Armstrong Williams report out
The US education department released its final report (available in Word or PDF — I recommend the pdf) on the contract it had with hack/flack Armstrong Williams on Friday.
The New York Times piece looks at it more as an organizational problem.
Interesting excerpts:
SOW Requirements
Although Department officials have stated they were under the assumption they were only buying advertisements and airtime, we noted there were numerous indicators during the formation process that the GWG work under the work requests could include providing or attempting to arrange favorable NCLB commentary through various media outlets, which could have been removed prior to the issuance of the work requests. This included language contained
in the GWG proposal, the Ketchum proposal, and the SOW issued by the Department.
The undated GWG proposal stated in part:
Having contacts with people who influence local and national opinion will pay off by getting
you at least balanced coverage of what could be a nasty defensive PR situation…
GWG can help win the battle for media space by drawing upon our long-standing
relationships with, The Russ Par radio show, Stevie Wonder’s KJLH (CA), and Sinclair
broadcasting (which owns 63 network affiliates) and America’s Black Forum (which has
been carried by network affiliates for over 25 years), to promote the [NCLB]. We will utilize
that platform to further educate the public on the benefits of this important reform. These
favorable commentaries will amount to passive endorsements from the media outlets that
carry them – media outlets that speak most directly and potentially to the African American
and broader community…
Department and Ketchum representatives indicated to us that they were not aware of this at the
time the work requests were in effect. Mr. Williams stated he had always been uncomfortable
with the non-advertisement related items in the contract and had spoken to Ketchum
representatives and the former Director of OPA about it before the contract was finalized.
Department and Ketchum representatives did not recall any such conversations taking place.
While we noted the costs associated with the proposal are only attributed to the production and
airing of the television and radio advertisements, the additional language in the proposals and
resulting SOW presents the appearance that other services were being paid for.
On the good side of all this, the Secretary of Education has responded to the report in part by… announcing a new position of Assistant Secretary for Communications and Outreach!
Forget about “No Child Left Behind…” where’s the “No Flack Left Behind” initiative?
Ciao,
Bob.
FreshBooks – the amazing time tracking / invoicing / project management solution
I suggest that Dick’s comment ignores the real issue at stake in the Williams fooforaw — that he was in the employ of an agency and tasked with promoting a program, that he used his media presence to promote that program, and that he did this without disclosing his other source of income.
Being a paid shill is one thing — being a paid shill and pretending you’re not is another, in my opinion.
Dick and I have disagreed on this in other fora, and will continue to, I suspect.
As to Alice’s comment — she’s absolutely right. This case and the other cases in the US, as well as the sponsorship scandal here in Canada, are going to affect our profession. And not in good ways.
Bob.
Mark my words, we have not heard the last of this.
Alice Marshall
If a program has been enacted into law and signed by the President, or set up by a government agency under its duly constituted authority, it becomes the official law and/or policy of the United States.
It is, therefore, obviously, an outrage that the administration should spend money and/or hire public relations counsel and spokespersons to inform about and promote the program — but only if they are Republicans.
We must demand and end to this blatant misuse of taxpayer funds to generate support for healthy eating, avoidance of substance abuse, improved education, etc. — but only by Republican administrations.
– Dick Weltz