The About Perception Podcast

Welcome to an overview of the 2020 Garrity Perception Survey, this is Tom Garrity.

This segment addresses the 17 industries and institutions featured in the annual Garrity Perception Survey. It first started in 2011. 

The Garrity Group commissioned Research & Polling to conduct the survey.  It included a random sample of New Mexico adult residents, interviewed by telephone, between January 21st  and 30th , 2020.

A total of 408 adult residents in New Mexico completed interviews providing a 95% confidence level.

For more information about the Garrity Perception Survey, visit http://garritypr.com.

The Perception Podcast spends some time with Agnes Noonan who is the leader of WESST.  With locations in Albuquerque, Farmington, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Roswell and Santa Fe the organization is a statewide small business development and training organization committed to growing New Mexico’s economy by cultivating entrepreneurship. 

Tom Garrity had the opportunity to serve on the WESST Board of Directors several years ago and has had the opportunity to remain connected to the organization through its clients like Comcast and organizations like Albuquerque Economic Forum.

The conversation focused on her presentation to the Economic Forum which was an eye-opener on so many levels for Albuquerque’s business leaders.  The PowerPoint presentation is attached to this presentation.

Link to learn more about WESST and to view their presentation to the Economic Forum http://garritypr.com/wesst-presentation 

Special Edition of the Perception Podcast focusing on the New Mexico First Forum: Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate

Meet the New Mexico First Spirit of Journalistic Excellence honoree Trip Jennings, Executive Director, New Mexico In Depth

Tom Garrity, President and CEO of the Garrity Group talks with Trip about his background in Journalism and thoughts on where the industry is headed.

Trip Jennings, executive director. [email protected]
Via NMinDepth.comTrip started his career in Georgia at his hometown newspaper, The Augusta Chronicle. Since then he’s worked at newspapers in California, Florida and Connecticut where he reported on many interesting stories, including the resignation and incarceration of Connecticut’s then-governor, John Rowland, and gang warfare in California. Since 2005, Trip has covered politics and state government for the Albuquerque Journal, The New Mexico Independent and the Santa Fe New Mexican.  He holds a Master’s of Divinity from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga. In 2012, he co-founded New Mexico In Depth.

The interviews are a part of Tom’s Perception Podcast through The Garrity Group.

The Perception Podcast today takes a bit of a darker turn as we focus on myth versus reality.  Breaking Bad vs Albuquerque,  The Wire vs. Baltimore 

Thank you for joining the perception podcast, this is Tom Garrity of The Garrity Group Public Relations. Based in Albuquerque where we help small businesses to be heard and large organizations to be understood in New Mexico.

Joining me today on the Perception Podcast is Greg Abel of Abel Communications in Baltimore, Maryland.

New Mexico is known for Green Chile and Baltimore is known for Crab Cakes. But if you watch mainstream television… those perceptions are so 1980’s! Both cities are known as being the iconic backdrops for television shows with a cult-like following: Albuquerque, NM is known for Breaking Bad and Baltimore is known for The Wire.

This episode of the Perception Podcast provides Albuquerque listeners a chance to learn more about Baltimore and The Wire as a way to remind us that we are not alone!  Greg Abel shares some great insights that will resonate with Albuquerque and New Mexico residents.

Special Edition of the Perception Podcast focusing on the New Mexico First Forum: Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate
Meet our Panelists, Leaders in New Mexico Journalism

Gene Grant is the host of KNME’s public affairs program, New Mexico In Focus. A journalist and columnist, previous work includes the Albuquerque Tribune, Albuquerque Journal, and Weekly Alibi.  

Listen to these podcasts to get a behind the scenes insights on the upcoming New Mexico First program, Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate! Tom Garrity, President and CEO of the Garrity Group talks with our First Forum panelists, New Mexico journalists Gene Grant, Russell Contreras, Jessica Onsurez and Michelle Donaldson. Tom serves as a member of the New Mexico First Board of Directors and is chair of the upcoming First Forum Lecture Series—we thank him for contributing his time and talent. The interviews are a part of Tom’s Perception Podcast through his firm.

Special Edition of the Perception Podcast focusing on the New Mexico First Forum: Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate

Meet our Panelists, Leaders in New Mexico Journalism

Jessica Onsurez is the News Director for the USA Today network properties in southeast New Mexico: Carlsbad Current-Argus, Alamogordo Daily News and Ruidoso News. Her experience spans across education, government and data reporting.  

Listen to these podcasts to get a behind the scenes insights on the upcoming New Mexico First program, Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate! Tom Garrity, President and CEO of the Garrity Grouptalks with our First Forum panelists, New Mexico journalists Gene Grant, Russell Contreras, Jessica Onsurez and Michelle Donaldson. Tom serves as a member of the New Mexico First Board of Directors and is chair of the upcoming First Forum Lecture Series—we thank him for contributing his time and talent. The interviews are a part of Tom’s Perception Podcastthrough his firm.

Special Edition of the Perception Podcast focusing on the New Mexico First Forum: Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate

Meet our Panelists, Leaders in New Mexico Journalism

Michelle Donaldson is vice president and general manager at KOB-4 TV news. She also worked as KRQE's news director and brings television as well as radio experience from the Phoenix and Detroit markets.  

Listen to these podcasts to get a behind the scenes insights on the upcoming New Mexico First program, Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate! Tom Garrity, President and CEO of the Garrity Group talks with our First Forum panelists, New Mexico journalists Gene Grant, Russell Contreras, Jessica Onsurez and Michelle Donaldson. Tom serves as a member of the New Mexico First Board of Directors and is chair of the upcoming First Forum Lecture Series—we thank him for contributing his time and talent. The interviews are a part of Tom’s Perception Podcast through his firm.

Bloomberg: Local News in America Is Dying. Charity Might Save It

Special Edition of the Perception Podcast focusing on the New Mexico First Forum: Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate

Meet our Panelists, Leaders in New Mexico Journalism

Russell Contreras is a reporter with the Associated Press in Albuquerque. Previous work included the Boston Globe and Albuquerque Journal. Specialties include multi-media storytelling and enterprise writing. 

Listen to these podcasts to get a behind the scenes insights on the upcoming New Mexico First program, Sustainable Journalism: Preserving the Fourth Estate! Tom Garrity, President and CEO of the Garrity Group talks with our First Forum panelists, New Mexico journalists Gene Grant, Russell Contreras, Jessica Onsurez and Michelle Donaldson. Tom serves as a member of the New Mexico First Board of Directors and is chair of the upcoming First Forum Lecture Series—we thank him for contributing his time and talent. The interviews are a part of Tom’s Perception Podcast through his firm.

Since 2011, the Garrity Perception Survey has tracked how New Mexico residents get their news and information.

In one corner, there is traditional media – this includes television, newspaper, and radio. Of the group, television has been, and remains, the most popular of the three news sources.

Newspaper trends toward more of an older audience.  Newspaper’s strongest readers are located in the North Central and Northwest parts of New Mexico.

Radio is favorable among demographics with lower annual incomes. Also, radio is strongest among the 35-49 and 50-64 age demographics.

In the other corner, there is digital media – this includes internet news sites, social media and blogs.  Of the group, internet news sites are the most popular online source for information.

Social media, which has come on strong in recent years, is accessed quite a bit for news and information

Blogs, very popular among subject matter groups, have yet to catch on like internet news sites and social media, as a place to get news and information.

Geographically, digital media news sources are most popular in Albuquerque and in areas that are a part of other media markets.  This includes Farmington, Las Cruces, and Clovis markets their residents get news from the respective Durango, El Paso and Amarillo markets.

To be successful in getting your personal or company news and information consumed by New Mexico residents,  we suggest developing strategies that can get your message in front of a variety of audiences.

For topics relating to grand openings and pop culture, or to reach the largest number of people as quickly as possible, television and social media are solid resources.  Stories that are a bit wonky in nature (like those that are political in nature or issue oriented) should focus on newspaper and blogs. Radio is a great way to generate traffic to a brick and mortar site as well as a great vehicle to explain complex issues or promote topics that are conversational in nature.

The challenge for both traditional and digital media sources is trust and relevancy.  Traditional media is more trusted than digital media.  Digital media is more relevant because of the “now”, but it lacks trust.

One of the most underutilized aspects of getting the word out is something the industry refers to “atomizing content.”  This is making use of every possible aspect to share the story.  For example, when developing the news release, record the CEO’s comments on video using a mobile phone.  This information can be posted to a corporate website or used to populate digital media. The finished news release can be transformed into a blog post and turned into a week’s worth of social media content. The coverage of the news release can be shared on social media and the coverage links added to the news release page on the corporate website.

More information and analysis of this information is available online at www.garrityperceptionsurvey.com.

New Mexico’s legal system is ripe with opportunity to gauge public opinion when compared to community conversations.

The Garrity Perception Survey measures four areas related to the New Mexico legal and justice system.  It includes favorability of the courts and justice system as well as measures trust of judges, lawyers and law enforcement officers.

Favorability of the courts and trust of lawyers do well to hover in the lower quarter of favorability.  Based on a seven-year statewide average, the courts system averages 26 percent favorability and lawyers average 21 percent favorability. Geographically, the two areas are hard pressed to find any pockets of significant support in any part of the state. It is safe to say that despite some very good people and qualified professionals, favorability of the court and trust of attorneys is difficult to increase given awareness of high crime rates, drunk drivers and repeat offenders.

Interestingly, while New Mexico residents are not favorable of the courts they are trusting of its officers, the judges.  An 18 percent gap exists between trust of judges and favorability of the courts.  Geographically, judges have higher trust among residents living in the Eastern and South/Southwestern parts of the state.

Police officers and law enforcement officers are the most trusted when compared with their two counterparts, judges and lawyers. However, New Mexico residents didn’t always have this level of trust (a 49 percent average) of police officers.

In 2013 and 2014, a series of high profile incidents captured local, statewide and national attention.

In 2013, the New Mexico State Police pulled over a van carrying the suspect and her five children.  After the second time the driver tried to speed away, officers fired three shots at the van’s tires. The police dash-cam video captured the exchange which made national coverage.  The officers were cleared of the shooting as a judge said they were justified to shoot at the tires.

Also, in 2013, the Deming Police Department and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office conducted a full cavity search on a person who was pulled over for allegedly for not coming to a full stop at a stop sign in a Walmart parking lot.

In 2014, the Albuquerque Police Department was involved in the fatal shooting of a homeless man who also suffered from mental disorders. After the shooting, the suspect was found to have knives in each hand.  The incident was one of several officer involved shootings faced by the department in as many months.

The APD shootings captured the media attention and attracted attention of the United States Justice Department.  Police Chief Gordon Eden, an experienced law man and relatively new to his role as police chief, led changes to the force.  With the help of the Mayor and Albuquerque City Council, the Civilian Police Oversight Agency was established.

These actions helped to rebuild trust among Albuquerque residents which in turn increased trust of police offices statewide.

More information and analysis of this information is available online at www.garrityperceptionsurvey.com.