As Middle East events unfold with dizzying and almost unpredictable speed, spokesman for Jewish organizations feel increasingly compelled to provide instant comments on the developments, either praising or condemning one side or another and invariably offering for consideration their favorite political recipes on how best to resolve the specific problem on hand. The more ambitious garnish their recipes with instructions on how to cut through the skein of tangled diplomacy. All, however, act as if the press release, rather than the actual event, is the motor force of history.
The instrument for divers insights, analysis, warnings and forebodings is the press release. The speed of the releases, which would put the Concorde to shame, is in direct ratio to the speed and complexity of the objective developments. It is implied, in many of the releases, that history will be incapable of moving or may even be derailed unless these releases are forthwith made public in the media.
While the issuance of press releases hot off the mimeograph machine is not a new venture its value becomes more problematical than ever given the rapid-fire development of events. More often than not, statements contained in the releases become obsolete even as they are being stuffed into envelopes. Quite frequently, however, they tend to exacerbate a situation rather than solve it.
III-TIMED STATEMENT
For example, when President Carter last Wednesday night on television, in response to a reporter’s question, rejected a Palestinian state on the West Bank and praised Premier Menachem Begin of Israel for his peace proposals, several Jewish organizations issued instantaneous press releases lauding Carter for his statement. The releases added no new insights into the problem. Moreover, none were newsworthy and all were ill-timed.
Carter had broken no new ground with his statement. What made it news was that he repeated it in the context of the current sensitive talks between Egypt and Israel. Carter could have avoided the ensuing diplomatic flap with President Anwar Sadat of Cairo by fielding the reporter’s question on this issue, a time-honored response by politicians when they want to avoid a direct answer and when the issue requires sensitivity and tact.
Equally ill-timed were press release statements cautioning that Sadat’s response was intemperate and evidence of a hardening of Egypt’s line toward Israel. But the press release aficionados were, perhaps unknowingly, responding to half-baked media reports about Sadat. The Egyptian leader did express disappointment with Carter after being pressed by two American reporters for a response.
What was not reported in the media, or buried in mounds of copy, was that Sadat also said that before his visit to Jerusalem and the Ismailia talks “no one knew what was the fate of the Palestinians. Begin and his government, the opposition and everyone in Israel used to say that this (the West Bank) is an Israeli land that has been liberated.”
Since his visit to Jerusalem, Sadat added, “We are now differing or quarreling among each other in Israel and here in Egypt because they are speaking of some sort of autonomy or self-determination. Sadat then declared: “If after forty days such a leap takes place and the differences (are) between some sort of autonomy and self-determination, I consider this a great leap and very encouraging for the future.”
FREQUENTLY OFF TARGET
Both releases, therefore-lauding Carter and cautioning about Sadat-were counter-productive, at the very least. Furthermore, they were reactions to news developments that had been only partially reported by the press in general under deadline pressure and headline-hunting.
Quiet frequently, press releases are churned out by some public relations officer on behalf of the head of an organization who is always referred to as a “Jewish leader” or a “Zionist leader.” These credit lines more often than not refer to individuals who lead only in the number and verbosity of press release statements. All too frequently these releases can be characterized by the Yiddish expression, “er shist mit a bezem un treft die levanah” (he shoots with a broom and hits the moon, a colloquialism for being off target).
In fact, some press releases are not only off target but anticipate actual developments which may or may not materialize. One press relations officer habitually calls and says: “I understand that the White House (or the State Department) is about to issue a statement condemning (or praising) Israel. There’ll be a statement on this at your office in a few minutes. But hold it until it’s announced officially.”
A GENUINE QUANDARY
One Jewish leader, who seldom issues off-the-cuff press release statements, echoed what is undoubtedly a problem for many Jewish organizations. “When is the time to issue a statement and how often is enough?” he asked. It becomes a real quandary. If a statement isn’t issued it seems as though we don’t care what happens. If we issue too many statements we may seem to be trying to use pressure tactics.”
There is a genuine quandary in this. But not issuing an instantaneous press statement, unless specifically asked for one by the media, is not tantamount to adopting a “sha shtihl” attitude towards an objectively dangerous development. The problem with issuing press releases indiscriminately and instantaneously is that it diminishes the impact of a statement when it is really required to counter a development inimical to the Jewish community or Israel.
Unfortunately, however, press releases have become a way of life for some organizations and a substitute for genuine, practical activity. The press release syndrome is a compulsive response to events, or even to non-events. Releases are sometimes based on rumors, on unconfirmed media reports or in response to press releases issued by other organizations.
Press releases fall into several readily identifiable categories: (1) the revolving door release one after another; (2) the jogger’s release just for the exercise; (3) the bandwagon release to make the record; (4) equal time or space release responding to some other organization; (5) the round robin release responding to responses; and (6) the identity crisis release to avoid being forgotten.
With the beginning of the new year, a resolution is in order: organizations shall not live by press releases alone, especially in this period when a release written on the spot of the moment may wind up being a misguided missile.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
