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JPL Doesn't Provide Equal Access For Media (update)

By Keith Cowing
NASA Watch
August 8, 2012
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Keith’s 7 Aug note: In its 30 July press release listing all MSL media activities and opportunities, no mention is made by NASA that offsite media would be allowed ask questions during press briefings – other than the vague “Two-way question-and-answer capability will be available for some of the news briefings from participating NASA locations”. Yesterday (Tuesday) a number of media asked questions by telephone. Yet no formal media advisory was sent out by NASA noting that this was an option and how/where to participate. So early yesterday afternoon I sent a request for dial-in/off-site procedures to multiple people at JPL PAO, SMD PAO, and HQ PAO. No one from PAO ever replied.
Keith’s 8 Aug update: JPL PAO sent me dial-in information 14 minutes before the press briefing began. A minute after I got this email I also got a general email from JPL PAO to news media alerting us of a dial-in capability. This was the first such note they sent out. Several other space media colleagues had told me that they were unaware of the dial-in option – until they saw my note or got this email. Annoying – its not as if JPL PAO has never done this before.

NASA Watch founder, Explorers Club Fellow, ex-NASA, Away Teams, Journalist, Space & Astrobiology, Lapsed climber.

19 responses to “JPL Doesn't Provide Equal Access For Media (update)”

  1. dougmohney says:
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    Keith, maybe you need to prepare a set of recommendations to send to Charlie.  It would be nice to see:

    1) A media alert a week in advance of opportunities (if possible)
    2) Prequalified bridge dial in, rather than having to notify a PAO to get put on a “list” each time
    3) A standard, and professionally run conference bridge for media; the SpaceX briefing fiasco out of JSC comes to mind as “horrible.”

    • kcowing says:
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      I am not certain Charlie Bolden really cares about this topic – certainly not what I think about it.

      • Steve Whitfield says:
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        However, there must be some people who care about this that you could send your recommendations to, seeing as it’s part of their responsibilities.  It seems to me that something simple and standardized, like Doug suggests, would make for less work for everyone involved, on both sides of the fence.  With regular white-listed participants, NASA might even get the PR that they are seriously lacking now.  If everyone knows the drill and can prepare appropriately ahead of time, it would have to be better for all concerned.

        Think about it Keith.  Given your experience, the effort on your part to type up what Doug suggests is probably less work than replying to the comments on yet another post like this one.  It’s your PAO. Take it back. Make it work for you.

        Steve

        • kcowing says:
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          Yea – but without naming names (which I am not going to do). NASA HQ was aware of this – and was also aware that JPL had dropped the ball and was not responding in the prompt fashion that they should have responded. Also, several media contacted me asking If I knew how to dial in since they had not previously been given that information – or word that this was even an option.

          • Steve Whitfield says:
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            I see.  With the cards stacked against you like that, I guess all you can do is exactly what you have been doing.  Keep at it Keith.  Maybe someday all of the current crop will have retired and their replacements (assuming there are any) will pick up the ball.  Thanks.

            Steve

  2. Bob says:
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    I just heard you on the phone so you got what you wanted.

    • kcowing says:
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      They waited until a few minutes before the presser started to tell me that I could participate. I am told that my request also spurred them to tell other media who had not been given dial-in access information how to participate – again, only  a few minutes before the event started.  Baffled as to why no one thought about this. It not like JPL PAO has never had mission briefings before.

      • Bob says:
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         Hey at least you got your chance on the phone which is better than being denied. =D

        • kcowing says:
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          Yea, but they waited until the last possible minute to tell me. Coincidence? Of course not.

          • Anonymous says:
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            Is it that they waited until the last minute or that the PAO is either so disorganized or poorly run/managed that they didn’t think to notify the media well in advance?  Given the management-rich organization of NASA, I don’t find it surprising that the message doesn’t get to those that get things done.  If we really want NASA to operate like we dream it could, we better hope for a reorganization of the agency that trims management and adds people that actually do things.

  3. skeptickle says:
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    You act surprised.  Given your self-appointed role and inexperience at NASA??

    • kcowing says:
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      “Inexperience”? I worked there. Did (do) you?  FWIW other news media had no idea that there was a dial-in capability until JPL PAO told them – also only 15 minutes before today’s briefing – prompted by my complaint. 

  4. bobhudson54 says:
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    It was revealed yesterday that there will be no “live” coverage on Curiosity’s operations, only the scheduled press briefings. So what’s up with that? Taxpayers have funded this program and have the right to know what’s occurring.This imposed “secrecy” causes one to be suspicious of the operations and only dampens the public’s enthusiasm. A more “open” attitude would “fire” up the public’s interest instead of increasing the thoughts of conspiracies due to limiting the public’s access. 

    • kcowing says:
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      If you tuned in today you would have heard me ask NASA if there were any circumstances whereby they’d withhold the release of images if evidence of life was found. Their answer was “we’re playing this by ear”.  I asked for a copy of the official process they have for image release. They had none to offer me. They are working hard to get stuff out, but they have not thought a lot of things out which is surprising given all of the missions they have sent to Mars.

      • bobhudson54 says:
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         This is unbelievable that they’re ” playing it by ear” here. It leads me to believe that the folks at JPL,NASA PAO were expecting a worse case scenario and the successful landing completely caught them off guard.Does this make any sense?   

        • Anonymous says:
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          No, it doesn’t make sense.  What does make sense is that it was either overlooked or not given enough consideration.

      • Hondo Lane says:
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        You’re really misrepresenting the exchange here.  You asked, in the context of images that might show signs of life, if they would withhold images.  The response was that there were no plans to withhold or delay release of any images, AND that they hadn’t thought through images that may show signs of life.  A more nuanced and open response than your misrepresentation.

    • Steve Whitfield says:
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      Bob,

      I don’t really think there is/was any imposed secrecy, just a surprisingly extensive lack of organization on the part of the HQ and JPL PAOs.

      As for the “right” to know, don’t confuse bad television with reality. Can you name the particular piece of legislation that gives taxpayers the “right” to know something/anything about this or any other NASA program just because they paid for it? I long ago got tired of hearing people claim they had the “right” to know whatever they wanted. It would be nice if citizens could freely and quickly acquire (safe) information on public affairs when they wanted it, but don’t call it a “right.” I suggest reading your Bill of Rights, carefully; I think you’ll be surprised at exactly how little you and your fellow citizens have in the way of “rights.”

      So far, yours is the only reference to suspicions or conspiracies relating to Curiosity/MSL, or any other NASA planetary program, that I’ve read or heard of.

      Steve

    • ASFalcon13 says:
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      “What’s up with that” is that there’s nothing “live” to see.  Curiosity doesn’t send data direct to Earth, so data only comes in sporadically after a quick flyby from one of the orbiters.  Even when the data does come down, it’s not like these big photos are popping up on everybody’s computer screens, either…the JPL folks just get engineering telemetry, and the pretty images are just bitstreams that get sent out the appropriate instrument teams for postprocessing.

      If you’ve ever seen those live videos of ISS mission control on NASA TV where it looks like a bunch of people just sitting around staring at numbers on computer screens, that’s pretty much what’s going on right now.  Oh, and there are probably meetings going on in a meeting room somewhere discussing status and operations.  Not exactly the recipe for must-see TV.