Another Disappearing Act

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, most journalists’ time is spent confirming facts and researching a story’s background. And more and more often, these days, much of that research is conducted on the Web in order to generate physical leads and quotations that can be used in an article.

Media savvy politicians have been quick to latch onto the fact that journalists now consider the Web’s search engines as one of their most important tools – and they have not been slow in attempting to remove any online reports that may adversely effect their careers.

The same is true of media savvy businesses and other institutions. And Britain’s current Libel Laws have ensured that publishers have removed offending articles or statements – rather than just printing a retraction.

Fortunately, reporters have long memories and, if a report actually appeared in print, the original – and its retraction – will still be available via a journal’s archive. Much to those individuals' disappointment, journalists still ring their colleagues in other areas when their Web search has nothing to report.

So what has this to do with Canvey? Well, Canvey has already had an instance of the Methane Mud and Memories Blog removing comments made by the Canvey Island Independent Party councillor, Anne Wood. Comments, which it just so happens, provide a useful insight into that politician’s character. But another incident, which played itself out yesterday, has particularly focused my attention on how electronic news can just as easily disappear.

I wrote about the Castle Point Youth Action Group (CPYAG) and its founder, Lee Sayer, last Wednesday; but the link I provided to the new organisation’s site is no longer active. Its Facebook page has been removed and its domain has nothing to point to. Apart from the Canvey Beat article, the only testament to the fledgling group’s existence is the original post by the Methane Mud and Memories Blog in which Lee Sayer decided to generate some local attention for his new venture.

Lee did not receive a sympathetic hearing, which was largely his own fault. Rather than address, what he saw, as the unjustified blaming of youth culture for local vandalism in a short statement, Lee’s youthful exuberance ran riot in laying the blame at councillor’s feet for not understanding the problem. He made the fatal PR mistake of not researching his audience – and immediately paid for it. An anonymous reader, responding under the name of Jagger, immediately criticised Lee in the readers’ forum and, oblivious to the potential danger, Lee responded to the trap – only to have Jagger reply to his jugular.

Lee tried his best at some damage limitation in a further reply; but was still writing from his emotions. Colin MacLean stepped in to moderate the thread – and from then on Lee’s attempt at PR was over.

We all learn from our mistakes.

Behind the scenes, I decided to give Lee another bite at the PR cherry. In response to his request to be my friend on Facebook, I sent him an email suggesting we should meet-up. Lee responded favourably; but that was apparently before he was aware of Jagger’s remarks on the MMM Blog. Lee’s promise to provide some background information that afternoon passed without being fulfilled, and, later that day, I received the following:-

’Thank you for your kind invitation to submit further information about the youth action group for possible inclusion on the Canvey Beat website.
I take all comments and feedback into consideration, however one of the comments submitted via the MMM website stands out for me more than any of the others. You may well have noticed that earlier today, someone who remained completely anonymous other than the alias of Jagger said: "I’m afraid to say it is you who is misguided and the points you are making are nothing more than a gratuitous attempt to self-publicity."

’With that in mind, I'm sure you will appreciate and respect my decision not to participate in any additional coverage for the time being. Please don't publish anything just yet. I will, however, keep you up to date with regard to any progress and will be more than happy to put together a press release following the first group event and meeting.’

Jagger’s remarks had obviously sapped Lee’s confidence – and they could not have come at a worse time. Lee’s CPYAG page was in its infancy; un-indexed by any of the Web’s search engines; and un-promoted on Facebook.

Lee needed to get his act together and throw all his energy behind recruiting Facebook friends and informing search engine’s of his site’s existence; but his original comments on the MMM site had given him another major problem: he had alienated island councillors who were now, it is understood, insisting that he remove his remarks from local Blogs where he had made them.

Asking someone to publicly announce their change of heart, or deny a quote made of them is one thing. But to insist that they actually remove comments made legitimately in the public domain is another. It constitutes a direct affront to the British principles of free speech; is entirely undemocratic; and is worthy only of fascist dictators. But then, given certain councillors’ political leanings, perhaps that is to be expected.

For Lee and his virgin CPYAG group, it seems, the pressure has been too much for that organisation to continue.

... Original CPYAG Facebook Wall
... Lee Sayer's Final Statement