PUBLIC VIEWPOINT: Was Homework Done Right?

NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — Prior to the Fayetteville City Council vote on July 20 to spend $19,800 on a five-minute infomercial, I expressed my concern with Alderwoman Sarah Lewis about entering into a contract with “Today in America.” While serving as communications director for a local corporation during part of the 1980s and 1990s, I was approached by many similar companies. All were either scam operations or simply not a good deal.

All were based in Florida; all promised a video fronted by a quasi-celebrity; all promised a national media campaign and all required a decision right now, or else you’d miss this golden opportunity. Since the city announced this on a Thursday and required a council vote on the following Tuesday, I guess someone was naive enough to fall for the hard sell.

The point I tried to make with Ms. Lewis was that without a media plan in hand, the city is basically buying an expensive pigin-a-poke. “Today in America” can buy time on the Disney Channel at 2 a.m. in Moose Jaw, Idaho, and we have no recourse. Other points I made, which were obviously ignored:

Did anyone with the city actually check out the credibility of “Today in America”? My letter to Ms. Lewis was forwarded to city communications director Lindsley Smith. Her response: “We went through two conference calls with four different employees of this production company, including two producers, and I have had additional discussions with them.” She also forwarded six links, four of which linked to press releases put out by “Today in America.” That’s some tough vetting.

Does anyone think TerryBradshaw, the infomercial host, is representative of anything that says “Fayetteville”? And if Mr.

Bradshaw is involved in some sort of public scandal, will “Today in America” refund our money?

Did anyone take the time to see if the city could buy the same media time cheaper than what “Today in America” proposes?

Oh, never mind, we don’t know because we signed a media contract without seeing a media plan.

Does anyone have a plan on how to use this infomercial after “Today in America” has filled the early-morning airwaves across rural America with our media buy?

And is anyone on the city dole concerned about the cheesiness of having our city associated with an infomercial?

CHARLIE HUGHES / Fayetteville