On Tue, 27 Jan 2004 07:34:59 GMT, (Gary W.
Swearingen) wrote:

(Tom Merkle) writes:

I've watched all the news briefings (and no CNN) and I found that just
after each landing the news briefing was considerably too self-
congratulatory, giving the impression that they though all the news
people came there to clap for them rather than to gather news. I can
tolerate the staged hugging (though most men didn't hug each other in
my formative years) in the NASA-TV "commentary" sessions, but I think
they should avoid thanking each other and their families in news
briefings. (I have no doubt that the "mission control" TV is staged
because I saw one of the bosses start some "spontaneous" applause as
an obvious response to some wispering in his ear from the TV floor
director, in a TV wide shot not aimed at them.)

Well...maybe it's not just CNN then. So I guess what's needed is maybe
a little discipline in media relations. It wouldn't take much. Just
one or two 20-30 min basic training sessions on how to conduct a press
briefing. They're smart. Just explain to them what to avoid and run
through it once and they'll get it.

I agree, there's a time and place for self-congratulations and over
effusive displays of pride and emotion. It's called the OSCARS. While
anyone can be happy about an event going right, it's the going into
the 'I'd like to thank my agent, and my lawyer, and my 4th grade math
teacher, and Jesus..' that gets really old.

Tom Merkle