If you follow us on twitter, you may have seen me point this out over the weekend (NASCAR Scene writer Jeff Gluck beat me to the punch with a post about this incident on his blog). During the regular press availability for the Chase contenders this weekend Juan Pablo Montoya got a surprise scolding from a reporter.
The reporter, who identified himself as Michael Morales from American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America and Radio and TV Marti was clearly agitated about not being able to secure a one-on-one interview with Montoya.
Here is what ensued:
MM: Micheal Morales, the American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America as well as radio and TV Marti. I want to tell you this in English because I want everyone to understand what we have been going through with you. In the past with Adrian Fernandez, Carlos Contreras, Felix Sabates, the Spanish language media didn’t have any problems getting a one-to-one interview. You came to NASCAR with a different attitude…the attitude is whenever we tried to get an interview with you on a one-to-one we are always denied, you are not available…
JPM: (Montoya interrupts) I’m not in charge of making…
MM: May I finish please? May I finish. This is something that you must understand, Spanish language media is also important, especially for you, OK?
JPM: So what’s the question?
MM: The question is was it you or was it your people?
JPM: I don’t make the decisions. They tell me where to go and what to do…I don’t make the decisions of what interviews to do they think which…
MM: (Morales interrupts) That’s not true.
JPM: …interviews are worth doing and which ones are not, you know what I mean? There’s always a value…
MM: So we’re not important?
JPM: I don’t know? Is USA Today more worth it for Target than a small latin interview? I would think so. And there is certain amount of time you always spend with the media and I think there is time always spent with…I do, myself being Colombian, I try to do a lot of interviews…Diego’s beside you and I do a lot of interviews with them and they cover a lot of Colombian media. NASCAR brought some Colombian media and Latin media to Daytona, so because you haven’t got an interview I wouldn’t assume everybody didn’t.
They went on to exchange a few more words before the moderator cut them off. (EGR has posted the videos from the weekend press conference here. The exchange starts at the end of video one and continues onto the beginning of video two).
Let me start off by saying I hope this guy was OK with being blacklisted by the team, because he is never going to get a one-on-one with Montoya after that; and deservedly so.
I think what some don’t understand (this gentleman apparently) is as a PR person for a team, you can’t approve every one-on-one media request you get, especially if you have a popular driver (oh and the drivers aren’t handling the requests). How many media requests do you think Dale Jr.’s and Tony Stewart’s PR people turn down in a weekend? It’s a lot. It is simply impossible to grant every local and national media outlet what they want.
Not to mention as a PR person you have a commitment to the company (either the team or some of these people are directly employed by a sponsor) to get a sponsor as much exposure as possible. That means the USA Todays and the ESPNs get first dibs at interviews, no matter how many times you’ve asked for one.
Also part of this big media game is forming relationships with the individual PR people. It’s always helpful for them to be willing and happy to take your phone call; or answer an e-mail you’ve sent them. Sometimes if they can’t help you one weekend, they can squeeze you in during the week, or during the next weekend. Along with this is the amount of people who make these requests at the last minute. The PR people put together schedules very early in the week and if you’re not on it, you’re probably not getting an interview that weekend.
Another thing to consider is that Juan has had three PR people in the last two seasons. It’s difficult for someone to come into a new position and know who requested what, where in past seasons. Juan’s present PR person has been on the job for a couple of months. If he’s swamped with other media and sponsor commitments (oh yeah he’s there to race too), they’re probably not going to be able to make time for you. It’s that simple.
I commend Montoya for maintaining his cool and really showing some class during a very uncomfortable, very unprofessional incident. As Jeff Gluck pointed out, this incident “lends some insight into his personality…“
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on Oct 13th, 2009 at 12:13 am
Juan is so right when he says that he does not handle the interview requests.
I’ve had several interviews with lower level drivers within the past year and half and not once was I able to talk with the driver directly until it was time for the interview – until then communication was always done through the PR person. I even had a PR person, not the driver, contact me to do an interview – in fact the driver didn’t know about the interview request until it was confirmed by me through his PR person.
I even interviewed Tony at a Home Depot appearance and went to give Tony Stewart one of my cards in case he every wanted to grant me an interview in the future and he put his hands up and said, “I don’t handle that stuff just give your card to that guy over there (pointing to his PR man) he’s the one that handles that stuff for me”.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 8:02 am
I think it’s the drivers responsibility to grant all interviews whenever apppropriate. I don’t care if it sucks up their whole day!
If not for the media these drivers would not be in the positions their in.
Just My take.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 8:07 am
Michael: So because these guys are drivers, they aren’t allowed to have a life? They are just supposed to do interviews all day long?
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Journo-at first glance of the title of your article, I suspected you were going to bash JPM for his attitude. I began to shift in my seat.
Then, in reading, it I find that you are actually in support of the way JPM handled himself and the “how not to” was actually directed toward the interviewer Mr. Morales. MM seemed to have a big chip on his shoulders.
It would be interesting to document over the course of a season every question asked of a selected driver in every single interview. I can only imagine the repetitive, often lame off the wall and sometimes demeaning questions that are asked throughout the course. Very tiring I would imagine…
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Don’t think that drivers don’t necessarily have a say in what interviews they do or don’t do.
As a former publicist for a Sprint Cup driver, the way we operated was that I compiled a list of possible interviews that I then sent off once a week and he would reply with which ones he was willing to do based on his schedule that week, his mood, his relationship with the reporter, etc.
There are several drivers who have their publicists offer up opportunities to them and then the driver decides which ones to do. I’m not saying it’s the majority and I’m not saying Juan is one of those, but it does happen that way in some cases.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Spot on T.C. The media is not paying the drivers. They are simply a “necessary” evil, and they are very good at asking silly, repeated questions. Of course the drivers have some leeway as to whom they grant interviews, altho they probably get some recommendations from their PR folks. This clown of a reporter not only won’t get anything with JPM, his name will be known far and wide in the NASCAR garage. Good luck buddy. I foresee a new job for you.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Michael: It’s worked this way forever, and there is no sense in changing it now.
–
Anyway, this guy shouldn’t be allowed into a media center for a while. When your media on assignment, your doing a job and are supposed to be professional. He wasn’t and should have future credentials pulled.
If you work for a small publication, or foreign, you won’t get the attention from PR reps. Now, I don’t know why the dude picked this weekend to go on his little rant. Face it, your not that important Micheal Morales. Your affiliation is not what I would consider and established NASCAR news resource. And, good luck getting interviews with anyone, let along Juan Pablo Montoya. Your know known as unprofessional and PR reps won’t waste their time with you.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
T.C.-
All I’m suggesting is that these prima donnas do have a responsibility to the media to grant interviews. No matter what.
After all,it’s their choice to be in that position.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
Michael: I agree that they have a responsibility to the media to grant interviews and answer questions. I also agree that they chose their situation. But I don’t think they should be required or feel obligated to sit down for every interview that is requested. These guys would never sleep if that were the case. I also think that the drivers should be able to refuse interviews if they don’t have a good relationship with a reporter. If the reporters can’t be professional and respectful (like we all expect the drivers to be) then they shouldn’t be allowed the priviledge to ask questions.
I do disagree with your thought that without the media, the drivers wouldn’t be where they are. It’s more like, without the fans they wouldn’t be where they are. The media only exists to cover motorsports because that’s what people like and consume. If nobody liked racing, the media wouldn’t cover it.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Journo and 4mer: I would assume that it varies from driver to driver, year to year, right? Getting face time with Jimmie Johnson during the chase is one thing, while getting an interview with David Gilliland at Pocono in June is something else.
As for Montoya, I am sure he could tell his PR guy to let him know about spanish-language requests. He COULD do them, I’m sure, but he also has the right to abdicate the responsibility to others. I think the public tends to forget the amazing demands put on these guys’ time.
4mer, I bet you have some great stories!
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
The media needs the drivers and the drivers need the media. Everyone knows how the game is played.
That said, the reporter was unprofessional and the best way to deal with him is for NASCAR to yank his media credentials.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
One of the first tenets of journalism is to not make yourself the story. That is exactly what this guy did, and it is highly unprofessional.
Take your complaints to the PR person. Ask JPM about NASCAR, his life, the race, whatever.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Michael- For popular drivers it is not possible within a weekend to grant every interview. It just isn’t. It has nothing to do with being a “prima donna” or anything else, it’s that there are many other commitments, so they (or rather their representatives) are forced to pick and choose what one-on-one interviews to do. Remember though reporters still have access to these drivers during regularly scheduled media availabilities.
The only responsibility these guys have is to themselves and to their sponsors. That’s why they grant media requests in the first place.
The media is necessary for the proliferation of information to the fans, but like TC said the fans are what matter, not the media.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 5:24 pm
I agree with nearly everything stated here, except the comment about working for small publications or foreign publications.
Mr Morales represented the Armed Forces Radio and Television Network, the main media information source for our military members stationed outside of the Continental United States. Believe it or not, he may have only been trying to serve his Latino readers, who are interested in trying to keep up with JPM’s activities while deployed overseas, on ship, or in some cases…fighting for our country.
I do regret that Mr. Morales choose this method of trying to get an interview. I regret even more, though, that there will be Latino and non-Latino service members and their families who will be missing the ‘touch of home’ information about Mr. Montoya.
on Oct 13th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
***All I’m suggesting is that these prima donnas do have a responsibility to the media to grant interviews. No matter what.
After all,it’s their choice to be in that position.*****says Michael.
Yep, and their choice was not to spend time with you.
Bugger off, little man.
on Oct 17th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Michael, even if it was the drivers responsibility, interview requests from larger media outlets would still have the higher priority.
Drivers signed up to drive, and PR Reps signed up to handle interview requests. Ever heard of “job description?”
on Nov 18th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
I fully take JPM’s side on this. The reporter was way out of line.
But at the same time, as someone who has worked in this sport for 20 years, I can tell you that the PR people get more and more trifling every year.
There are some really good ones. Tony Stewart and Dale Jr have some of the best PR people in the business. But far too many of the others see themselves as “handlers” and have bigger egos than the drivers they represent. And most importantly, they forget what the initials PR stand for.