Document DOLVj5LZnmvK5NGqDv4Dw9JQ

Report of LIA Publicity on "Lead and Gasoline" Feb. 24, 1970-April 30, 1970 This report will cover major publicity efforts and results v. relating to the lead and gasoline issue from the inception of the Lead Industries Association's efforts on this matter in late February through April 30, 1970. It is important to keep in mind that the major objective of publicity efforts was to offset the mounting acceptance by the various media and their audiences of the concept that "lead must go" from gasoline. To do this meant identifying problems involved with this concept and creating doubts as to whether "taking the lead out" was necessary or even desirable in accomplishing control of emissions from automobiles. Publicity attention to either LIA itself or its spokesmen was incidental to the major objective although active participation by LIA and its spokesmen in generating news and information was ab solutely necessary. The availability and willingness of Mr. Kimberley and others connected with LIA to meet with news people, to respond quickly to requests for radio or television comments, to clear and issue statements in connection with news breaks, to take part in press conferences and take other actions necessary to generate a flow of information and material was essential. What the long-range results will be is, of course, impossible to predict. It is clear from analysis of news reports, analytical stories, broadcasts and trade press that the LIA's position on the lead in gaso line controversy has received wide and fair attention. PNYC00001271 N10206 HILL a .-'.-d KNOWLTON, In c . 2- The questions raised by LIA have been picked up by writers and commentators -- even without attribution to LIA -- to the extent that there is obviously much broader realization that "taking the lead out" is little more than a slogan and will not -- in itself -- solve the problem of auto emissions. Even the stance of some of the major automobile manufacturers, who generated the "getting the lead out" concept appears to have weakened somewhat according to testimony before governmental committees. Whether LIA's forthright challenges before similar committees, in the media and in Mr. Kimberley's personal conferences with automobile executives, helped in this -- one will never know. The fact is that these developments did occur only after LIA's program got underway. As indicated above, several approaches toward the publicity objective were taken. The following will discuss these: 1. LIA news releases. Seven major news releases have been issued in this period. These are as follows (see attachment A): a. February 24 -- "Spokesman for Lead Industry Questions Whether 'Getting Lead Out' is Answer to Auto Pollution." February 25 -- Same news release slightly rewritten. NOTE: These two news releases were the result of the initial LIA board meeting on the lead in gaso line controversy. b. February 26 -- "'Getting the Lead Out' of Gas Means Going Back to Old Cars." NOTE: This was the result of a two-day seminar of LIA's Lead in Gasoline Task Force. PNYC00001272 HILL AND KNOWLTON, In c . -3- c. March 5 -- "Removal of Lead From Gasoline Seen Producing More Hazards, Less Benefits by California Exec." NOTE: This release was prepared to supplement statement presented by Dr. Paul C. Henshaw, Homestake Mining, representing LIA before California Air Resources Board. d. March 24 -- "Lead Industry Charges H.E.W. 'Intimidates' Oil Industry." NOTE: This was prepared and released four hours after H.E.W. announced they had written letters asking for comments on a plan to remove lead from gasoline. e. April 2 -- "Top Lead Industry Executive Warns California Legislature Not to Overlook Alternatives in Leaded Gaso line Controversy." NOTE: This was prepared to accompany J. L. Kimberley's statement before California Assembly Transportation Committee. f. April 9 -- St. Louis Press Conference. NOTE: This was a roundup of statements by participants in the lead in gasoline segment of LLA's annual meeting. g. April 13 -- "Top Lead Industry Spokesman Tells Pennsylvania Legislature That Removal of Lead From Gasoline May Increase Pollution Problems." NOTE: This release accompanied J. L. Kimberley's statement before Pennsylvania House Health and Welfare Conmittee. PNYC00001273 HILL j u n d KNOWLTON. In c . -4 - 2. Radio and Television appearances (see attachment B). Special telephone or in person interviews have been given -- primarily by Mr. Kimberley -- for broadcast media. In addition, the St. Louis (April 9) press conference was recorded by television and radio and used. Also, a special CBS network interview with Simon Strauss, as president of LIA, was prepared in St. Louis. One of the most significant interviews was a 2% hour interview with Mr. Kimberley on the Barry Farber Show (RKO radio network -- syndicated to 38 states). Mr. Kimberley or another lead industry spokesman was interviewed on the United Press International Audio network (500 stations -- the largest in the United States) a total of seven times to date. Two J. L. Kimberley interviews were held on WOR-TV's Stockmarket Observer In addition, both United Press International and Associated Press radio wires (which are used by news announcers nationally) reported on the lead industry's position several times. On radio and television, some editorials have appeared questioning whether the removal of lead from gasoline is really the way to go. 3. Background Sessions or Interviews with press and trade media. Mr. Kimberley has been available for discussions or interviews with press and magazines. Among the sessions were: a. Scripps-Howard chain newspapers ran an editorial supporting the "take the lead out" program. Mr. Kimberley and a Hill and Knowlton staff member met in Washington with members of the Scripps-Howard HILL iND KNOWLTON. In c . -5- editorial staff and presented LIA information. Subsequently, news stories and comments have been balanced. b. The environmental health publications including Air/Water Pollution Report. Commerce Clearing House's Clean Air and Water News and Environmental Science and Technology, as examples, have provided close attention to the LIA position. c. A major interview was arranged between Chemical Week (see attachment C) and LIA spokesmen to provide the magazine with a background on the lead in gasoline controversy and other lead markets. d. A major interview was arranged in a Hill and Knowlton conference room with Mr. Kimberley for writers of Metals Week (see attachment D), a McGraw-Hill publication. The April 27 issue highlighted the interview with a front page picture of Mr. Kimberley and a three-page question and answer report in the issue. e. Supplying special background information to writers. Special effort was made to provide full information to writers known to be developing stories on the lead and gasoline issue. Among these writers for the Wall Street Journal. Newsweek, the New York Times, Business Week. United Press International and Reuters, as well as important trade journals. PNTCO0001275 HILL AND KNOWLTON. In c . -6- f. A major article in the Hall Street Journal of April 8 (see attachment E), contained much background supplied to the writer, as well as details on other facets of the problem that were suggested to the writer. 4. As a result of material supplied to syndicated feature writers, a syndicated editorial (attachment F) entitled "Lead Gasoline Fights Its Critics" (different headings were used by different papers) has resulted so far in more than 150 clippings being returned by a clipping service from papers spanning the country. No special effort has been made to collect or monitor all use of material. However, through the regular clipping service that LIA retains, from Radio-TV report services in a few of the major cities, and monitoring pertinent publications, some indication of the widespread use in important media of the LIA story is given in the following pages. These should be considered only a sampling of possible newspaper use (particularly of wire service stories) inasmuch as clipping services screen only a percentage of U.S. papers. PNYC00001276