Singing the Swine Flu Blues

I've been following the various reports of a swine flu outbreak. The information about the situation either suggests that it's a sign of the end of the world or maybe you should just wash your hands a little more.

Part of the problem appears to be a disagreement among various governments and health agencies about the outbreak. It sounds like the Obama administration wants people not to worry, while reacting as if the flu is going to become a big problem. Part of this may be a chance to evaluate our country's response to a pandemic but it does seem to be a bit of a mixed message.

Images play a big role in our perception of this situation. No matter how reassuring a message we receive from an expert, the sight of people walking around with surgical masks covering their faces, strikes a cord of fear inside.

Other than having watched a few episodes of House and ER, my medical knowledge is limited. I hope the swine flu does not claim many lives. But I fear that the panic related to the news of a potential pandemic may be worse than the flu itself.

The Value of "Being First"

I've watched with a lot of curiosity as the news media has tried to figure out Barack Obama's choice for Vice President. This led to a good deal of speculation and revelations from unnamed sources.

In journalism, there's always a good amount of emphasis on being the first to break a story. But as a former TV News reporter and anchor, I've come to regard the quest to be first as often an empty one. The premise is that viewers will see that you had the story first and thus you will gain their viewing allegiance. Think back four years ago. Who was first to break the story of John Kerry selecting John Edwards as his running mate? The same question applies 8 years ago to the Bush/Cheney ticket. The answers do not readily come to mind.

If you are breaking a news story that no one else is aware of, like Watergate, then the value of being first is considerable. But there is a difference between reporting something first and being the first in a pack to report on something first. A viewer will likely select a new source for a variety of reasons, which research has found can include surprising things like wardrobe and hairstyles.

Contrary to what many editors and news directors believe, their audience does not sit at home with scorecards to determine who scooped whom. The idea that "first makes you the best" is an out of date metric.

Is Image Everything?

Who needs words when you run a Presidential campaign? This week Barrack Obama has gotten a ton of positive coverage of his international tour. Who ever set up the photo opportunities has done a great job. The Senator has been shown speaking to lots of foreign leaders as well as addressed large crowds in very photogenic locations.

Senator McCain may have had a productive week but not in the world of images. One that seems to be getting a lot of play is him sitting in a passenger seat of a golf cart being driven by former President George Bush. Something about the image reminds me of Michael Dukakis' infamous ride in a tank.

The disparity has been discussed by the national media but there hasn't been much talk about what the candidates have been saying. It's a bit like showing someone your family album without telling you anything about the trip.

President Ronald Reagan was a master at using images. In journalism school at Arizona State University, I learned how he would make a public appearance when bad news was coming out. While the story might be about inflation, the image was of the President shaking hands at a white collar bar. This would dilute the bad news of the story and make people say, "Gee, the President seems like a nice guy."

I expect both McCain and Obama will visit Texas very soon to survey the damage from Hurricane Dolly.