MEDIA REACTION TO THE USS KEARSARGE VISIT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GEORGETOWN 000702

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GY SOCI PREL MARR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION TO THE USS KEARSARGE VISIT

REF: GEORGETOWN 698


1. (U) Summary. The November 9-22 humanitarian mission to Guyana of
the USS KEARSARGE generated widespread and overwhelmingly favorable
coverage in both print and broadcast local media. The media
consistently incorporated the KEARSARGE's motto "Continuing Promise"
into their reporting, and frequently utilized buzz words such as
"partnership." This was a significant achievement considering the
logistical challenges involved in arranging media coverage for
medical activities that took place entirely within the remote and
sparsely populated Region One, which has zero local media outlets
and only reachable by air. End Summary.


2. (U) From the opening ceremony and commencement of medical
activities on November 10 through the closing ceremony and the
ship's departure on November 22, the mission of the USS KEARSARGE
captured the public's interest and generated ample coverage in print
and broadcast media. The four local newspapers collectively carried
a total of 46 stories covering the visit and activities of the
ship's personnel, and the mission garnered front-page photos on
multiple occasions. Headlines included "Northwest residents grateful
for U.S. medical mission," "USS Kearsarge Medical Team Saves Moruca
Girl," "U.S. medical personnel 'Open' Eyes of Mabaruma Girl," and
"Mission Accomplished: USS Kearsarge Crew bids Poignant Farewell."
Kearsarge-related broadcast stories also led evening newscasts on
five stations, in most cases on several occasions. Media outlets
also provided ample coverage to the five engineering activities
carried out in the Georgetown area; one article covering a
ribbon-cutting ceremony was headlined: "Smiles All Around."


3. (U) In addition to lauding the overall effort and marveling at
the ship and its capacities, the press also drew attention to
individual stories of both patients and crew. The Guyana Times
featured a story of a three year-old girl with fused eyelids who was
taken aboard the ship for surgery, as well as featuring
before-and-afte photos of the result, which the story stated
"...allowed her to see her parents for the first time in her life."
Kaieteur News featured a front page photo and article about the
life-saving transport flight by a KEARSARGE helicopter of a fifteen
year-old girl in need of an emergency appendectomy rom her Region
One town to Georgetown, where she as able to successfully undergo
surgery by a locl doctor. Several media outlets highlighted the
edication and patriotism of five Guyanese-Americancrewmen among
the U.S. Navy contingent aboard th ship, and how they felt about
being involved with the humanitarian mission to help their native
country.


4. (U) Local media repeatedly invoked USG buzzwords for the
KEARSARGE mission, with particular focus on the "collaboration"
between Kearsarge personnel and their Guyanese counterparts, as well
as the mission motto: "Continuing Promise".


5. (U) As noted in reftel, the logistical challenges involved in the
KEARSARGE medical operation were significant, principally due to the
remote locations. Arranging adequate media coverage was no less
complicated. By providing an early opportunity for eighteen local
journalists to travel by helicopter to tour the ship and meet the
crew, and then by ensuring there were at least several helo seats
available for journalists on all site visits, the PD teams of the
ship and the Embassy were able to facilitate wide coverage of
activities taking place in a part of the country where no media
representatives reside, and where many Georgetown-based media have
never visited.


6. (U) There are no reliable statistics available regarding
newspaper readership in Guyana. Anecdotally, the Stabroek News and
Kaieteur News are both read widely, including by the New York City
diaspora, with the former considered a better source for sound
journalism, and the latter more sensationalist. The Guyana Chronicle
is the government-owned paper, while the generally
government-leaning Guyana Times started operating earlier this year.
All four papers are widely available along Guyana's coast, where
ninety percent of the population lives. None of the papers has a
significant pro or anti-American tilt, and all report on
Embassy-related events regularly. Likewise, the Hinterland
Highlights, a quarterly publication circulated widely in Region One,
featured a color centerfold of the humanitarian mission in its issue
just prior to the ship's arrival.


7. (U) Comment: While post anticipated diminishing media attention
in the mission considering its nearly two-week duration, KEARSARGE
fatigue never materialized. The remote nature of the medical sites -
and the corresponding inaccessibility for local media - as well as
the staggered schedule of medical activities actually helped us
stretch the coverage out. Since the media could only cover an
activity when they were flown to it, each ship tour or site visit
brought a fresh set of stories in the next news cycle. As is the
case with the medical outreach activities themselves, from a public
diplomacy standpoint, Guyana is fertile ground for this type of
activity. End Comment.


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