Media training for trustees

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This article was published 05/02/2015 (4120 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

YOUR tax dollars at work — Winnipeg School Division trustees are hiring a professional consultant to train them to deal with the media.

No word yet on who the expert is or how much it will cost.

But now the school trustees are bursting with openness and transparency, they are eager to know how to handle themselves.

The public relations/communications committee has reported to the board “arrangements could be made for trustees to receive media training from an outside consultant.”

The report, tabled by committee chairman trustee Kevin Freedman, noted trustees are interested, want to know from staff what it will cover, when it’s available and if individual sessions can be arranged.

Freedman, however, has not yet had his media training — he referred questions to division public relations officer Radean Carter.

Carter said trustees need to be able to handle themselves in interviews.

“Six of the nine trustees are new,” she explained. They want specialized training “so they’re better prepared to be interviewed and to stand in front of cameras. Most politicians take it — it’s very common.”

However, a city official said Tuesday the city does not provide media training as part of new councillors’ orientation.

The city’s website shows Mayor Brian Bowman and other new councillors did not file any expenses in November for private media training. An aide said the mayor gets media advice from his communications staff.

The Manitoba School Boards Association advises trustees they are to act as a board of directors, reach consensus, then leave it to the board chairman or chairwoman to be the spokesman or spokeswoman.

MSBA executive director Carolyn Duhamel said the association offers some media training as part of its orientation for newly elected trustees.

She was, however, unaware of any school boards that had hired professionals.

University of Manitoba marketing and communications executive director John Danakas said Tuesday board of governors members do not receive media training, though senior administrators may get prepped by staff for specific interviews.

“Senior leadership may have attended professional conferences that included media training as part of the program. When (post-secondary) presidents first take office, it is not uncommon for them to have some one-off media training,” he said.

The NDP caucus provides in-house orientation for its first-time MLAs that includes how to deal with the media, said an official. A spokesperson for the Conservative caucus could not be reached.

Even veteran WSD trustee Mike Babinsky said he would take media training, though he’s in his 20th year and is often interviewed. “It’s always good to listen to people, to information. Would I need that? Sure,” Babinsky said.

Meanwhile, WSD trustees have told division staff to report by April 15 on a wide range of communications improvements for a board long accused of secrecy and of conducting most of its important business behind closed doors.

The division is looking at live-streaming its meetings and posting them online.

Trustees are developing policies on ways to improve communications and public access to information, such as releasing agendas and committee reports ahead of meetings. They’re improving the WSD website and training employees in how to use Facebook and other social media.

nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca