2000 Platinum PR Honorable Mention
The Case
The U.S. Navy faced the same challenge in 1999 as it has every year of its existence - finding ways to provide timely, accurate and relevant news and information to more than 375,000 active-duty
personnel scattered all over the globe. The Naval Media Center also needed to stay connected with the 180,000 reservists and 186,000 civilians that contribute to the Navy's mission. And in a superheated
employment market, the NMC sought ways to improve the service's recruitment and retention rates, especially for first-term enlistees - 18- to 25-year-olds interested or already serving in the Navy. This
meant facing head-on issues of morale, leadership, even political and policy changes affecting national security.
A Message in Every Port
Because of its geographical challenges, the NMC made use of almost every medium available - magazines, newsletters, journals, radio and television broadcast, video and online - in different sizes and
segment lengths. Differences among prospective audiences also shaped the content, whether news, features or policy statements, even though core messages had to stay consistent among outlets. The NMC was
responsible for strategic communications goals - strengthening sailors' support for and understanding of the Navy's mission, especially as it evolves (e.g., its role in humanitarian assistance, drug
interdiction and rescues at sea). The nature of life in the service required tactical objectives be addressed consistently, such as demonstrating commitment to health and fitness, fostering team unity
and promoting an appreciation of other duty assignments and locations. In serving multiple segments of its audience with the same vehicles, NMC had to avoid preachiness or condescension, to avoid
alienating individual members. In writing about the four sailors of the year, for instance, the articles aimed to show them as regular folks, people other sailors could identify with, but also to
demonstrate the qualities that officers would look for in stellar performers.
The monthly magazine, All Hands, particularly targeted the first-time enlistees the NMC wanted to encourage to stay in the service. "There was a redesign of the magazine, to make it much more
appealing to the primary audience, to make it much more visually appealing. It's much bolder, it grabs you. We're trying to stay on that cutting edge," says Lt. Brook DeWalt, print media coordinator at
the NMC. He notes that the younger demographic group the magazine is intended for was raised in a different media environment and has different expectations. In your father's Navy, it might not have been
possible to shake things up. But DeWalt says the media center benefited from command officers who have the right perspective. "We do have leadership now that takes into consideration who we're trying to
reach, so we're able to produce a magazine that appeals to [them]," he explains.
Broadcast products included the NMC producing its own 30-minute TV news program for weekly distribution, not only to naval bases, ships, subs and squadrons, but also to the Marine Corps, more than 320
commercial cable stations, the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service, and the Direct-to-Sailor service, a dedicated satellite broadcast system designed for remote radio transmission and TV viewing at
sea. The NMC also supervised 20 broadcast detachments in 14 countries, which produce TV news and entertainment for sailors stationed overseas.
For officers and professionals, there was the "Captain's Call Kit," a quarterly policy publication designed for commanding officers of more than 7,000 units worldwide. The Navy also has a large group
of geographically diverse public affairs officers who receive their own quarterly journal, filled with information about internal communications and working with the media and general public.
To accomplish all that, the NMC had an operating budget of just over $2.3 million, or a little more than $3.10 for each officer, enlistee, reservist and civilian.
Measuring Success
DeWalt says the program was successful in 1999, measured by recruiting and retention successes. The Navy reduced its number of "gapped billets at sea" (open slots) from 18,000 in November 1998 to
10,600 by March 2000. This was accomplished through gains in re-enlisting sailors in conjunction with recruiting officers meeting their goals for new enlistees. There even was an increase in former
sailors who had left the service returning to uniform.
Subjective feedback was extensive, as well, though DeWalt says the NMC did not track the numbers. "That's one of the things we learned," he adds, "that we need to be able to measure our results, we
need to be a little more specific."
Spending the Money
The NMC spent its budget almost evenly between electronic and print media. About $1.1 million was spent on production and distribution
of the monthly four-color magazine (print run of 87,000). The 52 30-minute news videos and daily live two-minute news broadcasts cost about $1.2 million. The remainder of the
budget was split among specialty publications and electronic news wire products, including the Web site.
In the Navy
Founded: Oct. 13, 1775
HQ: The Pentagon
Naval Media Center: 25 locations in 14 countries
Staff: Approx. 460 worldwide
Favorite form or body of water: An
Olympic-sized swimming pool, because I love swimming laps (Lt. Brook DeWalt)