The press and the art of public relations

Herein is one of those cases, where a representative of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Tanglewood comes to Pittsfield to meet with local leaders including the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.

What happens is Mark Volpe, managing director of the BSO, is quoted in an spectacular $30 million expenditure on The Berkshire Eagle’s front page for Tanglewood and two days later indicates they will be holding a “fund raiser(s)” to raise money for the hallowed grounds.

All of this happens without an invitation to the hometown newspaper: The Berkshire Beacon. Hm.

Is there a breakdown in communication between Boston and Lenox? Have we not become the hometown weekly over our two years of existence? Don’t people readily read this free publication and others go to our website weekly?

Herein is the play-by-play and the response by Bernadette Horgan, BSO director of media relations: “I apologize if it seems confusing.”

“The information/quotes in last week’s Berkshire Eagle article, where Mark Volpe’s comments to the audience of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Good News breakfast meeting on Wednesday, June 12, was mostly accurate, though there is one important fact that needs clarification.

“Mark Volpe did not announce a new plan to invest $30 million in Tanglewood infrastructure; what he said is that the BSO practice over the past five to eight years has been to invest $2-3 million each year (some years more) on Tanglewood infrastructure, which in total has added up to about a $30 million investment in the buildings (80 structures) and grounds (526 acres) over this period of time.

“There was no major announcement, as Mark was just describing a practice that has been in place and in all likelihood will continue moving forward.

To Ms. Horgan, we said: Thanks for your reply and comments.

Again, reading in The Eagle, two days later Mr. Volpe is quoted as not making the $30 million commitment, but thinking about a fundraising effort to meet Tanglewood goals.

It seems there is a conflict between the planned expenditure vs. a fundraising effort.

I am confused. If I am confused, what do you think the people here are thinking?

On the one hand, they probably thought that the BSO was ready to spend $30 million, which in effect would jump-start the economy here.

On the other hand, they are wondering now about some fundraising project and where and when will this take place?

And if not one or the other hand, perhaps be a two-fisted play for economic development  for the town. Wow! What a God send this would be.

Our original questions raised to Ms. Horgan were:

Why wasn’t a press announcement offered to The Berkshire Beacon that Mark Volpe was going to make a major statement (“Boston Symphony Orchestra to invest $30 million in Tanglewood”)?

Why wouldn’t you give the local hometown weekly a chance to run this story?

Sometimes PR people place a story for good exposure. I understand.

Yet, you use Lenox as a summer address and it would seem to me to be more beneficial for the local taxpayer to know that you and the BSO are making this $30 million commitment.

Tanglewood on Parade

Tanglewood is a good neighbor, yet some of its plans like Tanglewood on Parade have lost its original luster and timing.

It was always on the third Thursday of August, and it was a celebration of the end of summer for camp counselors, waitstaff and others drawn to The Berkshires. Admittedly, you have failed to re-think this aspect of programming.

As to the story on $30 million, at the very least, you could have written a press release and shared it with readers from the Northeast.

Recently, I received an email from Adam R. Klein of Callahan and Klein Communications, Inc. RE: the popular artists series and our potential coverage.

Of course, we are happy to cover entertainment as well as news/feature events.

I think there needs to be a realignment of your publicity, public relations and, of course, outreach into the community.

Perhaps a joint meeting with Mr. Volpe and yourself to further explain is a beginning.

Posted by George C. Jordan III on June 27, 2013. Filed under Opinion,View from the Tower. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry