Dealing with the mass media

Alexandra Lages

Yesterday, the fifth regular meeting of the Permanent Secretariat of the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries was held in Macau. It was a closed-door meeting attended by officials from mainland China and the seven Portuguese-speaking countries: Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau and East Timor.
All together, in 2008 this group of countries totaled USD50 billion in trade. Looks like a very important event, right?
However, something failed at yesterday’s meeting. Someone just forgot about the mass media.
They told the media that the meeting would start at 10 am, it would be a closed-door event, but they should arrive there by 9:30 am if they wanted to shoot footage or take photos. Afterwards, they could wait until 11 am to talk with officials who would be able to explain what was happening, thereby giving the reporters something to write about. In other words, they could fulfill their mission to inform the people about what is happening here.
Instead, the media were given two single sets of paper: a list of attendants (around 60, and I had to count the names myself) and a brief agenda telling us only what would happen in the following two days but without any schedule or timetable.
In short, we were to know what would happen behind the doors, but we do not know when. Maybe the media is supposed to stay all day outside the meeting door, just in case.
This episode made me wonder about the communication link between the government or the public departments and the media. This remains an issue in Macau.
Usually, we hear the Legislative Assembly’s lawmakers complaining about the Government, because they do not reply to their queries or sometimes they only get empty statements. The same happens with the ‘fast-track’ channel they could use to pass on the Government’s message to the residents: the mass media.
In Macau, if a journalist wants to pose some unexpected questions to a public department or a Secretary’s office it is usually a very complicated procedure. Even a very simple question, if you do not know the right person inside the department, must be sent by fax or email. Sometimes you get an answer, sometimes you don’t.
Maybe it is a matter of fear of being exposed by the media or it could also be a problem of lack of “savoir-faire”. I prefer to believe it is the second case.
First, there are few government officials really aware that the media is an important channel to inform the residents and it is “less dangerous” to have an informed population, as lack of information drives to suspiciousness and misunderstandings.
Second and the least, some departments are not supported by a team of public relations or media advisors well-prepared to deal with the media. Or still, maybe they are not given the right instructions.
The announcement of the Policy Address of 2010 is expected in March. Every year, the Government promises to put more effort into communication and transparency, so they create ‘one-stop’ service systems and enhance monitoring measures.
But they cannot forget about the mass media. Their role is to inform the public. Without them it is more difficult for the Government to reach the people.