one hundred five million dollars in federal funds was being spent annually for publi- city efforts, including preparation of copy, printing, mailing, and salaries of personnel. The commission found that 43,778 government employees were then involved in public information and publicity work.7 SFred S. Siebert, "Federal Information Agencies-~An Outline," Journalism Quarterly, XIX (March, 1942), 28-33. 6Pfiffner and Presthus, p. 166. 7U.S., Congressional Record, 8lst Cong., 2d Sess., 1950, CLXXXXVI, Part 17, Abdel-66. 12 Apparently the change in the role of government which marked the New Deal years was one which provided a tremendous impetus for increasing programs of government information. Public Relations and Government Services One of the elements of that change was the transformation of the government from a policeman to a service instrument, a switch which made it important to bring the message of government‘s acti- vities to all of the people. Programs which affect the day-to-day lives of millions of people also become of interest to the report- ers covering government. Especially in the executive branch, the enlargement of the role of government\naturally gave rise to an increase in reporter's queries about government programs and their effect on the people. As a natural result, one writer concluded. there arose a need for "expert and informed publicists in govern- ment when . . . (it) goes into such fields as social security, fields which concern directly the masses of the peeple.”8 Opinions of others on the desirability of a positive role for administrators in the reporting of news are not nearly so clear-cut, however. Views on the question range from "we must have it” to "God forbid," with dozens of shades of meaning between. The dissemination of information to the public by government agencies can often take the place of even legislative action in many situations. 0n the federal level, especially, this technique can be and has been useful in securing public support for programs which need such backing to succeed. In times of inflation or 8Seymour, p. 55. l3 depression, for instance, a barrage of government publicity may be loosed to enlist the public's aid in restoring national economic stability. For instance, in the 1958 recession the federal govern- ment strongly urged consumers to keep on buying, especially larger purchases, to stimulate production and halt the downturn. The United States Post Office Zip Code campaign is another example of an attempt to use extensive publicity to achieve administrative goals. Snappy spot television announcements, coupled with pains- taking explanations by postmasters, accompanied the introduction of the new procedure. In more recent times President Lyndon Johnson's well- publicized concern over the unfavorable international balance of payments was followed by a reduction in the amount of overseas travel by Americans. Many other similar programs of government agencies require publicity in the mass media to reach maximum effectiveness. It is in this type of activity that government agencies are most likely to distribute material that is persuasive rather than informative. While legislators are wont to attack what they see as administrative propaganda, most have seen the need for some such activity to induce better public compliance with government programs.9 The more vociferous defendants of the use of administrative publicity emphasize the essential part public cooperation plays in keeping governmental operations flowing smoothly. A student of the promotional programs conducted by the New York state gov- ernment concluded that any "enlightened and informed public 9v, 0, Key, Jr., Public Opinion and American Democracy, p. 416. FT official” worth his salt must make thorough use of the tools of public relations.10 Similarly, British political scientist William A. Robson observed:11 A widespread knowledge of the aims and purposes of gov- ernment is necessary to secure consciousness of consent and popular support . . . Public authorities must come into the market place and tell people simply and clearly what they are going to do and why. For the most part, there is agreement with the premise that government must make available information about its goals and the means it is employing to reach them. The cultivation of a know- ledgeable public opinion is seen as legitimate, but there is not so much agreement on the latitude to be given public agencies in the presentation of factual material. A rider to the 1909 appro- priation for the Forest Service, for instance, allowed dissemina- tion of "any information of value to the public," yet forbade the preparation and distribution of press releases and news articles.12 Administrative Publicity; The Risks Even those who advocate increased informational activities for public administrators admit that there are concomitant dangers. First, there is the threat of undue influence on the press so as to preclude the chances of government criticism. Included here is the danger of government management of news so as to counteract 10Bernard Rubin, Public Relations and the Empire State (New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1936), p. ll. 11Robson, p. 36. 12v.s., Statutes at Large, xxxv, Part 1, 259. 15 publicity of administrative blunders by releasing at the same time a story favorable to the government. Secondly, critics are con- cerned about a creeping encroachment of propaganda into government publicity, not by direct falsification, but ”through the presen- tation of a partial or incomplete picture of a particular mat" ter."13 Others are more concerned about direct attempts at prepa- ganda by government agencies. While agreeing that some government information work is useful, Zechariah Chafee's report to the Com- mission on Freedom of the Press cautioned that "information can easily become propaganda for a cause, although those who frame it may sincerely believe that their side is best."14 The view of Congress seems to be a reflection of the almost contradictory 1909 Forest Service law mentioned earlier. The pre- sentation of facts is a legitimate chore, but the digesting of these same facts into a meaningful news story is seen as overstep- ping the bounds of proper administrative activity. Public administrators have also been concerned about the proper limits of publicity by agencies in carrying out public policy. There seem to be three dominant views on the legitimate sc0pe of government publicity activitieszl) 13Robson, p. 44. 14Chafee, pp. 762-63. 15Leonard D. White, Introduction to the Study of Public _gdministration (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1935), pp. 201-2020 16 1. Formation of policy is the proper duty of legislative bodies and citizen groups . . . administrative agencies should be considered only as a means of executing policy. 2. The agency is like any other group, (and) has the right to explain, defend, and encourage adoption of its program. 3. A public agency . . . which is equipped with a large body of expert information . . . should have the widest latitude to seek adopgion of its program. (Italics mine.) In this century, with the ascendancy of the role of the executive branch in American government, the role of the adminis- trative bureau in the formulation of policy has tended toward the second and third of these view:. A 1951 investigation by the House Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Branch concluded that the administrative lObby was the most influential in Washington. United States Represent- ative Forest A. Harness, the Indiana Republican who headed the committee, attacked the use of government publicity to persuade the public and legislators. He claimed that "individual liberty and free institutions cannot long survive when the vast power of the Government may be marshaled against the people to perpetuate a given policy or a particular group of office holders.”16 In the same report, the administrative interests defended their right to utilize public relations techniques. hey pointed out that, in a democracy, both the legislators and the public needed information about government in order to make intelligent decisions. The administrative lobby was only one of many voices seeking the public's attention, it was claimed, and public infor- mation work by the state itself was the only way to assure that 16”The Propaganda Activities of Big Government under Scrutiny,” Congressional Digest, XXX (May, 1951), 142. 17 government would not be ”captive to the narrow force of private interest."17 The phi1050phical discussions of the desirability of pub- licity by government are, it seems, not limited to this narrow problem alone. The issue is linked to such other concepts as our system of checks and balances, the separation of powers, and the question of strong versus wean government. Those who oppose in principle the use by government of publicity tools are generally concerned more about the increased role of government in daily life than they are about the increased volume of news handouts.15 Congress and Government Publicity The Congress, ever wary of any trend which threatens to enhance the power of the federal executive, has periodically made raids into the territory of the administrative publicist and at- tempted to retain as much control as possible over government public relations. The first Congressional efforts in this area were directed toward keeping legislative control over government printing. This was done by creating the Government Printing Office. This office is supervised by the Joint Committee on Printing, consisting of the chairman and two members of the House Committee on House Ad- ministration and a like delegation from the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. 17Ibid., p. 140. 18Robson, p. 45. After the creation of the Government Printing Office, Congress took steps to insure that this would be the only place they would have to scrutinize. A bill was passed abolishing sepa- rate printing operations in government agencies and ruling that "all printing offices in the departments . . . shall be considered ”19 Another amendment to a part of the Government Printing Office. the same law stipulated that: "All printing, binding, and blank- book work for Congress, the Executive Office and the Judiciary, and every Executive department, independent office, and establish- ment of the Government, shall be done at the Government Printing Office.”20 Executive departments were enjoined to print only matter ”necessary for the public business,' unless Specifically author- ized by the Congress to do otherwise. Finally, in 1919, a law was passed prohibiting the publication of any "journal, magazine, peri- odical or similar publication" without a Specific authorization from the Congress.21 A decision by the United States Comptroller-General in 1936 put the capstone on the Government Printing Office's control over printing work for the federal government. In answer to a Federal , , 9 Power Commission request, it was ruled that:"2 The permissible field of duplicating work done by Gov- ernment agencies, as distinguised from printing required 19U.s., 44 United States Code 60. 203.S., 4d United States Code 111. 21v.s., 40 Statutes 1270 (March 1, 1919). 22(1.8., Comptroller-Ceneral's Ruling A-74715 of December 12, 193s. 19 to be done at the Government Printing Office, is largely limited to the reproduction of typewritten matter which otherwise would be for reproducing by a typewriter. While the Congress was busy consolidating its control over federal printing, the executive branch was becoming more open in its handling of the public relations function. Because of Con- gressional distrust of administrative publicity, agencies had been forced to hide those activities under such titles as information consultant or education and information representative. In 1890 the United States Civil Service Commission announced examinations for positions as "editorial clerks and editorial assistants" to write news stories, pamphlets, and reports.23 This, apparently, slipped by the Congressional gaze. In 1908, however, the Forest Service attempted to hire some personnel to handle publicity chores and got caught. After suitably irate speechmaking, the Congress slapped down the agency by placing a rider on its 1909 appropriation prohibiting the use of funds for the preparation or publication of any newspaper or magazine article. The provision did not, however, prohibit giv- ing out ”facts or official information of value to the public.”24 It was four years later, however, that Congressional indig—‘ nation over government publicity really came out in force. United States Representative Frederick Gillett of Massachusetts had come across a Civil Service circular announcing competition for several 23Dick FitzPatrick, ”Public Information Activities of Gov- ernment Agencies,” Public Qpinion_§uarterly, XI (Winter, 1947), 530. I 2“J'U.S., Statutes at Large, XXXV, Part 1, 259. posts as ”publicity experts” in the Office of Public Roads of the Department of Agriculture. The bulletin said the job involved ”preparation of news matter and securing the publicity of such items.” It emphasized the need for men with ”wide experience (at least five years) in newspaper work,” and extensive personal contacts with reporters and editors to assure publication of news items.25 Interrupting debate in the middle of an appropriations bill, Representative Gillett soundly denouced the hiring of experts for "exploiting and advertising” a government agency. He claimed that "anything which requires the knowledge of the public certainly finds its way into the press” without the aid of publicity ex- pertsf/6 He therefore proposed an amendment to the 1913 Deficiency Appropriation Act forbidding the use of government funds for the n27 "compensation of any publicity expert. After a short debate which was noticeably devoid of any opposition to the amendment, the Gillett proviso carried on a voice vote.28 It has become obvious, however, that the principal effect of this legislation was to outlaw the title of "publicity expert" in the federal government service. It has done little to stem the tide of information officers. editors-in-chief, supervisors of research, and other hidden publicity experts now found in 25U.5., Congressional Record, 63rd Cong., lst Sess., 1913, L, Part 5, 4409. 26Ibid., p. 4411. 27Ib1g., p. 4409. 81b1d., p. 4411. almost all available administrative corners in the federal govern- ment.29 In 1919, the Congress again directed its attention to the matter of admnnistrative publicity, this time focusing on the pro- blem of attempts to influence the opinions of legislators. A statute was passed Stipulating that:30 No part of the money appropriated by any act shall, in the absence of eXpress authorization by Congress, be used directly or indirectly to pay for any personal service, advertisement, telegram, telephone, letter, printed or written material, or other device, intended or designed to influence in any manner a member of Congress, to favor or oppose, by vote or otherwise, any legislation or ap- propriation. While attempting, in periodic bursts of indignation, to thwart administrative puclicity, the Congress has at the same time given parts of the executive branch a blank check for provid- ing huge quantities of the stuff. This has been done through statutory provisions charging all sorts of agencies with specific informational roles. For instance, the Department of Agriculture is directed "to diffuse among the people of the United States use- n31 ful information on subjects of agriculture. The Civil Areo- nautics Board ”is empowered to collect and disseminate information 32 relative to civil aeronautics.” 29v. 0. Key, Jr., Politics, Parties and Pressure Groups (New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1952), p. 731. 3OU.S., 41 Statutes at Large 69. 31u.s.. 5 United States Code 511. 320.5., 49 United States Code 456. 22 It would seem that determining the real Congressional senti- ments about government publicity is a difficult task. That body has placed its feet firmly at both the pro— and anti-publicity ends of a continuum, hacking away at press releases with one hand and making provision for their increased use with the other. The States and Government Publicigy Considerations of the current status of American state gov- ernments are dominated by one morose theme. Most students of the subject have concluded that the citizens of the several states show a marked disinterest toward state politics. In his author- itative study of American states, v.0. Key, Jr., observed wryly that people were not exactly ”boiling with concern about the work- ings of their state governments.” He added:33 In the competition for public interest and attention, the governments of American states come off a poor second-best against the performance of the finished professionals who operate in Washington. The salience of national issues, the magnitude of federal undertakings, and the stature of nation- “WW-h.— ‘mgy‘bg, push*int3_zhe far background the doings of the poli- titions in Springfield, in Sacramento, in Salem, in Baton Rouge, and in Tallahassee. (Italics mine.) Key goes on to observe that the lack of citizen interest in state affairs has been a result of certain institutional weaknesses in our state political structures. Malapportionment has given the peOple legislatures which, with few exceptions, give a handful of rural communities the deciding voice in at least one legislative chamber. This same freakish obstacle to the workings of a popular 1"——'r«- 'r . 1.-»'r.-'.-. "-. . -" ,. ., "a." :-.»: owe-.- ~11): .~-'.- M159! york. “tired . - ..- ‘ a“... w *--M*d \. hflfi‘m-mo h ‘N (J (g. ‘1 23 majority also leads quite frequently to that unique version of the separation of powers which opposes a governor to a recalcitrant or Openly hostile legislature. The long ballot, through which many executive department heads are elected, can force a stalemate even within the confines of the executive branch itself. Although the roots of dissatisfaction with state government lie in great part in the legislative branch--i.e., failure to se- cure an equitable apportionment-~the results of it deeply affect the executive branch as well. A major factor which has aggravated state problems has been the massive influx of people into urban areas in this century. Because the rurally-dominated legislatures have not coped realistically with metropolitan problems, the cities have more and more been turning to washington for assistance.34 The politics of the nation began to turn on the urban-national axis and the states found themselves leapfrogged.35 However, the bal- ance of power may be swinging back somewhat as a result of the "one man, one vote” decisions which began with Baker v. Carr.36 The long period of imbalance has, some insist, made the role of the states largely one of administering federal programs, re- ceiving and disbursing funds for localities, and similar tasks. 34Ib1d., pp. 3-10. 35Martin Landau, "Baker v. Carr and the Ghost of Federalism,” Reapportionment, ed. Glendon Schubert (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1965), pp. 241-48. 368aker et al. v. Carr et al., 369 v.3. 186 (1962). The re- levant Michigan reapportionment decisions which follow the same reasoning are Scholle v. Hare, Secretary of State of Michigan, at 31. 369 U.S. 429 (1962), and the later state decision, Scholle v. Secretary of State, No. 63, 367 Mich. 176 (1902). Key observes that, in the context of today's politics, ”the work of state government consists in higher degree of the unglamourous chores of administration."37 If this contention has even a substantial glimmer of truth, then the electoral decisions made at the state level ought to be more and more linked with the kind of job being done in the execu- tive branch of government. It has been observed that, ”even under the most favorable circumstances a sharp discrimination by the public between the rascals and the others is difficult to achieve."38 Whatever discrimination is present is likely to be a function of the quality of performance as reported in the mass media. The State of Michigan fits this model nearly perfectly. The dichotomy between the metropolis (Detroit) and outstate is present. Malapportionment has traditionally left the cities under- represented. Huge urban problems exist. and the state has not made serious efforts to attack them. "ntil the 1964 reapportionment, the governor had been faced by a constantly hostile legislature dominated by rural districts. As the task of the state administration increases, more and more public attention is and ought to be focused upon that phase of the government. For years, the state of Michigan has used public information personnel to help tell the government story. Now, there are more employees of the state involved in government 37Key, American State Politics, p. 17. 35Ib1d., p. 14. 25 publicity than there are reporters in the Lansing bureaus of all the press outlets which keep staffs in the Capital. This role for the state in newsgathering has, obviously, altered somewhat the relationship between the public administration and the press in Michigan. This study is intended to discover more about this relationship by looking at the men and women who fill the state government posts, and at their relations with the representatives of the press who deal with them. CHAPTER III STATE PUBLIC RELATIONS IN MICHIGAN The administrative handling of government public relations jobs has varied considerably from state to state, with some states attempting to conceal the existence of such activities from prying public and legislative eyes and others being more open about the matter. Massachusetts, for instance, uses the title of information officer to cover up state public relations activities.1 On the other hand Ohio attempted for years to avoid any mention of the existence of public relations personnel within the state govern» ment. Although the Ohio Civil Service was created in 1:1;, by 1937 there was no job claSsification which appeared to have anything re- motely to do with public relations, publicity, public information, or any of the familiar cover titles used to conceal these people. In Michigan the Civil Service Department was created in 1938, and public relations jobs were included in the classified service from the start. However. each agency is allowed two un- classified positions, and these have sometimes been used to quietly 1Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Annual kgport of the Direc- tor of Civil Service,7Dec. l,_l962 - Nov. 30, 1963. ZOhio, State Civil Service Commission, Civil Service Laws 9f Ohio, August 1, 1937 (Columbus, Ohio: F. J. Heer Printing Co.). 26 27 add an extra publicity man. Some department heads have used these positions to conceal a personal drum-beater. The practice has de- clined, however, possibly because of the recent reduction in the number of elected department heads.3 Michigan Civil Service and Public Relations When the Michigan civil service system came into being in the fall of 1938, a large bloc of jobs within the Education and Information class was reserved for those personnel involved in publicity work.4 Unlike many other states, Michigan came right out and called a public relations man a public relations man, a decision which no doubt has led to more criticism of the publicity activities of the state agencies. A distinguishing characteristic of the early classification of Michigan public relations jobs--one which has largely disap- peared--was the proliferation of highly specific job classes. Even in the category of General and Miscellaneous Publicity jobs (class 47,000), a handful of narrowly-defined titles are found. Included here were: state fair publicity executive, aeronautics publicity executive, consumer research executive, and conservation education executive.S 3Interview with Otis S. Hardy, Assistant to the Director, Michigan Civil Service Commission, April 28, 1965. aMichigan, Civil Service Department, Official Compensation ScheduleJ Sept. l,_}938. The numeric system—of the Michigan Civil Service divides all state jobs into nine major areas. One of these major divisions--class 40,000--is the ”Education and Information” area. A subgroup of this--class 47,000--contains the "Publicity" jobs. ‘ 51bid. r ‘1 CI) The next category, Newspaper Publicity (class 47,000), con- tained only the jobs of journalist I and journalist II.6 In the Radio Publicity section (class 47,300), the only job listed in 1933 was that of radio publicist 1.7 The most minute breakdown of job classifications was in the category of Specialized Research. Several of the agencies appar- ently felt a need for technically-qualified research publicists, and a welter of job titles resulted. Indicative of the abundance of such posts in 1938 are positions for education research publi- cist, agriculture research publicist, welfare research publicist, and conservation research publicist.8 One facinating job which was a part of the state service at its birth in 1938, but which has been lost in the shuffle of classes since, is the post of temperance education representative.9 Unfortunately, a search of the Civil Service records failed to turn 1 up the job specifications for this interesting position. Most of the research publicists and other assorted positions of that type fell by the wayside as the Civil Service structure de- veloped, and had disappeared by the later 19405. Now, there are still a few education consultants and executives remaining in this class, but they have little to do with publicity programs. Con- servation, dental health, and public health are the fields which still employ such education personnel, but only the conservation 61bid. 29 employes have much to do with press relations. .By 1952 only two class titles were left in the public rela- tions area, and there was really only one promotion ladder for people in this field. Those lower on the totem pole-~job classes I, II, and III--were called publicists. The higherolevel personnel in classes IV through VIa were titled public relations executives.10 The changes made in the public relations job structure after 1952 are primarily of interest only to students of semantics. In 1956, the public relations executive title was changed to public information executive.11 Such a change apparently was designed to make them a little less visible and avoid the odious public rela- tions title. By that time, legislators and others had developed a habit of vociferously censuring these government publicists.12 In 1961 the Civil Service Commission made the switch complete by making the publicists into public information Specialists.13 Whether because of increased anonymity or a natural increase in acceptance, state public relations jobs seem to be attracting less unfavorable comment. One veteran of the government public relations business in Lansing commented that attacks in the news media-~many reporters took potshots at the state publicists at 10Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Eggpgnsation Manual: 1952, pp. 77-75. 11Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual; 1956, p. 49. 12Interview with Hardy, April 28, 1965. 13Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965’ pp. 87’88. 30 least annually--have occurred with less frequency in recent years.14 Public Information in Civil Service Today As a rESult of the many changes and deletions made in the Civil Service structure since 1938, the arrangement for public in- formation jobs is much simpler now than it has been through its history. There is now only one job ladder for positions of this type. State public relations jobs and such other titles as jour- nalist and research publicist are now subsumed under the public information heading. At present, the public information jobs in the state service are: public information specialist I, II, and III; public information executive lIIa, If, IVa, V, Va, VI, and . 15 VIa; and conservation education executive IV. Public Information Specialist I This job classification is essentially that of a general assignment reporter-~collecting information on assigned topics, writing news copy or feature articles, possibly arranging for photographic work, and maintaining files. This class and all other public information jobs in state service reouires a bachelor's degree, but the substitution of two 1"“Interview with Gordon Hanna, Information Director, Michi- gan Civil Rights Commission, August 17, l9b5. 15Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Cowpensation Manual; 1965, pp. 87-88. 31 years' experience in writing or publicity work is allowed.16 This would indicate, according to a Civil Service examiner specializing in these positions, that officials ”don‘t think an awful lot of the degree requirement if two years' experience is an acceptable substitute."17 Other requirements for the position include an intelligence quotient equal to the college average, knowledge of news and magazine writing techniques, elementary knowledge of lay- out, and writing ability. For this job level, no experience be» yond the bachelor's degree (or the substitute of two years' work) is required.18 In practice, however, thoSe hired usually do have more than the minimum eXperience. The salary for this class . l9 ranges from $5,387.04 to $6,660.72 annually. Public Information Specialist II This class is similar to that of a newspaper reporter. The employe, in theory, at least, vauires the equivalent of a beat to cover within his department. He is given more freedom to léMichigan, Civil Service Commission, "47004 Public Informa- tion Specialist I; 47005 Public Information Specialist II; 47006 Public Information Specialist III," p. 2. (Mimeographed job speci- fications.) These and other job specifications cited later are available upon request from the Civil Service Commission office in Lansing. 17Interview with Jerry L. Stone, Examination Technician, Michigan Civil Service Commission, September 22, 1965. 13Michigan, Civil Service Commission, "47004 Public Informa- tion Specialist I; 47005 Public Information Specialist II; 47006 Public Information Specialist III,” pp. 2-3. (Mimeographed job specifications.) . 19Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 87. ‘ independently write, edit, and release cepy, and usually takes responsibility for a particular program or for a segment of a pub- lication.20 People at this classification level usually work within substantial publicity operations in the larger departments. The only public information specialist II in charge of a total depart- mental program works in the water Resources Commission.21 Surpris- ingly, the "Water Wonderland" has only a minimal public information effort in this area.22 Other people at this job level work in the Traffic Division of the State Highway Department, and in the Public Information Section of the State Police.23 This class has a salary range of $6,180.48 to $7,767.36.24 The public information specialist II class has the same education (or eXperience substitute) requirement as the lower category. How- ever, one year of writing for publication beyond the degree, or beyond the two years of substitute experience, is required.25 ’ 20Ibid., p. 1. 21Letter from Otis S. Hardy, April 29, 1965. 22Interview with Holly M. Boelio, Public Information Spe- cialist, Michigan Water Resources Commission, May 27, 1965. 23Letter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. 24Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 87. 25Michigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47004 Public Infor- mation Specialist I; 47005 Public Information Specialist II; 47006 Public Information Specialist III,” p. 2. (Mimeographed job specifications.) 33 Public Information Specialist III This job class is a common one found in the public informa- tion sections of several state departments. It is the first level at which supervisory functions are usually assigned, and probably corresponds most closely to a COpy desk or assistant city editor position on a mefropolitan newspaper. Specialist IIIs assign stories to others, handle dummies and make-up for publications, collect information on the success of publicity programs, and often supervise photographic work and duplicating.26 These positions are found in the large Education and Infor- mation Section of the Department of Conservation, the Office of Health Information of the Department of Health, the Motorist Serv- ices and Reports Division of the Highway Department, the Michigan Employment Security Commission, the Department of State, and the Michigan Tourist Council. In addition, the only publicist in the Department of Public Instruction is at this level.27 Education (or experience substitute) requirement is the same as for the other specialist levels. A total of three years of full-time experience in writing for publication or broadcast is also required.28 The annual salary for this position ranges from 26Ibid. 27Letter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. zghichigan, Civil Service Commission, "47004 Public Infor- mation Specialist I; 47005 Public Information Specialist II; 47006 Public Information Specialist III," p. 2. (Mimeographed job specifications.) $7,370.64 to $9,437.76.29 Employee in the executive classes are either directors of a department public information effort, or act as number two man in the publicity program of a very large agency. And where the Specialist classes are primarily concerned with writing c0py and preparing releases, the executives handle a broad range of work dealing with "informational, educational, and promotional material concerning the activities of state departments."30 Public Information Executive IIIa This classification is, in theory, for those persons con- cerned with the use of film in educational programs or to promote departmental activities. These people--there are only three of them in the state service--supervise the preparation of "educa- tional motion pictures or television productions on conservation or recreational subjects.”31 There are other job classes for those handling the tech- nical end of photography and film production, but thfi; position is for those who plan the overall use of visual material to best com- plement the total information program. Two of these positions are 29Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 87. 0Michigan, Civil Service Commission, "47056 Public Infor- mation Executive IIIa; 47037 Public Information Executive IV; 47017 Public Information Executive IVa; 47038 Public Information Executive V," p. 1. (Mimeographed job specifications.) Bllbid. _,_._._._..__._— . _....._.__._._— 35 in the Education and Information Section of the Department of Con- servation, and the other is in the Agriculture Department.32 The executive job levels all have the same requirements for a bachelor's degree (or two years' substitute experience) as do the specialist positions. In addition, a public information exec- utive IIIa is required to have four years of publicity eXperi- ence.33 Annual salaries of this class range from $8,038.80 to $10,293.84.34 Public Information Executive IV The IV level public information position is the first wholly supervisory rung on the job ladder. The positions are al- located for the heads of information services in state departments, and these peOple are now found in the Aeronautics, Health, and State Department publicity divisions.35 The position has some direct policy-making responsibility, since its occupants cooperate with department heads in planning the general information program and the long-range publicity objectives. The job specifically demands a ”knowledge’of the press corps assigned to state govern- ment." Organizational and public relations knowledge are stressed 32Letter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. 33Michigan, Civil Service Commission, "47056 Public Infor- mation Executive IIIa; 47037 Public Information Executive IV; _ 47017 Public Information Executive IVa; 47038 Public Information Executive V," p. 1. (Mimeographed job specifications.) 34Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 88. 35Letter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. 36 at this level, rather than specific news abilities like writing, copyediting, or graphics.36 In addition to the standard education or experience re- quirement, this position also requires at least four years of ex- perience in publicity, ”at least one of which shall have involved the planning of publicity projects."37 The annual salary range is $8,811.36 to $ll,316.96.38 Public Information Executive IVa This job is essentially the same as the position for the IV level, except for the higher rate of pay and the stipulation that its occupant shall be the "head of information services in a large ”39 The heads of departmental PubliCitY programs in department. the Civil Rights Commission, Michigan Employment Security Commis- sion, Highway Department, Department of Economic Expansion, and the Department of Mental Health hold this position.40 Job requirements are the standard education or experience, plus five years of work in writing and in directing the planning 36Michigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47056 Public Infor- mation Executive IIIa; 47037 Public Information Executive IV; 47017 Public Information Executive IVa; 47038 Public Information Executive V," p. 1. (Mimeographed job Specifications.) 37Ibid., p. 2. 38Michigan. Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p0 88‘ 391bid. 40Letter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. T of publicity programs}H The annual salary ranges from $9,813.60 to $12,674.l6.42 Public Information Executive V There are only two job slots at this level in the state service, both concerned more and more with the relationship between departmental publicity programs and overall department policy. Those in these positions counsel department officials on special public relations programs, and are concerned with the broad out- 43 Filling the V level public information posi- lines of policy. tions are the director of the Public Information Section of the State Police, and the Supervisor of Publications and Information in the Conservation Department.44 The position requires at least six years of experience in publicity or promotion work, at least two years of which must have been as director of a publicity program.“5 The annual salary range is from $10,982.88 to $14,135.76.46 41Michigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47056 Public Infor- mation Executive IIIa; 47037 Public Information Executive IV; 47017 Public Information Executive IVa; 47038 Public Information Executive V," p. 2. (Mimeographed job specifications.) *?Vichigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 88. 43Ibid. ahLetter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. “Jaichigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47056 Public Infor- mation Executive Illa; 47037 Public Information Executive 1v; 47017 Public Information Executive IVa; 47038 Public Information Executive V," p. 2. (Mimeographed job specifications.) 46Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 88. Public Information Executive Va Only one employe in the state service has this job classifi- cation, the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Conser- 47 He directs the work of five other public information vation. personnel, several workers in the graphic arts field, and four de- partment field representatives. In addition to the bachelor's degree or its experience sub- stitute, the applicant for this job must have had seven years of experience in publicity or promotion work. Other requirements in- clude ”knowledge of the planning, organization, and execution of newspaper, television, and radio publicity programs,” ability to gauge public reaction to publicity programs, and a ”knowledge of 48 legislative relationships with the agency." The salary ranges from a minimum of $12,298.32 to 35.639.12.49 Public Information Executive VI This class is another one-of-a-kind slot which is filled by the director of public information for the Highway Department. He supervises the overall publicity program, as well as the prepara- tion of the dozens of maps, brochures, and tourist guides which are used to answer queries from the public about the State of Michigan and its roads. 47Letter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. 48 Michigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47048 Public Infor- mation Executive Va," pp. 1-2. (Mimeographed job specifications.) 49Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 88. b.) ‘D The job requires seven years of publicity experience, in- cluding two years' work directing a publicity program equivalent in responsibility to the public information executive V class in the Civil Service. The degree (or its substitute) requirement re- mains aswell.50 The salary for this position ranges from a mini- mum of $13,739.04 to $17,267.76.51 Public Information Executive VIa The highest level post in the public information job ladder is this one, filled by the Assistant to the Director of the Civil Service Commission, Otis S. Hardy. He handles the overall public- ity program, and is also in charge of the operation and publicity of the state employes' insurance program.52 He is also charged with the task of advising the director and the various division heads on matters of public information and publicity programs. The position requires the normal education (or eXperience substitute), and eight years of experience in publicity or promo- tion work, including at least three years as director of a public- 53 ity operation. The salary for this position ranges from a SOMichigan, Civil Service Commission, "47049 Public Infor- mation Executive VI,” pp. l-2. (Mimeographed job specifications.) Sluichigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 88. 52Interview with Hardy. April 19, 1965- 53Michigan, Civil Service Commission, "47059 Public Infor- mation Executive VIa,” p. l. (Mimeographed job specifications.) 40 minimum of $16,056.72 to $19,585.44.54 Conservation Education Executive IV Although this position is not wholly involved with public information, some occupants of the job of conservation education executive IV do have quite a bit of contact with the Department of Conservation information program. Those filling the position may be staioned in the departmental headquarters, or in department regional offices in Marquette, Roscommon, or Lansing. According to William Mullendore, chief information officer for the department, these employes work closely with schools or other grOUps on educa- tion and information'programs.SS They have some involvement with regional information pro- grams, and may work at writing news releases, radio scripts, maga- zine articles, or other information/education materials. Other related information tasks also include giving lectures, handling film distribution, and making transcripts for radio programs.56 The job requires a bachelor's degree in education or in some field of conservation, plus either one year as a conservation education consultant, or three years' work in a professional field of conservation. Also recommended are a knowledge of public 5“Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 88. 55Interview with William Mullendore, Chief Information 0f- ficer, Department of Conservation, January 12, 1966. Michigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47257 Conservation Education Executive IV; 47247 Conservation Education Executive IVs,” p. l. (Mimeographed job specifications.) 41 relations, ability to use publicity media, and knowledge of writing techniques.57 The pay range for this position is from $8,811.36 to $11,316.96.58 Selection of Public Information Personnel Civil Service Opinions about the most desirable way of se- lecting public information personnel are undergoing a change. In the past, a written test was usually the basis for hiring, espe- cially for the lower classes. This was sometimes combined with an interview conducted by a three-man board from the news or public relations field. Often. however, the test and an evaluation of the applicant's education and experience by a leli Fervice examiner were the only factors taken into account.59 When used, the written test combined a number of standard testing series which were designed to demonstrate the applicant's fitness for the job's specifications. One of the last such tests, given for public information specialist posts in 1963, had sections on ability to organize material logically, use of English, public relations techniques, vocabulary, and a number of other areas. The tests for the specialist I and II classes were shorter than that for the III level, and covered less material.60 57Ibid., pp. 2-3. 58Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Compensation Manual: 1965, p. 87. 59Interview with Stone, September 22, 1965. 60Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Examination Outline 507300 PX for examination given March 10, 1962 for positions of Public Information Specialist I, II, and III. (Typewritten on a prepared form.) 42 Recently, Civil Service officials have been turning more and more to the exclusive use of the interview in selecting public information personnel. Officials have expressed doubts that a supposedly objective written test, usually composed entirely of multiple-choice items, can validly determine an applicant's fit- ness for such a position. The substitution of such tasks as writ- ing news stories is unsatisfactory, since it would require a sub- jective evaluation and, therefore, be subject to appeal by any re- jected applicant.61 Instead, examiners are relying on experts in the field to evaluate each applicant on the basis of his educational and profes- sional experience and an interview. The job applicants are graded on overall personal fitness (twenty-five per cent), knowledge and abilities (twenty-five per cent), and evaluation of education and experience (twenty~five per cent) by the interview board. The re- maining twenty-five per cent of the score is based on an independ- ent evaluation of experience and education made by the Civil Serv- ice prior to the interview.62 Typical of the interviewers used by the Civil Service is a 1964 oral appraisal board which included three men with long expe- rience in public relations work. They were Lowell Treaster, di- rector of information services for Michigan State University; Donald Gillard, director of public relations for Michigan Bell Telephone Company in Detroit; and Jack 1. Green, former Associated ______ bllnterview with Stone, September 22, 1965. 62Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Manual of Instruc- ,;;ons for Oral Appraisal Board Members (Hay, 1963), p. 12. 43 Press newsman who is new director of public affairs for Associated Petroleum Industries of Michigan in Lansing.63 Civil Service of- ficials consider that boards made up of such people are able to make more valid decisions than those made on the basis of written I I tests.°” 63Michigan, Civil Service Commission, Civil Service in Michigan State Government: 1964 Annual Report, pp. 29-30. 64Interview with Stone, September 22, 1965. CHAPTER IV MICHIGAN PUBLIC INFORMATION PERSONNEL In order to gather information about the peOple interposed between the press and the Michigan state government, question- naires were mailed in October, 1965, to the thirty-four persons identified by the Civil Service Commission as the state public in- formation personnel.1 The questionnaire and the letter which ac- companied it are reproduced in Appendix A. Included in this mail- ing were all of the public information specialists, public infor- mation executives, and conservation education executives. After repeated call-backs and a second mailing of question- naires to those failing to respond, twenty-nine completed ques- tionnaires were obtained, a return of 85.3 per cent. As indicated in Table 1, more than 80 per cent of those in each job class re- sponded, including a retuin of 130 per cent from the conservation group. Because the respondents make up such a high percentage of the total public information population in Michigan, any signifi- cant trends noted in this group may be considered accurate for the whole population. Of course, the five non-reapondents may differ in some ways from the grcup of respondents, but they still 1Letter from Hardy, April 29, 1965. 44 43 TABLE 1.--Respondents to Personal History Questionnaire Sent to Michigan Public Information Personnel Civil Service State Number Classification Total Responding Executives: Public Information 15 13 Conservation Education 4 4 Specialists: Public Information 15 12 Total 34 4 29 represent less than 15 per cent of the total. We do know, at least, that the non-respondents are not clustered at any one job level-~two of them are public information executives, three are Specialists. Length of State Service Among those responding, length of experience with the state has no significant relationship to position on the public information job ladder. As indicated in Table 2, employes in the TABLE 2.--length of State Government Employment of Michigan Public Information Personnel Maximum Minimum Mean Civil Service Service Service Service Classification N (years) (years) (years) Executives: ‘ Public Information 13 25 l 9.7 Conservation Education 4 30 18 25.5 Specialists: _ Public Information 12 37 1 8.8 Total 29 37 1 ll.) public information executive classes do have an adge over the Specialists in average length of service, but the difference is a slight one--9.7 years to 8.8. In this dimension, as in many other reSpects demonstrated later in thefistudy, the conservation education group is atypical of the overall public information population. No conservation education executive has less than eighteen years‘pf service with the state, and their average length of state service is more than twenty-five years. The data on the public information workers would seem to confirm an impression gained from talking with Civil Service per- sonnel and state publicists that the job ladder in this field of- ten is less than a real advancement ladder in practice. One re- spondent in a high-level public information position in Lansing commented:2 Progress up the promotional ladder in the state service appears to be very slow. The individual who can use a solid work experience background to obtain a high-level government position probably will achieve a higher classification than one who comes up through the ranks of Civil Service. The speaker here has had only a short period of service with the state government, and he did exactly as he recommends above, so he might be considered a less-than-objective source. With extensive background in the newspaper field, however, he did obtain a very high state job classification. In addition, he has 2This and other comments excerpted from responses to the personal history questionnaires will not be attributed to indivi- duals. The information was obtained with the agreement that it would be used to determine overall trands and prevailing atitudes, and it was promised that comments and information would be used anonymously. worked as a reporter in Lansing, and has had quite a bit of con- tact with the workings of state government. Job Experience with the State Except for the deviant group of conservation education ex- ecutives, most of the persons responding to the survey indicated AA10 that all of their state service had been in the public informa- tion field. As indicated in Table 3, the specialists were more TABLE 3.--Occurrence of Non-Public information Jobs in Smolrymct. Histories of Michigan Public Information Personnel All Previous 1 Some Previnus Civil Service State Service in State Service in Classification Public Information Non-P 1. Capacity lore: ' .u Executives: I I Public Information h) 3 13 Conservation Educ. O 4 & Specialists: Public Information 7 5 '7 Total 17 12 29 likely to have done some non-publicity work--five of twelve re- spondents had done‘so-éthan were the public information executi on. Only three of the executives had ventured outside of this field, and none had really spent much time in non-public information work. One had been outside of public information work for only two of his ten years with the state, another for jusc one of eight years. The non-public information jobs performed by the respon- dents were scattered among many areas. One of the top execitimc; had spent his first two years with the state as an ad inistrativc as officer with the Michigan Turnpike Authority. Another, who earned a master's degree in public health while employed by the Health Department, spent time developing community health train- ing programs under the Manpower Development Act. When the train- ing programs were discontinued in 1964, he returned to public in- formation work. Another executive did work in personnel manage- ment, and also did Special studies for his department. Among the specialists, some of the jobs held outside of the public information field were governor's aide, lease execu- tive, insurance regulator, highway property representative, office manager in the Records and Reports section of the Highway Depart- ment, and labor dispute supervisor. Two respondents also re- ported working as clerks. In most cases here, as in the execu- tive group, the jobs represented only short interruptions in a career predominantly concerned with public information. The four conservation education executives had all had some non-publicity experience with the Conservation Department be- fore assuming their present positions. Three of the four worked as conservation officers, and two had experience as game biolo- gists. Other assignments included forest fire officer, game farm superintendent, and district supervisor for fire and law. As Table 4 shows, there is not a great deal of mobility be- tween agencies for state public information personnel. Twenty- two of the twenty-nine respondents, more than 75 per cent, have remained with the agency they started with. 49 7 TABLE 4.--Interdepartmenta1 Mobility of Xichigan Public information Personnel State Work Experience Civil Service All with more Than Classification One Agency One Agency Total Executives: Public Information 10 3 13 Conservation Education a 0 4 Specialists: , Public Information 3 4 12 Total 22 7 29 Education As indicated in Table 5, Michigan's public information per- sonnel are a well-educated group. Of course. all of the respon- dents in the survey have completed high school, since it is a TABLE 5.--Education Backgrounds of Michigan Public Information Personnel Civil Service H.S. Some Bachelor's Master's Classification Only College Degree Degre; Tu;.: Executives: Public Information 1 5 4 3 13 Conservation Educ. O 1 2 l 4 Specialists: Public Information 2 2 6 O 12 Total 3 6 14 4 29 prerequisite for getting one of these positions in the first place. Eighteen of the reSpondents, 62.1 per cent, hold bachelor's 50 degrees. Eight others have completed at least same college work, so that 86.2 per cent of the respondents have some education he- ycnd high school. Fifteen of the bachelor's degrees were earned at state in- stitutions in Michigan, as shown in Table 6. Of the eighteen TABLE 6.--Institutions Granting Bachelor's Degrees to Michigan Public Information Personnel ‘M— College or University Number of Degrees Michigan State University 9 University of Michigan 4 Eastern Michigan University 1 Northern Michigan University 1 . Total at Michigan Universities 15 Northwestern University 1 State University of Iowa 1 West Virginia State College 1 Total at out-of-state schools 3 Total Bachelor's degrees 18 bachelor's degrees held by respondents, eleven are in fields con- sidered among the communication arts--eight in journalism, and three in Speech. (See Table 7.) Four of the public information personnel, all at the execu- tive level, have earned master's degrees. One public information executive has earned two master's degrees--one in adult education, and one in public health, the latter growing out of his work in the Health Department. The major fields of the master's degrees are journalism, English, adult education, public health, and for- estry. The forestry degree was earned by a conservation education bl TABLE 7.--Major Fields of Study of Michigan Public Information Personnel Major Field Number of of Bachelor's Degree Degrees Journalism 8 Speech 3 English 3 Forestry l Home Economics 1 Natural Science 1 Psychology 1 Total 18 representative who later entered public information work. he mas- ter's degrees were earned at the University of Michigan (two de- grees), Michigan State University (two degrees), and Columbia Univ- ersity (one degree). In addition, several of the respondents indicated that they had enrolled for special workshops or course programs in communica- tion fields. These included creative writing courses, radio- television classes, television workshops at Michigan State Univer- sity, and graphics classes. Some had also been involved in courses or workshops related to their department's work. Aviation, con— servation, and education were mentioned in this category. A Civil Service examiner who has coordinated all phases of the hiring process for public information personnel has said he believes that there were fewer non-college graduates among the recent applicants for these positions than in past years.3 Al- though there is no way to verify this because of the privileged 3Interview with Stone, September 22, I965. U] to nature of Civil Service records, it is possible to compare the edu- cational backgrounds of recently-hired employes with those of the veterans. When compared in this way, the educational data on the re- spondents does not indicate a pronounced trend in the expected direction. As Table 8 shows, there is no definite tendency for TABLE 8.--Re1ationship of Amount of Education and Length of State Service of Michigan Public Information Personnel Length of H.S. Some Bachelor's Master's { State Service Only College Degree Degree Total 0-4 years 1 3 z. 1 I 9 5-12 years 1 2 5 2 IO 13 or more yrs. 1 3 5 1 l0 Total 3 . 8 14 * 4 23 J 1 shorter state service to be related to more education. Among those with four or less years in state government, five of nine persons, about 56 per cent, hold at least a bachelor's degree. 0f the ten persons in the five-year tc twelve-year category, seven, or 70 per cent, have earned a dzgrss. Six of the ten with thirteen or. more years' service have a bachelor’s degree. Similarly, those with master's degrees are not clustered, but are found among all three groups. Prior Job Experience With the exception of the conservation education class, most of the state employes in public information have some experi- ence with the news media- 53 Among the public information executives, twelve of thir- teen had worked either for a newspaper or in ~"adio-television news. ‘The other had never worked in any news medium, but did have sixteen years' experience in industrial publicity and public relations. As indicated in Table 9, nine of the public informa- tion executives had some newspaper experience. Three had worked TABLE 9.--Previous work Experience of Hichigan sublic Information ' Iersonnel #Number of Persons with Experience in! it: 1 Civil Service ‘ Newspapers d 3 Jews 1 Classification Newspapers RadinsTV Radio-TV expez. 20*1. Executives: Public Inform. '9 U 3 l I; Conserv. Educ. O l) U 5 4 Specialists: Public Inform. 3 3 O 6 12 Total 12 3 3 ‘ ll 29 J in radio or television news. In addition, six of the group also had some experience in advertising, public relations, or public information work in industry, or in the armed forces. In the specialist classes, only six of the twelve had had some experience with the news media. Three had newspaper experi- ence, and three others had both newspaper and radio-television experience. In addition, eight of the group had done some work in advertising or public relations. Among the public information specialists and executives, then, eighteen of twenty~five, 72 per cent, came into the state service with some experience behind them in a news operation. Because of the nature of the conservation education posi- tions, none of these men had any experience with any news medium, although one had done some work in the advertising field. Media Experience and Public Information In order to determine how the respondents compared their work with work in the news media, they were asked whether they felt that experience with newSpapers or radio-television was essential background for a state public information worker. The Civil Service requirements for these posts do provide some guidelines here. The specialists are required to have a stipulated amount of ”full-time experience in writing for publi- cation or broadcast.”4 The executive classes are required to have certain amounts of ”exPerience in publicity or promotion work.“J Nowhere, however, is there an explicit requirement of experience with either newspapers or radio-television news. all but three of the reSpondents indicated that news ex- perience had at least some value for state public information ’ ~ workers, although many said it was not really essential. Many of those who said that such background was not essential did state that it was "desirable,” ”helpful,” or ”preferred.” Because of the varying shades of meaning in this Open-ended question, and the overall purpose of the item, it is neither feasible nor desirable ~-— 4Michigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47004 Public Infor- mation Specialist I; 47305 Public Information Specialist II; 47006 Public Information Specialist III,” p.2. 5Michigan, Civil Service Commission, ”47056 Public Infor- mation Executive Illa; 47u37 Public Information Executive IV; 47017 Public Information Executive IVa; 47038 Public Information Execu- tive V,” p. 2. i L1 U1 to quantify these responses. however, sixteen of the respondents, 55 per cent, said that news media experience was not essential for public information personnel. Several respondents indicated that news background was helpful because it sharpened the individual skills needed by pub- lic information personnel-~precise writing, the mechanics of news style, and other matters of technique. Some of the comments of this type included: The different media require different approaches, styles, or techniques . . . experience is needed to know the differ- ences. It (news experience) is an absolute necessity in order to be able to prepare and present materials of adequate in- terest and proper quality. ” Experience with the news media is essential . . . sharp- ens your sense of timing a story, provides insight into the type of story editors use, and most important, you learn when to stop writing. It is very helpful because it enables the purveyor to distill, organize and present information in the form most understandable and usable for the reader. Other reSpondents emphasized the importance of news ex- perience in gaining a thorough knowledge of press procedures and operations, and in developing good news sense. In preparing a news release, for example, I read over the cOpy and ask myself: ”If I were back on the desk, would I use this or discard it?" I try to prepare material in such a way that it is hard for any editor not to use it. I would not know how to do this if it had not been for the years spent in judging news and making these decisions. As an editor, I have thrown away thousands upon thou- sands of handouts prepared by individuals who wouldn't know a story if they saw one, had never heard of newspaper style, and obviously didn't have the foggiest conception of what went on in newsrooms or composing rooms. With newspaper (and radio) background you have a much better Opportunity to know whether your stuff will click . . . and how to make it click . . . (You gain) an in-denth knowledge of how the newspapers work, how editors think, and what constitutes news. An ample plus is gaining a sure knowledge of the other guy's operation, which tells you how best to work with him to your best advantage. It (news media eXperience) gives you a better under- standing of what the news media will and will not use and the best form-of presenting it. It gives you an inside understanding of the workings and requirements of the media you are serving. A third major plus factor for news media experience men- tioned by the respondents was on an interpersonal level--know- ledge of the individual reporters and their needs, the acceptance that comes from being a past member of the press in-group, and other factors. Typical comments here include: If you've never worked on a paper, you can't have much empathy or sympathy for the reporters you work with. One has a better appreciation for and u1derstanding of the newsman's problems . . . (news eXperience) enables you to communicate with them personally much better and is in- clined to earn more reSpect from them. It (news experience) Opens the doors and is quickly recognized by most people in the media. Several reSpondents said that Civil Service job specifi- cations require experience with the news media, but this is not Completely accurate. As is mentioned above, Civil Service re- quirements do not explicitly demand a baclground in either news- papers or radio-television news. A few respondents diSputed the claim that news experience is desirable or helpful, sxying 'nstead that other qualities were far more important. Among these were: Not essential. There are just two essentials--ability to writ: and ability to learn. Unnecessary. Practical experience and self-improvement will help one advance. Other respondents claimed that work in government public information was unrelated to work with the news media, and, there- fore, there was little value in a cross-fertilization of experi- ence. I know a lot of news people who would not make good Pk men and vice versa . . . (it) does not follow that a geid background in the news media would make a good Pl.nun. I have my doubts . . . I frankly feel that those in authority have little respect for able writers of any kind, partly because they do not realize the problems involved in creativity, and partly because they think writing is native to all men who are able to write a letter home or to a business associate. This 15 why government communiques sound so staid: they are the product of Committee action and ceaseless editing. The last comment was from a specialist who had had no prior ex- perience with news media, and who was, admittedly, ”disillusioned by government work.” Finally, one respondent went out on a limb in the other direction, and condemned news experience as an undesirable pre- condition to government public information work. In fact, I would consider it (news experience) a handi-. Cap, narrowing the subject's eXperience and limiting and confining his background to the extent that he might reflect prejudice or ignorance in his writing. Overall, however, the reagondents seemed to agree that there is some advantage to be gained from prior experience with the news media, but most feel that such background is not an es- sential prerequisite for doing a good job. Many see alternate routes to gaining those advantages. The reSpondents were also requested to mention ”anything in your background--either job or educational--that . . . was 5:3 especially helpful in preparing you for the kind of work you are . - n6 . . . “OW 30138~ here, most reapondents indicated that the total spec- trum of their experience had been of some value to them, especially educational background. One type of experience mentioned most often as beneficial was work in the news media, which had helped them develop a sound news sense and sharper writing ability. Another item often mentioned was the category of interest in the employe’s department and its activities. One Specialist in the Conservation Department summed it up this way: I think a person either makes it or falls by the wayside depending on how much interest he has in the things he's re- porting about from week to week. I'm not a hunter or fish- erman, but I do have an interst in writing about outdoor sports and recreation and the other activities covered by my agency's programs. what I'm trying to say is this: you don't have to be an expert about what you're writing about, but you've got to be interested--interested just as much as the people you're writing to. If you don't have thatlinter- est, you're in the wrong pew? Respondents were also asked to mention ”any type of experi- 7 ence or edUCation you have not had which you now regret.” lhe an- swers given here closely paralleled reSponses to the previous ques- tion on especially helpful background. The most common reaponses had to do with education. Many of those who had no college degree lamented this lack. Some who did have college degrees said that they regretted not going ahead to earn a master's degree. Specific course areas were also men- tioned, with psychology and political science the two most common. bSee ”Personal History questionnaire,” Question 5, Appendix 39 A few respondents mentioned the importance of knowing how peOple think and what motivates them, and said they regretted a lack of background in psychology for that reason. Others mentioned a need for more political science work to overcome a limited knowledge of government and its processes. The second most common answer was in the field of work ex- perience. Many said they would have liked more first-hand experi- ence with newspapers--knowledge of plant operation, news handling and deadlines, graphics, and other areas. A few of those who had newspaper training said that radio-television operations were a weak area in their backgrounds. Apparently, as the growth of gov- ernment public information continues, a working knowledge of all the news media is becoming more important. In addition to a facil- ity in working with the print media, it will be helpful in the future if public information personnel are able to deal effectively with the needs of radio and television news outlets. U a V .Lrwe lites Finally, a few respondents said that they would ’P em- < more training in the specialty of the agency by which they wax One respondent compared this need to the similar growth of specialization for newspaper reporters:8 played. Reporters and state public information men are going to have to be eXpert in some subject matter field. You, as a reporter, have to know what kinds of questions to ask people. You have to be aware of the social and economic implications of govern- to study science It's not enough, for instance, The metropoli- ,ment activity. writing. You need to take courses in science. tan papers have pepple like this, but to cover government we need more reporters--and more state public information men-- with extensive backgzcunds in subjects like political science. sociology, and economics. —__ d’nterview with Hanna, August 17. 1965. L PUBLIC INFOiGlA I‘ION PERSONNE L ‘11‘ 1“? I. Y‘ '7‘!“ p'f D,\'3’?‘Yf 3 }\‘t\": T.”J {~41 I‘k'f ‘. .~'.'- t 'DL- Although the public information Operations in many state agencies do come in contact with press cutlets throughout Michigan, :heir main contact with the press is through the staff; of the vari- ous Capitol bureaus in Lansing. In order to get some idea of the press's assessment of state government public information personnel, 1 , ,. reporters were interviewed from the Lansing bureaus of th .;;£;“ (‘Y «L if News, the Detroit Free Press, the booth Newspapers, Federated Publi- cations, and the Associated Press. Acceptance of Public Information Personnel Historically, government public relations has been viewed with suspicion and scorn by both legislative bodies and the press. Therefore, an issue which sets the tone for government—press rela- tions in Lansing is that of the acceptance of puilic relations as a legitimate governmental role. On the whole, this does not appear to cause any friction in the day-to-day newsgathering job in Lan- sing. None of the reporters expressed any doubts that the public information personnel were an accepted part of government and of the government-press relationship. The veterans did note that the present view represented a major change from attitudes toward state public realtions men in 00 bl earlier years. One reporter who has worked in Lansing since 1935 commented: When there were fewer public information men and state government was less sensitive about its public image, I guess the veteran reporters thought these guys were completely un- necessary. Now, every agency of any consequence has at least one of these guys. As the average reporter looks at them now, they are a part of life. You have to judge them on the basis of the work they do, and the position they occupy. For in- stance, we know that the legislative press agents are simply partisan voices, so we treat them accordingly. A career publicist under Civil Service can be a definite help to a reporter. He can simplify the reporter's job by having on hand the kind of information needed to complete a story. Willard Baird, Lansing bureau chief for Federated Publica- tions (the-Lansing State Journal and Battle Creek Baguirer-News in Michigan), agreed that there has been little recent controversy over the right of state government to publicize itself.l Baird, a ‘4 ' ' . _ ‘ veteran of more than Sixteen years of covering Michigan state gov- ernment, said: There was an era when there was this tendency on the part of the old hands to look down on news offerings by departments through hired public information people. Yet, even then, they used them. Roger Lane, Lansing bureau chief for the Detroit Free Press, agreed that attitudes toward government public relations had under- gone considerable change in recent years: I used to stew about thisu My second newspaper job was in Springfield, Illinois, in 1940. Some of the old dogs talked about the old days when they dealt personally with the gover- nor, the lieutenant governor, or the secretary of state. They Interview with Willard Baird, Lansing bureau chief, Feder- ated Publications, and Capitol bureau chief, Lansing State Journal, January 6, 1966. a- . . . . ‘lnterVLew with Roger Lane, Lansxng bureau chief, gptrOLt fires Press, January Q, 1966. 02 didn't have much truck with any of the others. In Illinois in 1929, they had organized a State Division of Reports. Even when 1 came there in 1940, it was an argu- able matter among reporters whether the governor had any busi- ness getting his department heads to channel all their infor- mation through this division. . Now, it has complete acceptance here, and in washington and other capitals, too. Is State Government News Coverage Adequate? The reporters were also asked whether they felt that the public interest was being served if a large percentage of the news about state government was being generated by the gavernment it- self. Could the staffs of the Capitol bureaus, if they were in- creased in size, do an Ade sate ;cb of covering st te governnent without a host of state public relations men? Most of the reporters seemed to feel that this W18 unreai- - I 1 I ' V I 3 istic. Baird was emphatic about this: No news organization--paper, chain, or wire service-ocould provide a sufficiently large news bureau staff to cover the whole of state government so that you could wipe out all those state public information people and say you don't need them. Even when we had a three—man staff for the State Jourral atd Federated (Publications), we recognized that there were 4 good many news opportunities that we were not covering. To cover ztate government completely would require far more than a modest increase in staff. Harion (Bad) VeStal, a seven~year veteran of Capitol Came;- I . . v 4 age for bootn newspapers, agreed: Ho bureau could have enough people to adequately cover the irportant activities of state government. State govern cnt has become so complex, so diversified, so physically gig, and tzuchcs so many lives that no one bureau Could tugCEiVablf do t he I; h . I w J - -. "a-“ “Om ’7 « n i _- Jlnterview with Baird, January n, lvno. a . . . , . a Interview With harion (Bud) Vestal, tanSLng burelu, poorh Newspapers, January 14, lQnU. ' 63 Richard L. Barnes of the Lansing bureau of tie Associated Press said there was a "definite need for peeple within the agen- uS cies. With nineteen major state agencies, the AP would need at least that many men to cover the execct ve branch alone without the ‘help of public information men. ”A lot of their stuff is routine announcements," Barnes pointed out. ”It would be a waste of time to cover them constantly.” Apparently, the government puhlic information system is a well-entrenched means of transmitting departmental news to the people of the state. In such a situation, isn't it much easier for the unfavorable stories to get passed over, never to be heard of by the electorate? There is a problem here. The reporters agreed that public information men seldom go out of their way to release stories which would prove harmful to their agencies, but felt that mistakes. mis- management, or outright corruption eventually come to light I through some means. Baird commented:6 There may be secrets in state government which would make pretty good stories, but I susoect that they are very few indeed. ls the public denied access to those agencies that don't get covered much? I would say not. An agency activity that is newsworthy, if it isn't initiated by the department or discovered by a reporter, gets to you either by deliberate effort or in the process of circulating among those people that do have access. We even get anony- mous letters and phone calls. Sooner or later, in the rounds of the several reporters, it will be uncovered. All of the news people have a coterie of friends and vauaintances, and they get news tips from thelh’ CDC). 5Interview with Richard L. Barnes, Lansing bureau, Associ- ated Press, January 3, 1966. 0Interview with Baird, January 6, 1905. 64 Vestal agreed that chances were small of blatant mismanage- ment or corruption going undetected, although detection might take a while. He pointed to the recent example of the People's Communi- ty Hospital Association scandal currently under investigation by the Attorney General. The association's director, it appears, spent more than $180,000 in a ten-year period on lobbying and par- ties in Lansing and Detroit] 'This is not surprising, Vestal said, except that . . . to my undying shame, I found out that the P.C.H.A. was a state agency. Most people either didn't know or had for- gotten that this was true. The director was Spending money out of his own budget to come here and lobby the Legislature for his own organization. The only ones who could lose here were the people. Eventually, we got to him. It was almost by accident, but we got into this one and stopped it. Of course, even in a case such as this one which is finally uncovered, the question occurs whether the press is really acting as the theoretical watchdog for the people. Is it enough to point out that a scandal was eventUally rooted out, when closer scrutiny might have either prevented its occurrence. or at least stopped the waste short of $180,000? A related problem is that of arousing public interest in state government. As was stated earlier, the national political scene seems to have pre-empted public attention. If a newSpaper is to present a balanced picture of the world, how much wens about 'state government is proper? And, even if more news were available. would it be worthwhile to print it, given the attitudes of the audience? 7Interview with Vestal, January 14, 1966. This theme was mentioned by several reporters. Barnes said:8 Even if we did have twenty guys here doing this kind of stuff (in-depth, investigative reporting), who would use it? I don't mean to be cynical, but the average member of the public just doesn't care that much. He doesn't have the background. Vestal agreed that reader tastes and interests had an effect on the amount and type of state government news readhing Michigan news- papers. The problem of covering state government adequately is also a problem of bringing the news home to the people. A lot of stuff doesn't arouse the people--like when it be- comes known that someone has cheated the state by selling a lower grade of gravel at a higher price. I've tried to stir up interest in things like that. and it just doesn't work. A $5,000 pay raise for the Legislature is different. It's easier for the people to comprehend and get excited about. Accessibility The public informatiOn man is often pictured as the middle- man in the news flow, standing between the source of news, a dir- ector or a commission, and the newsgathering reporter. According to the reporters covering the Michigan state government, the state public information men are not always important links in the chain of news. They are often bypassed, and there is not an attempt to channel reporters' inquiries through the public information men in all cases. One veteran Said that ”when the public information man can help me, I'll go to him. But when 1 want to talk to the director, 8Interview with Barnes, January 3, l906. Interview with Vestal, January 14, 1966. oh I want to talk to him and not his press agent.” Lane commented:10 I usually deal with the director or the agenCy head when- ever I can, especially if I have a pointed question that I need answered as of now. Whenever we need information quickly, we don't want to beat around the bush. Q Vestal said that reporters 1' . . . don't always go to the pro (the public information man), but to the real sources of information. You have to find them in the various agencies, deve10p them, and keep in contact with them. The reporters agreed that few instances of excessive se- crecy or inaccessibility occurred in Lansing, even when the press was digging for more information about an obviously unfavorable story. The agencies need the cooperation of the press to obtain favorable news space in the long run, so they apparently are re- luctant to antagonize reporters over any specific damaging story. :5 According to Baird,1‘ In a delicate situation, the fellow will attempt to pro- vide the information as best he can--although he may say that there will be no comment. Most of them try to put out fair and honest reports. Vestal commented thatL3 Few of the pros (public information personnel) are really evasive. Some are incompetent; some are ignorant of their own departments--the department head doesn't tell them much, and just uses them as a buffer. host of these men are cooperative, even with a hostile reporter. I have problems with the High- way Department, but I always get the specific information I request, and promptly. 1OIntcrvicw with Lane, January A, 1900. 11Interview with Vestal, January 14, 1966. / 12 Interview with Baird, January 6, 1906. 13Interview with Vestal, January 1a, 1966. 67 The Handout All of the reporters interviewed had only minor complaints V about the quality of the news handouts emanating from Michigan ex- ecutive agencies. The public information personnel apparently do have fairly sound news sense, and do not pelt reporters with huge quantities of wastebasket fodder. Baird said that outright propagandizing is not a problem I in Lansing.1“ These days, there is seldom any blatant, self-serving stuff. There may be a little department prepaganda sand- ‘wiched in once in a while, but it is up to the reporter what he does with it. He may cut it to one paragraph, or he may take a one-paragraph story, and, by getting further information, expand it. Either way, the handout has served as a useful news source. Vestal praised the quality of the news handouts, but he was a little less pleased with the quantity that reached the Capitol re- porters.1'5 Yes, the product of news from the agencies is pretty good. The quantity is awful; there's just too much. It's usually the departments with not too much news that try to flood you. The Highway Department, for instance, has a lot of legiti- mate news, but I feel they try to overreach. They invent stories, or break down one story into several. According to Lane.16 material is well done, and justio The great majority of the L . fied in some terms. For instance, the Tourist Counc1l does a a < I lot of stuff that is strictly promotional, but that ooesn t mean that somebody can't use it-—a travel editor, or a Spec1al television feature, something like that. 14Interview with Bair , January 6, 1966. 1f’Interview with Vescal, January 14, 1966. lbInterview with Lane. January 4, 1966- Of course, there is sometimes a self-serving element. Certain phrasing is used; quite often things get omitted, anything to accentuate the positive. In short, the non-news handout does not appear to be a problem for the Capitol reporters. They do throw away dozens of news releases, but, as Roger Lane commented, ”That doesn't mean somebody can't use it.” However, several reporters did mention one agency which seems to be a flagrant purveyor of large quantities of handout trash--the Public Service Commission. Peter Spivak, the chairman, apparently holds some sort of record for having his name appear in the leads of the commission's news releases. According to one re- porter, We will get four or five releases at a time, all saying something like "Peter Spivak, chairman of the Public Service Commission. announced today that a new crossing light will be installed at M-99 and M-26." The releases always mention his name. Generally speaking, we ignore releases like that, or just cut the name out. One release last Spring from the state Civil Rights Commis- sion also revealed an excessive desire to attribute the handout to a departmental executive. It is difficult enough to do this with just one director, but the Civil Rights Commission has co-chairmen. A release of May 15, 1965, contained a lengthy quote followed by 7 ”Commission Co-Chairmen John Feikens and Damon J. Keith said.”1’ The picture of the men synchronizing this dual quotation is a bit hard to conjure up. The existence of a few publicity—hungry executives keeps the reporters busy editing their names out of many releases, but 17ffichigan, Civil Rights Commission, "Free Press First ” 7 May 16, 1965. (Mimeographed news release.) otherwise poses no major problems, Public Information Ken and fiews Experience All of the reporters interviewed recommended that state public information personnel have some sort of professional back- ground in the news media before getting into state publicity work. They said that information men with such experience had been more effective in working with newsmen and in getting the most news mileage from their agency's activities. Lane, who has worked with both the sssociated Press and the Detroit Free Pre§§ in Lansing, saidlo In state government, news experience is most imperative if they are going to function satisfactorily from the re- porter's standpoint. When I was in New York with AP, I came in contact with PR men who had no idea of how a wire service or a newSpaper Operated. The big news is pretty obvious. but a little bit of news sense and ingenuity is required to report on the less obvious stuff. B . l9 aird said that he . . . couldn't conceive of them functioning without that kind of experience. They need to understand the operation of the whole newsgathering and dissemination system. They must have some appreciation of what is desired and recognized as news by newSpapers and wire services. another veteran reporter commented: The public information man tries to work things to benefit himself and the largest number of papers. It (news experience) teaches him not to try and cover up or disguise things. Those with news experience don't try this often, because they know it won't work in the long run. Those with eXperience start with an advantage--a better appreciation of the news function. They know how to best time a release to get the best play for it. For instance, on a day when there is going to be lots of news, they know enough to hold off a release. 18Interview with Lane, January 4, 1966. 19Interview with Baird, January 6, 1966. 70 Overall, the Capitol press corps seems to have a congenial relationship with the public information personnel in Michigan state government. But there are a few points of friction. For instance, several reporters--including Vestal himself--observed that the Highway Department and Bud Vestal are not always on the friendliest of terms. The publicity personnel, however, are not viewed as news shields who constantly hide skeletons in departmental closets and stymie hostile newsmen. The public information men are im- portant news sources. They seem to work harmoniously with news- men, and can often save a reporter quite a bit of time by finding needed information. The reporters, at least, do not feel that the public in- terest is being betrayed by the current state of affairs. The com- petitive news situation in Lansing--there are seven separate news- paper and wire service bureaus, plus radio and television reporters from eight sources-~would seem to provide some safeguards for the public interest.20 Of course, the quality of news coverage cannot be of the highest caliber if reporters relax and count on the pub- lic information personnel to do their jobs for them. Both active, alert, intelligent reporters and informed public information men and women are important elements in the newsgathering function. Both are here to stay. 2OMichigan, Senate and House of Representatives, Directory (March, 1965), pp. 61-63. A list of newspaper, wire service, and radio~television bureaus and correspondents will be found in Appendix D. \ CHAPTER VI SUMMARY This study has been, primarily, a descriptive one. There has been no attempt to formulate scientific hypotheses in advance, to construct objective testing devices, or to reach statistiCaily- determined conclusions. It has been, rather, an attempt to col- lect information about a certain narrowly-defined group of people-- the classified public information people in Michigan executive agencies--and their role in the reporting of Michigan state govern- ment. Some broad guidelines must be remembered in putting the role of these people in its proper perSpective. Perhaps most im- portant to remember is that they are only one cog in the state news collection machine. As was pointed out earlier, there are unclassified employes in several agencies who also play an impor~ tant role in the dissemination of news. Many agencies have ad- ministrative assistants, assistants to the director, or others who are really public relations men under wraps. In the executive branch, the governor's office also has an impressive staff which disseminates information and works with the press. Although this study has been focused on the relationship between the state government and the press, it should be pointed out that the press do not take up all of the time of the state 71 ~ 3 to public information personnel. Two agencies--the Michigan Tourist Council and the Department of Economic Expansion--are admittedly publicity agencies. The Tourist Council, for instance, prepared material which appeared in newspapers in 30 other states and Can— ada. In addition, more than forty magazines used Michigan articles and photographs prepared by the council staff in 1966.1 Hard May- rand in the Department of Aeronautics produces a monthly periodi- cal, Hichigan Aviation.2 The Highway Department prepares publiCa- tions for use in travel information centers, and also produces film5~3 In short, the agency-Capitol press corps relationship is far from the only contact between the state government and the people. And, of course, the executive branch is only one of three major branches of state government. The Supreme Court and Court of Appeals compete in Lansing for limited newspaper space across th- state. when the Legislature is in session, the actions of the 145 legislators usually overshadow the continuing work of more than 32,000 classified state employes.4 Willard Baird, who has covered Michigan state government for more than sixteen years, commented:3 During legislative sessions, the volume of news is lMichigan, Tourist Council, Annual Report: 1964, p. b. Zinterview with Hard Hayrand, Aviation Information Super- visor, Department of Aeronautics, Lansing, May 11, 1965. JInterview with William R. hardy, Director of Motorist Services, Highway Department, april 26, 1965. 4Michigan, Civil Service COmmission, Annual Report: laté, p. 31. 5Interview with Baird, January 6, 1966. /\ 73 extremely high. I'm sure the administrative agencies feel neglected during the sessions. The reporters simply don‘t have time even to drop in on them. I used to find that I could make hay during the legislative sessions by covering the agencies. They were so glad to see me; they were all mine. In addition, the Capitol reporters are also faced with blizzards‘bf paper from individual senators and representa- \ tives, party headquarters, or legislative public relations {3an , 0n the whole, we have found that the classified public information employes are a well-educated group; Most are pro- ducts of Michioan colleres or universities. M st of them had a 6 some professional experience with the news media before begin- ning work with the state. They have developed a certain amount of rapport and a good working relationship with the Capitol reporters, and now seem to be an accepted part of the news collecting task in Lansing. Unlike some public relations men in other fields, most have discovered that no news in a handout is not good news for a reporter. Altlough they are not eager to dis- siuinate information about acenC' errors, the do not tr to L ev.de questioning or constantly cover up mistakes. Recommendations A move which would have been one of my first recom- mendations has already been taken by the State public infor- mation personnel. In August, 1965. they formed a group to discuss their mutual interests, needs, and problems. After one organizational meeting, they held their first formal 74 meeting on September 21, 1965. They almost asked to he upbraided by inviting a panel of Capitol newsmen to discuss their weaknesses, and possible steps to better their working relationships. Roger Lane of the Detroit Free Press, Willard Baird of Federated Publica- tions, and Bud Vestal of Booth Newspapers presented some of the newsmen's complaints, and answered questions about their work and their needs. It was clear that some of the pub? c information personnel had very little idea of the Capitol newsman's problems, and the little things that could be done to help alleviate them, It seemed to me that a helpful channel of communiontion Can be opened by the group and meetin5s such as this. 'Ihe members of the prom; “re clearly enter to improve their work, and seem to be utilizing a good neans toward that end. ,”nother :ra J. in the procedure fur hiring public interma— tion personnel, also seews to me to he bins ifal. Exnmiaers are more often axing the interview h ard to select public relations personnel, rather than the written test. fin CVJlUdLiUJ of an in- dividual‘s poise, personxlity, edlcdtion, and experience hy a hOare or ex erts in the field seems to no to he a Refit dis fable way to select those emplo'es. I would hope tLat this method would contiruui to be LMRUJ {or all jcfl) level? $41 this (less. I also feel that mere consideration should be given in :Lv departmental placement when public infcrmetion personnel are hgzwc. t“Hen an appointment is to be made to a definite positinn, it t H!‘ V seem that more provision should be made for evaluating foo an 12* ' I“ s‘ - ‘ x'u ,« I '- . r‘1 ‘ : ‘r~\‘ | Cant 5 rxflxfiwlC'JgC Uf, oily, CORbG; V1.3: 1C)“ ft}: 7‘ ;’£~‘Sk 1.“ Hit LAE’DJJ 1- ~. ‘ - . V ‘ '- - -‘ rs . : ‘--. en ‘- ~ ment. A newsman who ooesn L luau a mallald from an irzlgut;ca \ ditch could run into trouble in the Department of Conservation. As one public information employe wrote, ”You've got to be inter- ested-~inter stcd just as much as the guy you‘re writing to. If you don't have that interst, you're in the wrong pew!” As an al- ternati e, a new employe should at least be given ample time to get his feet wet by learning about the departmental structure, its goals, and its past history as soon as he begins work. Other Research This study has been focused on a small part of the state government newsgachering job. It has become evident that there are many other facets of this subject which could, and should, be examined in this way: 1. The role of the state-prepared handout in the total coverage of state government has not been determined. Hne official has suggested that eighty to ninety per cent of the stories ema- nating from the Capitol press room originate in handouts.6 A study of the total volume of handouts. and the extent to which this news is used in selected state papers, would be helpful. e. Since this study has been limited to the role of the Civil Service-classified employes. many hidden public relations personnel have been passed over. For instance, Deputy Attorney General Leon S. Cohan has quite a bit of contact with the press. Knight D. McKesson, a former public relations man, joined the staff of the Insurance Department in 1965 as a combination public relations man and editorial assistant. Alex Ganja, administrative 6Interview with Hardy, September 22, 1965. 76 assistant in the Department of Public Instruction, is also in- volved in the production of news releases about that department. With the help of Capitol reporters and other persons close to the scene, more of these people could be identified and their role ex- amined. 3. Another part of the press operations of the executive branch-~the governor's press office--has also been omitted from the present Study. At this time, with such a nationally-prominent chief executive, a study of his press operations would be useful and interesting. 4. The executive branch is not the only branch of Michigan state government which makes extensive use of press agents. The Legislature itself also employs several persons to handle its public image, and a study of these people might also be under- taken. In short, the present study is only a beginning. The 0p- portunities for further examination of the state's role in the news business are numerous, and the above list is far from exhaus- tive. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Baker, Curtis 0. A Guide to the Work of Executive Agencies in Michigan. (Papers in Public Administration, No. 34) Ann Arbor: Bureau of Government. Institute of Public Administration, University of Michigan, 1938. Cater, Douglass. The Fourth Branch of Government. Boston: Houghtcn Mifflin Company, 1959. Chafee, Zechariah, Jr._§overnnent and Mass Communications. 2 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, l9é7. Civil Service Assembly of the United States and Canada. 'Zyblic _§elations of Public_Personngl Agencies. A Report Prepared ‘EE'che Committee of Public Personnel Agencies. Chicago: Civil Service ;ssembly of the United States and Canada, 1941. Commission on Freedom of the Press. A Free and Resgonsible Press. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1947. Cross, Harold L. The 1‘ .‘S Right to Know, New York: CO1‘JT'J1‘ia e 10 University Press, 1953. "'. Forrestal, James. The Forrestal Diaries. Edited by Walter Millis and E. S. Dui 1 fie d. New York: Viking Press, 1951. Gerald. J. Edward. The Social Responsibility of the Press. Minne- apolis: The University of Minnesota Press, 1303. (eliey, Stanley,3r. Professional Public Relations and Political Power. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1950. Key, V. 0., Jr. American State Politics. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 1950. PoliticsL Parties and Pressure Groups. New York; W Thomas Y. tromell Company, 1952. . Public Opinion and American Democracy. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1901. 77 \J ()1 cg. ‘ 'N - " ,: v~ ‘ ‘ Lassseil, R“r01“' ‘ggmocracy throush Pub:1c Oninion. Menasha, "' Santa, 1941. Levy, Harold P. A Study in Public Relations. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1943. McCamy, James L. Government Publicity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1939. Nimmo, Dan L. ‘fifwsgnthering in Washington. New York: Athertan Press, 1904. Pfiffner, John M., and Presthus, Vance h. Igublic Administration. 4th ed. revised. New York: Ronald Press, 1900. Pimlott, J. A. R. Public Relations and American Desogrgcv. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. 1951. Robson, William A. The Governors and the Governed. Baton Beige, La.: Louisiana State University Press, 1904. Rourke, Francis E. Secrecx_and Publicity. ’Baltimore: Johns HOpkins Press, 1901. Rubin, Bernard. Public Relations and the Empire State. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1955. Siebert. Fred 8,, Peterson, Theodore. and Schramm, Jiibur. “on: :heories of the Press. Urbana 111.: University oi Illinois Press, 1956. Truman, David B. The Governmental Process. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1951. White. leonard D. Introduction to the Study or Puslic iflfll§i§irw‘ ’r-rr-rT-‘rrtn":"“- ._ , , -— tion. New lor