Tobacco Documents Online

CONFIDENTIAL: ~.]NNESOTA TOBACCO LITIGATION • _ ,. , ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ! ~ . • . ~L~.~ ~..~.,.~-~, -~-I~ ~, ~ ~ ., ___.,k ~ of Ati~ ~Y ~e Ca ~uEN'rr , mnesob ~. _ oUrrs Ma- :" ~ aeNo.:P~ ~.uPA4or~s ...ur~erCl~arch 18 1994 TO: The Mambers of the Executive Committee FROM: Samuel D. Chilcote, Jr. Dttring our las|: meeting, I outlined events that have generated substantial media interest in our industry. Since then, I have had inquiries about, the level of activity. To give you additional information, the following highlights may be of interest: • On February 22, the Journal of the American Medical A~Sgg~i~o~ was entirely on tobacco, including reports on nicotine measurements in unborn infants and tobacco advertisin~ and young women. The Institute's media staff was called on by more than 50 reporters for comment, including all television networks and major print outlets. We also appeared on numerous radio talk shows and provided radio news interviews. • On Febr~ar-{ 23, Rep-. Henry Waxman held a press conference with the Natio[~al Council of Chain Restaurants to announce the group,s support for H.R. 3434. A TI speaker was on-site for the press conference to provide comments. On that same day McDonald's announced a smoking ban for all corporate-owned restaurants. Institute media staff provided comment to about 40 media ~,utlets, including all the major media and a live interview Dn CNBC's "Business Insiders." We also were guests on numerous radio programs, and continued to field inquiries on issues from the previous day. • on Februa~-y 24, the Surgeon General released a report on smoking and young people. Institute staff had, in the previous weeks, distributed background material to over 200 key repor:ers. On the day of the news conference, we conducted more than 75 interviews -- including more than a dozen television interviews taped in our offices. Additionally, we distributed a video news release and conducted .~ satellite media tour. During that satellite media tour, a TI spokesperson conducted a different interview every six minutes for over two hours with television stations around the country. TIMN 0046924

CONFIDENTIAL: M/NNESOTA TOBACCO.LITIGATION Memorandum to :~e Executive Committee AND cONFIDENTIAL " March 18, 1994 pRMLEGED page two ~M~.ced as requi~d by the CouP's Ma~h 7,1998 Order in Minnesota, et ~: ~ Phi~p Morria, et aL Court F~e No.: C1~8565 Print and radio coverage of the Surgeon General's report also was inten~;e. Information was immediately dispatched on the report an4 rebuttals provided to legislative consultants so they coul,[ answer questions during their daily contacts. • On Febru~ry 25, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissiot-~er David Kessler released his letter to the Coalition on Smoking OR Health on potential FDA regulation of cigarett~;. TI responded to the almost 30 press inquiries about the letter, predominantly to print reporters asking for industry :esponse. Our response continued throughout the weekend. Media attention to the letter continued on February 28 with TI responding to more than 30 additional reporters -- the same day the first tobacco story on A~C's "Day One" program a~.red. A set of :=alking points on nicotine and addiction also were developed and distributed to member companies and to legislative staff for their use. Another 15 media inquiries on the FDA issue were fielded on March 1. • On March 2, TI was contacted by ABC's "Day One" to discuss cigarette ingredients. A T~ speaker conducted a lengthy. interview wit~ ABC on nicotine and ingredipnts on March ~. Also on March 2, Baltimore, Maryland, banned tobacco ~illboard~, an action that garnered attention from media outlets including the Wall Street Journal and Advertisinq Aqe. • On March ~, Maryland's Department of Occupational Safety and Health am~ounced it would seek to ban smoking statewide. Of the almos~ 20 media interviews conducted by TI on that issue, two were network radio. Media interest in FDA and the Surgeon General's report continued -- with about ~Oadditional media calls on l_~ose subjects specifically. • During the week of March 7 - 11, the high level of media interest ,~:ontinued. TI's media relations assisted more than 20 repor:ers at major news organizations to secure demonstra|-~ors from the March on Washington for interviews. Additiona].ly, TI speakers appeared on a variety of issues -- including the Department of Defense's announcement. Interview~ included CNN's "Sonya Live" debating Stanton Glantz on nicoti,-~e addiction; CNN's "Both Sides with Jesse Jackson" on the march with Rep. Scotty Baesler and Coalition on Smoking OR Health's Matt Myers; a debate with Assistant Surgeon General Michael McGinnis during a live segment of CNN's "Early Prime News"; and a debate with Rep. Mike Synar on "Crossfire." TIMN 0046925 ....

° CONFIDENTIAL: MINNESOTA TOBACCO LITIGATION Memorandum to the Executive Committee March 18, 1993 page 3' • This week, in addition to providing all of the network televisiop stations with comment on the FDA's testimony before Rep. Durb£n's Appropriation Subcommittee, The Institute's m~dia statf was on-site for Rep. Waxman's second hearing on H.R. 3434 and continued to field calls on other issues. By way of othe~ notable media relations activities: • In the la:;t two months, USA Today's editorial page has led with tobacco issues three times. On all three occasions, The Institute has provided the opposing view editorial -- which appears directly beneath the paper's. ~ • We also p~:ovided an editorial opposing Rep. Henry Waxman s H.R. 3434 to the scripps-Howard News Service for distribution tO more taan 200 newspapers nationally. Rep. Waxman also provided an editorial. • ~e continue to work with Covington & Burling as they provide ~briefings to producers of "60 Minutes" on a "fire-safe" cigarette story.~ ~ ~• TI's media staff also provide industry comment to reporters on state, lo.:al and other matters. The new New York City proposal, Michigan's tax initiative, Washington's actions to ban smoking and the California debate on Prop. 99 funding are examples of items requiring TI response during the same time- frame. - • The Instit~te's media relations staff provide information and assistance, where appropriate, to public callers. During this period of intense media activity, we have responded to some 300 calls from members of the public. We are unable to quantify t~e numerous other public information inquiries that are handled by support staff. ~ With the heari~gs scheduled before Rep. Waxman's subcommittee on FDA jurisdiction, I do not believe we can expect national attention " to diminish mu,zh in the weeks ahead. I should also note that typically a national news story will create numerous opportunities . for other repor:ers to cover the issues. As an example, TI's media relations staf~ report that they continue to work with local reporters looking for local angles on fast-food smoking bans. We expect this also to continue in the weeks ahead. TIMN 0046926 .... i

CONFIDENTIAL: MINNESOTA TOBACCO LITIGATION Memorandum to ~:he Executive Committee March 18, 1994 page 4 I would be. hap~:,y to answer any questions you may. have. TIMN 0046927