posted on May 15, 2009 18:43
By Joe Borgstrom, Director
Specialized Technical Assistance
& Revitalization Strategy (STARS) Division
Michigan State Housing Development Authority
With the explosion of numerous downtown organizations using social media, communities are out on the Internet like never before. Combine that with the evolution of the newspaper industry to new media and there is an amazing digital universe to now inform and market your community in. In this universe, you are free to send whatever message you want about your community. Feedback is nearly instantaneous. Most people get into this filled with the best of intentions – hoping to promote only the positives of their community. However, spend a little time online, either reading the e-edition of newspapers, in chat rooms or in the blogosphere, and you’ll find there are LOT of people who are willing to rain on your parade. Don’t believe me? As my friends from Team HALO suggest, try the “Love/Hate Test”: Google “I love (your community’s name)” and then “I hate (your community’s name).” Most people are shocked at how many people have nasty things to say about their community.
Times Have Changed
In the good old days of the early ‘90s (and before), we used to write letters to the editor. Most self respecting editors would never print a letter that was unsigned. But now, anyone can come up with a nondescript or clever screen name and feel they have license to criticize anything or anyone with little fact to back it up. Worse yet are those who maintain “hate blogs” who do nothing more than offer vicious, non-constructive criticism without offering alternatives. Make no mistake, people who write unsigned letters to the editor or hide their identity online, a.k.a. E-Critics or E-Bullies, are nothing but cowards. They are infuriating and emotionally draining. But what can YOU do about it? Plenty.
What to Do
First Things First- If you’re doing downtown work, you are going to be open for criticism. Accept it and develop some thicker skin. The old saying goes, “You can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs.” Remember, you do your best to make as many people happy as you can, but there is no way to make EVERYONE happy. Deal with it. If you’re using an inclusive process like Main Street, be sure to include the fact you engage the public through the volunteer committees regularly in any response. Nothing quiets dissenters like majority rule.
Electronic News Sources- The “Comment” section is a free for all where some of the nastiest comments are made. My honest advice is to ignore it. The comments left are often forgotten by the time the browser closes by everyone except those who they were made about. The people who do write comments are generally a small group that spends all their time making negative comments on most every article they can find. Don't waste energy on this. Engaging in this forum can rapidly degenerate into a quicksand of negativity. Just move on.
Blogs & Bloggers- This is an emerging area. Many people are unsure whether or not to consider these folks “media.” Many bloggers use their e-powers for good and not evil (like us!) Most can be quite helpful. However, from time to time there are those who choose to use the medium in a negative way. Make sure to reach out and include all bloggers in your area on your press release distribution list. Half the time these folks are anonymous so that may be hard. If they do make themselves known, do include them on your lists. Make every effort to ensure they are getting the correct information rather than what they hear on the street. Offer to meet one-on-one to clear up any misunderstandings. They might attend meetings and say nothing then wait for the comfort of their screen to let the vitriol fly. These people clearly like to cause conflict. The best thing you can do is put as much correct and positive information out as possible. Speaking of which…
Offer an Alternative- Does your downtown organization have a blog yet? You should. This offers you the opportunity to tell your side of every story outside the parameters of the standard press release. Many blog tools, like Blogger, offer comment moderation which allows you to view and approve comments before they are posted. When you write, don’t acknowledge the individual negative blogs/Bloggers in your posts, just use it to tell your story. Make sure to be inclusive and transparent.
Know Your Rights
I’m not a lawyer. I don’t even play one on TV. Keep that in mind. Also, keep in mind posters and bloggers are still subject to the same defamation and slander laws as everyone else. They probably believe the anonymity of the Internet protects them from this. They are wrong. If there are such personal and vicious attacks being launched on these sites, you have the right to pursue it legally. Internet service providers and newspapers can be quite accommodating if they believe they might be thrown into a legal battle if they don’t cooperate. It’s a last ditch (and costly) effort, but it could bring about finality to the situation. Talk to your lawyer more if you think you might need to go this route.
Online media holds such tremendous promise. Don’t let a few nay-sayers ruin your good work. As Zig Ziglar says, “Don't be distracted by criticism. Remember - the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.”
Go do good.
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to the numerous people contributing advice and stories this blog was based on, notably, Marianna Hayes, Andy Chapman, Patrick Reagan, and most importantly, YOU for reading this longer than usual post.