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Mutual Problems and Interests
Communicating

Journalist 1 & C - Advanced manual for Journalism and other reporting practices
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officials can reveal a great deal about previous programs and the lessons learned from them. If a base-community council  exists,  the  members  and  records  of  the  council will  offer  valuable  information. Defining the Problem Once  the  fact  finding  and  analysis  are  completed, you  are  prepared  to  determine  the  key  community relations  problems  of  the  command.  When  the  problems have been defined, the solutions must be provided and decisions made to prevent or correct them. After the problems have been clearly stated, you are ready to develop  a  plan  of  action.  Some  of  the  problems  can  be remedied  without  conducting  a  full-blown  community relations effort. This is done by referring obvious and easily   correctable   problems   to   the   proper   repre- sentatives or by setting up committees to cope with each area of interest. Their recommendations maybe carried out  directly  by  the  base-community  council  or  through the organizations concerned. Some problems caused by a considerable lack of understanding in the community of  the  mission  and  contributions  of  the  military  to  the local community may require special plans of action. These plans are integrated into the overall community relations  program.  A  community  relations  program requires long-range or strategic planning that, in turn, will require short-range or tactical plans to accomplish the goals of the long-term plans. All must be interrelated. PLANNING Planning  begins  with  a  draft  of  the  proposed community relations program, including a statement of objectives  and  a  tentative  schedule  of  projects  and activities. It should contain a statement of policy and general philosophy, using such guidelines as the PAO, CO  and  higher  authority  may  provide.  The  basic statement  also  should  spell  out  specific  delegations  of authority  for  community  relations  activities.  This  will provide  a  frame  of  reference  for  the  listing  of objectives-long-range  and  short-range-and  a  blueprint for operations. (A sample community relations plan can be found in PA Regs, Chapter  4.) Working from the general proposal and considering the program objectives with the facts gathered in the survey  and  analysis,  you  should  plot  ways  and  means  of attaining  community  relations  goals. Consider the following questions with respect to each  community  relations  objective: l Which publics are involved? l l What   guidelines   and   directives   must   be followed? What projects or activities can contribute to the attainment  of  the  goal? The authors of  Effective Public Relations,  Scott M. Cutlip, Allen H. Center and Glen M. Broom, believe that every  community  relations  project  or  activity  must  be measured against its contributions to organizational goals.  For  instance,  the  DuPont  Company  follows  a checklist that measures each project with an “analysis” formula: l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l l What  is  the  objective  this  project  is  designed  to gain or approach? Is the objective sound and desirable? Are  there  collateral  advantages? Is the project possible? Can it be done with existing personnel? Does  it  involve  cooperation  outside  the department? Is it counter to sound public relations policy? Is it counter to company policy? Is the expense too high in relation to possible gain? Can it embarrass sales, production or research? Where  is  the  money  coming  from? What are the penalties of failure? Why do it now? Why do it that way? Who  approved  the  project? Who  must  be  informed? Obviously,   every   command   cannot   afford   a full-blown  community  relations  program.  Others  may find   it   necessary   to   develop   a   phased   program, beginning  with  a  few  key  program  elements  and  adding others regularly. Experts believe that the basic elements that a command begin with are the following: l l l An effective ship or station newspaper A speakers bureau Correspondence  with  opinion  leaders  and decision  makers 5-13







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