Do some local institutions need a lesson in effective communication?
I’m Just Saying by Austin Rhodes
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No matter the occasion or task, a completed and successful mission often means little unless the story is quickly and articulately shared.
It is an idea I have emphasized, perhaps more than any other, in my 32+ years on the radio, as well as in countless columns and during public speaking engagements.
But apparently the fear of disclosing failure and incompetence, also known as bad news, has overwhelmed many local leaders who embrace a lack of transparency and consider it their ally.
The epic and legendary media dodges of the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office since Sheriff Richard Roundtree’s arrival 12 years ago are well documented. The voters finally lanced that boil, and he and his unprecedented con games with the First Amendment and Public Relations 101 will come to a long-awaited end in 2025.
Moving away from Roundtree’s disgusting example, there are many other locals who deserve credit and praise for aggressively delivering solid information, both good AND bad. Many of them have been doing it for years!
The gold standard, bar none, is Major Steve Morris of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. There are countless examples of Morris going beyond the call of duty, at all hours of the day and night, to provide timely updates on breaking crime stories. He has been empowered to do his job with such unimpeachable excellence by his boss, Sheriff Clay Whittle.
We saw Whittle’s philosophy on full disclosure not long into his first term as Sheriff, when notorious bank robber Christopher Jeburk escaped the Columbia County Detention Center.
In what is widely described as the most embarrassing and frustrating incident of Whittle’s otherwise illustrious tenure, the Sheriff proved he was ready, willing, and able to answer what may have been difficult questions. He provided direct and accurate information to the public in real time, asking to go live on the air in the pre-dawn hours the moment the escape was discovered.
He did it with both TV stations and with any radio station that would have him. Keep in mind, these were the days before going live online was possible, and it was the best way to communicate with the general public concerning the gravity of a situation involving a dangerous escapee.
Such candor and accessibility allowed Whittle and his team to address their own shortfalls, and when the dust settled and corrections were made, there was nary a dent in the reputation of the CCSO. In short, the public and the media trust Clay Whittle.
We have seen great improvement over the years in other offices and agencies and their willingness to quickly and accurately address concerns and questions from journalists and the general public. The Richmond County Marshal’s Office; Richmond, Columbia, and Aiken County Coroner’s Offices; and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office all receive stellar reviews regularly from media professionals. No matter the angle, no matter the controversy, these agencies seem to realize the importance of quick communications with those whose job it is to inform the citizens of the CSRA.
The Columbia County Board of Education, with the addition of Communications Director Abbigail Remkus, has also made great strides in this area. The CCBOE and Remkus embraced a commonsense solution I suggested a while back, sending every parental notification notice out to media, ensuring they were made aware at the same time as the general public and parents. The policy keeps everyone on the same page and serves to better inform when there are concerns. Distrust and fear are the byproducts of misinformation – misinformation caused by a lack of disclosure and discussion.
Sadly, the Richmond County Board of Education continues its years-long tradition of playing musical chairs with about a half dozen communications directors who seem either unqualified, ill-equipped, or flat-out dishonest in their dissemination of often-unpleasant system news in a timely fashion.
I have suggested that, rather than another education bureaucrat, a seasoned media professional be brought in to handle these duties. Much like the late, great Sheriff Howard Sellers did when he hired the also late-and-great television news reporter Michael Frank to handle media relations for the Aiken County Sheriff’s Office 25 years ago. It was an inspired move that worked very well.
The RCBOE should consider the soon-to-be-retired WRDW News 12 anchor Richard Rogers for the position. The award-winning journalist has an impeccable reputation and is just what the RCBOE needs after more than a decade of embarrassments and failures when it comes to keeping the public informed.
I ask Richard for his forgiveness as I throw his name out there without his permission. Still, I’m sure my old friend recognizes that troubled bureaucracy’s need for a bold move. If not Richard specifically, then someone of his stature and skill.
The sooner the better.
