Salt Lake Tribune | 2002-01-31 | Page 21

The Salt Lake Tribune UTAH Thursday, January 31, 2002 Media Center Ready for Journalists Buses Raise Specterof | | @ Continued from B-1 Salt Lake City and ParkCity. Reporters from 150 newspapers are among the accredited news media. The list includes such big hitters as USA Today, The Washington Post and The New York Times, and nearly every major wire service in the world. Manyof these organizations are still settling into leased office space and getting accustomed to “working the bullpen,” an open area with dozens of telephones, computer terminals and four giant TV screens that carry live feeds from Olympic competitions. Esconced in another corner of the 430,000-square-foot media center are NBC and 11 foreign networks with rights to air the Games. White’s job is to help these journalists do their job — not a simpletask, considering the endless variety of her clients’ backgrounds and needs. If the media center — with its hair salon, dry cleaners and general store — is a city within a city, it’s possibly the most diverse city in Utah. “Sure the journalists come from different cultures. The Americans are probably the bluntest. They'lljust throw a questionout there,” White said. These journalists will be pulling 18hour days, and when deadline rolls aroundit’s crunch time, she said. About26 languages, including Farsi, Czech and Croatian, are spoken inside the center. Andlike anycity, there is a measure of infighting among its something in common,but sometimesit expectations. “You don’t want to prom- ise too. much,” she said, adding that skeptical journalists also can be harsh judges. By early accounts, White and her staffof 1,600 are doing a bang-upjob. “The press centeris functioningwell and the city appears well-organized,” said Wakako Yuku, London correspondent for Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest newspaper, with a circulation of 10 million. “My only concern is trans“Everyonehere is friendly and cooperative,” said Weydert, whose only portation. Getting to cross country about polygamists and Utah's predominantly Mormonculture. Lake Organizing Committee. The media center’s amenities — mail drop, fancy Italian restaurant and 75seat bar — don’t comecheap. “It’s not that hard to get a drink around here,” said Bob Pearson,a senior photographerfor the French news agency.“Whenwefirst cameout here 2 “Getting in and out of here hasn't beeneasy,” remarked Elissa Leibowitz, years ago for a planning meeting only a ing to buy those temporary [private club] memberships.” Shinsuke Kobayashi, oneof 26 sports Stories about Olympic security in the writers in town with the Kyodo News wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have dominated the pre-Games coverage from mostnewsorganizations. “But we're also focusing on the sig- nificance of the Olympics to the American peoplein this currentpolitical climate,” said Yuku. Others are interested in learning mation Center (JIC), a facility Tough Queries On Security Amongthose, Verdoia said: Capitol that will coordinate PIOs from about 60 separate lawenforcementagencies. The JIC “is a one-stop shopping centerfor the media,” said Palmer, who expects to personally field most questions about Olympic security. Afterall, the “Neverdeliberately mislead a reporter. That has horrible topic has consumed herlife for months. consequences because the truth is always found out. If you don’t have an answer,acknowledge it. It is too dangerousto speculate.” Lemmon agrees. His spe- “Up until Sept. 11, Ihada life of my own. NowI basically eat, drink andsleep this job,” said Palmer, hired 14 monthsago. “I expected a crush [of media inquiries], but it camea lot earlier than I thought.” Palmer recently was awakened at 3 a.m. by a German re- attended Verdoia’s seminar, he told them to be wary of an in- ternational media corps with empty notebooks and time to kill. His bottom line: Stick to the basics. cialized PIOs are trained in public is more ravenous than ever for accurate information knack to “think quick on their feet. Let’s face it, you've got to aboutpublic safety. be motivated anda little bit assertive.” nolongeracceptable,” said Ken Verdoia, a senior producer at Some experts say the Sept. 11 attacks have changed the dy- KUEDwhorecently conducted a seminar for public relations professionals at the University of Utah, including four U. po- namic between the media end law enforcement sources. On one hand, security concerns public as quickly, clearly and “In this era, ‘No comment’ is haveelevated the wall between ; Officers and the news media; on the other, PIOs realize the information. “The nightmare is having the wrong person talking,” Palmerrealizes she will be at the vortex of an international media storm. Absent that, she “T don’t say, ‘No comment.’ I just let you knowif something is classified,” she said. “If you ask mefor something,I will try for titutes and scam artists — has trained four officers to assist full-time PIO Sgt. Fred Louis, an 11-year veteran who became PIO abouta year ago. Louis said muchofhis time can gel and enginescan stall. UTAwill have crews at the solutions. They have asked surrounding schools to open their cafeterias for waiting Olympic festivities as well as an influx of pickpockets, pros- preparing drivers warm and the engines running.If turned off in cold weather, diesel fuel Berlin and Salt Lake City. ‘These days, even on the rare nights she turns off hercellphone, Palmer’s sleep is still colored by her job. “I dream of workevery night,” she laughs. thing much worse, such as The Salt Lake Police De- Transportation organizers say they needto keep the buses running throughout the ceremonies to keep the parks to help restart the occurs defer to somebodyelse, we do.” of her house near the university on thosefour nights. Hersonhas asthma, and she worries about neighbors with cardiovascular disease. “Whatare they supposed to do? Leave the neighborhood?” she asked.“Is SLOC going to pick them up and take them to a relative’s homeorto hotel?” porter oblivious to the eighthour time difference between crowd control at downtown countered. “The Sept. 11 event drove sireet cop who blurts casual Lemmonsaid. “When we can public- safety resources, Palmer homea central truth — you've gotto get informationoutto the command, but he fears the dependably as possible,” Verdoia said. “Withheld information creates doubt.” Butifthe wrong information gets out, it could create somewidespread panic or wasted lice department PIOs. disseminating information through the proper chain of partment busesdouble-parked in front in the basementof the state Whenthe PIOs from the U. certain “natural abilities.” He looks for someone with the athletes around town. But organizers were unable to meet a pledge that another 10 percent of 910 Olympic buses would use natural gas. Julia Robertson will have guess you're OK.” will be spentat the Joint Infor- Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune natural gas — for ferrying organizers, sponsors and long as you don’t drink and have sex I compromise security.” Tammy Palmer, public information officer for the Utah Olympic Public Safety Command,listens to the concerns of a French cameraman during a tourof the agency's operations center. vans —400 of which run on Condomsare out, but guns are in. As tom line — I don’t want to University of Utah Police Chief Ben Lemmon already has fielded dozens of calls from around the world from reporters interested in public safety on campus. sport utility vehicles and Sweden’s largest newspaperis less generous. “I don’t understand this place. and getit for you: But the bot- Olympic venues — the Athletes. Village and the Olympic Stadium — in his jurisdiction, the 2002 Winter Games as an environmental wonder. But Salt Lake City Clean Cities Coordinator Beverly Miller says SLOC’s commitmentto cleanair has fallen short. Organizers promised 10 percent of their fleet would use alternative fuels. And the committee has 4,000 GM agency, said Salt Lake City is much like any otherU.S.city: “It’s a cozy town.” Stefen Hytt, a reporter for Expressen, PIOs Handle with a pretty good solution.” Still, SLOC’s plans could violate Salt Lake Valley Health Department codes if drivers idle too long. Air quality and noise rules prohibit diesel drivers from idling for more than 15 minutes. The 1994 regulation is meant to cut down on fineparticulate, sulfur, nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions that contribute to air pollution during valley inversions. Olympic planners tout few of the French grumbledabout hav- a memberof The Washington Post's 12person team. “But we're accustomed to this levelof security.” @ Continued from B-1 , | | | Francisco Kjolseth/TheSalt Lake Tribune doesn’t work out.” White’s modus operandiis to limit neighborhoods. We're sensitive to that. But this is kind of an extraordinary situation for us. We've come up servicesfor accredited journalists. Four giant TV screenswill carrylive feeds from Olympic competitions. fice space too near one another,” said White. “We tried to put nations Lemmon’s PIOs go through “a great deal of training,” he Said, butare initially chosen for like buses idling in their | | photocopy complaintis thathefeels like he is being “nickled and dimedto death”by the Salt “We've got to get people home andto the stadium,” McBridesaid. “People do not telephones, over-thecounter fax and events could be disastrousif it snows.” serve as PIOs. Le | repaid inhabitants. “Some newspapers are fierce competitors and didn’t wanttheir leased of- To cope, Lemmon has assigned three ofhis 32 officers to @ Continued from B-1 The “bullpen”in the Main Media Center features together, thinking they would have Noise, Stink buses. Neighbors have offered drivers. Robertson offered her home:“They can cometo myhouse forhot chocolate. Ifa threatarises ora disaster during the Games, T'll make cookies.” Residents have asked organizers to station natural gas buses in the neighbor- said, “I hope the focus switches from public safety to the ath- hood. Failing that, neighbors asked organizers to disperse the buses throughout the neighborhood rather than concentrating the letes and to the Games.It might makemyjob little easier.” [e-mail] buses ona fewstreets. All to noavail. Schools Schedule Time For Torch @ Continued from B-1 families to take advantage of this opportunity.” In Jordan,officials made the decision to release class early Feb.8 after learning the flame wili pass through the district right about the time school is normally getting out. Traffic and blocked roads could make it difficult to get students home, officials sai “We are equally concerned about the safety of students walking home, especially if their normal walking route is altered due to road closures,” said Barry Newbold, Jordan superintendent. Schools affected by the relay are sending notices home with students. The relay bypasses nine of the state’s 40 districts —- Carbon, Daggett, Duchesne, Emery, Piute, Rich, Tintic, Uintah and Wayne. Ten of the 31 districts the flamewill pass throughare not changing their start or stop times. A dozen districts will take students to watch the relay. Kane and Garfield districts will bus students to Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks, respectively. Others, such as Kearns and Beaverhigh schools, will play host to the torch relay crew during breaks on their cam- puses. Dezens of other school groups will perform as the torchbearers runby. “We're excited to have it pass by so many schools,” said Now the neighbors are getting Mayor Rocky Anderson involved. He says District spokeswoman. Atleastonedistrict, Tooele, has given parents the option of pulling children from class to see the flame. Such students won't be counted absent. “It's a once in a lifetime thing,” said Larry Shumway, superintendent. Michelle Bartmess, Granite | | he will check into the matter. “We could wait to see if it’s a problem. 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