The frustrations of an FTW journalist ...

The jargon phrase for
the PR contingent in any
business or body is “f lak
catchers”, implying that
they are there to take the
grief from a dissatisfied
or critical outsider – and
leave the bosses to live
their utopian management
dreams undisturbed.
But the problem with
the PR outfit at Transnet
Freight Rail (TFR) is that
they don’t catch the f lak.
Indeed, they don’t seem to
recognise it for what it is.
In FTW’s case, the
frustrating saga started
in what for weekly
journalists is the
depths of the
historic past,
when on July 31
we attempted to
get an update on
the latest status
of TFR’s fixed
scheduling plans.
A simple question.
“What’s the latest on
TFR’s fixed scheduling
plans – on which
routes is it operating
and what’s the roll-out
schedule?”
This was on a
Wednesday. And, to
fit in with our weekly
deadline, we added that
we’d “be obliged if you
could get us a prompt
answer to the following
question” – as the
deadline for that week
was no later than Friday
morning.
When similar appeals are
made to the private sector
you mostly get a timely
response, or an immediate
apology for being unable
to answer in time, and
suggesting a date only a
short time after – which is
almost always adhered to.
The answer from TFR
wasn’t forthcoming in time
that week. An apology for
the inconvenience was
made, but adding that the
“relevant representatives”
were very busy, and could
“only give you the answer
by Monday if it will still be
OK”.
But, come Monday, the
sounds of silence. And an
e-mail immediately sent to
them asking for an update,
was answered with the
excuse that it now had to go
to the GM for approval, but
would be in our hands early
the next week. But there
was still no answer that
following week, nor on any
of the following weeks, with
continuing weekly,
and increasingly
desperate,
appeals for
a response
always going
unfulfilled.
So a new
definition of public
relations (PR) for the
TFR. Rather phrase it as
PF – public frustration.
The art of ducking f lak,
and just letting it soar over
your head.
But FTW is still bravely
fighting the good fight as
we move into September
– with hopes, not
expectation, held high.
Next week … next week …
next week …