gi jobs media rollout

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GI Jobs- Maximizing A Media Opportunity By Scott Becher, Chief of Staff, By Scott Becher, Chief of Staff, Rep. Steve Wieckert Rep. Steve Wieckert

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Page 1: GI Jobs Media Rollout

GI Jobs-Maximizing A Media Opportunity

By Scott Becher, Chief of Staff, By Scott Becher, Chief of Staff, Rep. Steve WieckertRep. Steve Wieckert

Page 2: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Genesis of GI Jobs Legislation:

• Allow returning and current military veterans to be eligible for Wisconsin’s existing employer job development tax credits program.

• It would give employers an incentive to hire returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, who in Wisconsin had a 21.5% unemployment rate.

Page 3: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Legislative Letters of Support were Secured from:

• Former United States Senator Bob Dole • United States Senator John Mc Cain • Wisconsin American Legion• Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States • County Veterans Service Officers Association of

Wisconsin

Page 4: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Previous 2005 Legislative Session Media Coverage was Minimal-

• Green Bay Press Gazette -Veterans Help Madison Weekly September 4, 2006 State Representative Steve Wieckert (R-Appleton), is pushing legislation that he says will help

military veterans find civilian jobs. The legislation would provide businesses with an $8,000 tax credit for hiring veterans who have

served a year or more on active duty.“We want to give our veterans peace of mind that there will be a job awaiting them when they

return from defending freedom aboard. It is the least we can do,” Wieckert said. Wieckert is also proposing a resolution that make the week of Oct. 8 “ Mighty 8 th Air Force

Week” and legislation that would encourage veterans to share their experiences in schools.

• Total media coverage consisted of three brief print articles and four radio pieces.

Page 5: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Media Strategy:

• Early introduction of the bill before the January 2007 session of this very timely topic would generated good coverage during the slow holiday news period.

• By giving the story “exclusively” to a major newspaper- The Wisconsin State Journal, it helped generate further coverage.

• Working with Wisconsin State Journal reporter Jason Stein of the, I found several unique personal veteran stories and factoids that helped make the story front page material.

Page 6: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Roll Out Generated Statewide Radio Coverage

• WHBY, Appleton- November 8, 2006 • WIBA, Madison- November 14, 2006• Wisconsin Radio Network- November 25, 2006• Wisconsin Public Radio-December 11, 2006• WISN, Milwaukee- December 13, 2006 • WIZM, La Crosse-January 2, 2007• Wisconsin Public Radio-January 2, 2007

Page 7: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Wisconsin Radio Network

• Bill promotes jobs for veteransSaturday, November 25, 2006, 6:40 AMBy Bob Hague

A "G.I. Jobs" bill will offer incentives for hiring returning veterans. Appleton Republican, Representative Steve Wieckert, says there's a problem that needs to be addressed. "The unemployment rate for our returning vets is twice as high as the average unemployment rate," says Wieckert.His proposed bill would provide an $8,000 tax credit to employers who hire returning veterans, using the state's already existing development zone programs. Wieckert says veterans need good jobs -- not just talk.

Wieckert hopes to have the bill introduced soon after the start ofthe legislative floor session in January.

Page 8: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Wisconsin Public Radio

• On December 11, 2006-Rep. Wieckert talked to Wisconsin Public Radio’s Shawn Johnson about re-introducing GI Jobs, 2005 Assembly Bill 674, that creates an $8,000 tax credit for development zone.

• On January 2, 2007- the GI Jobs bills was discussed during its hourly newscasts.

Page 9: GI Jobs Media Rollout

• A major front page article about the GI Jobs bill, entitled “Helping Vets Gets Jobs-Returning war veterans are now in battle to find jobs-a proposed tax credit plan might help them” by staff reporter Jason Stein, appeared in the Tuesday, January 2, 2007 edition of The Wisconsin State Journal.

Page 10: GI Jobs Media Rollout

The Wisconsin State Journal story was picked up off the

Associated Press wire on January 2-3, 2007 by :

• La Crosse Tribune• WIFR-TV, Channel 23, Rockford, IL • Channel 3000, WISC-TV, Channel 3, Madison• Army Times.com• The Janesville Gazette-Gazette Xrta• WBAY.com, WBAY-TV, Channel 2, Green Bay• Navy Times.com• Winonadailynews.com• Rhinelander Daily News • Chippewa Daily Herald- Chippewa.com• River Falls Journal • Pioneer Press

Page 11: GI Jobs Media Rollout

• A major GI Jobs story in the Kenosha News by staff reporter Joe Potenten on January 3, 2007.

Page 12: GI Jobs Media Rollout

• A major front page article by Madison Bureau Chief Ben Jones entitled “State pushes benefits for vets- Proposal is called ‘most dramatic’ in 50 years nationwide,” about the GI Jobs bill appeared in the Sunday, January 7, 2007 edition of The Post-Crescent.

Page 13: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Statewide Television Coverage

• WFRV-TV, Green Bay- CBS 5 Anchor/Reporter Chelly Boutott interviewed Outagamie County Veterans Service Officer Andy Clark about the GI Jobs bill. The story aired on the January 2, 2007 5PM and 6 PM newscasts.

• WEAU-TV, Eau Claire- NBC 13 Anchor/Reporter Allison Miller interviewed both Tim Moore, veterans unemployment coordinator with the Department of Workforce Development and Cliff Sorenson, Eau Claire Veterans Service Coordinator about Rep. Wieckert’s GI Jobs proposal on the January 8, 2007 6 PM newscast.

Page 14: GI Jobs Media Rollout

Television Coverage

• WKOW (Channel 27, Madison) Anchor /Reporter Elizabeth Hopkins interviewed Iraq War veteran Jon Steinborn and Wisconsin Veterans Secretary John Scocos about Rep. Wieckert’s GI Jobs bill for a story that aired on January 16, 2007 5PM, 6PM, 6:30 PM and 10 PM newscasts.

Page 15: GI Jobs Media Rollout

GI Jobs Bill

Total Media Coverage From Bill Introduction Roll Out:

• Radio: 7• Newspaper: 12• Newspaper Editorials: 2 • Television Station Websites: 3• Television: 3 • Total Media Hits: 27