MEDIA RELATIONS

REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

For the 2016 Republican National Convention
 Today,
THOUSANDS OF NEW RESIDENTS
LIVE DOWNTOWN.
An eds and meds sector
is powering new job creation,
and many once forlorn
neighborhoods are home to CONTENTS
young millennial professionals
and trendy microbreweries. From the CEO 4
Executive Summary 5
Media Relations Strategy 6
Visiting Media Coverage By the Numbers 14
Looking Ahead 21
Great restaurants,
good beer, you know its just Thank You, Cleveland 22
A REALLY COOL PLACE TO LIVE
now and its defying some peoples
expectations of the city.

"CLEVELAND WON We were promised

the Republican a riot in Cleveland.
Is this heaven, or is this WE GOT A
National Convention.
CLEVELAND? BLOCK PARTY INSTEAD.

The urban center is undergoing

UNPRECEDENTED REVIVAL THAT
Beyond the secured IS TRANSFORMING DOWNTOWN,
perimeters and protest zones, and this weeks Republican National
visitors to Cleveland will Convention is the feather in this
FIND A CITY BASKING IN Ohio citys cap.
This bruising, brawling Rust Belt
A NEW ENERGY COMMUNITY HAS TRANSFORMED
thanks, LeBron! and ITSELF IN RECENT DECADES,
ALIVE WITH
recapturing the buzz that made
RESTAURANTS, CULTURAL
it a Midwest cultural capital.
EVENTS AND NIGHT LIFE.

2 CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 3

 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
For one week in July 2016, the worlds gaze shifted to Cleveland
and the 2016 Republican National Convention.
Leveraging this opportunity, the Cleveland 2016 This report highlights the media relations
Host Committee, with support from Destination strategy that ultimately resulted in positive
Cleveland and other partners, developed and coverage that exceeded everyones
executed a strategic communications plan to expectations. As the numbers show, there
shape the Cleveland narrative that would be told was an overwhelming volume of coverage
by the Convention's 15,000 credentialed media. about Cleveland, much of which included key
messages and a positive tone. The visiting
Focusing on promoting Cleveland as a place to
media captured the true personality of a
Live, Work and Do Business, Play, and Visit,
determined, resourceful and diverse community.
the Host Committee employed a proactive
approach that included research, key message The Republication National Convention was only
LETTER FROM DAVID GILBERT development, relationship building with national the beginning. As Cleveland continues to grow,
media, compiling stories worth telling and much and with the community's help, there will be
President and CEO of the Cleveland 2016 Host Committee more behind-the-scenes work. additional opportunities for our city to elevate its
profile at the national level.
Im pleased to present the Cleveland 2016 Host Committees Media Relations Report to the Community, which highlights
the strategies employed to promote Cleveland to more than 15,000 media leading up to and during the 2016 Republican
National Convention. The RNC was much more than a significant point in time for our country. It was Clevelands modern-
day coming of age, an opportunity to show the entire world how far we have come and to offer glimpses of where we are
headed. From the day we set out to host either of the 2016 political conventions, we did so with a goal of leveraging the
presence of the conventions credentialed media to tell our story and help change Clevelands narrative outside the region.
As we concluded our role as host, it was clear that our community had come together to make 50,000 people feel welcome.
Key highlights include...
We opened our doors to the world and showed them $6 billion of investment and a renewed vitality showcased through

3,040
a new Public Square, a downtown full of residents, a thriving region full of entrepreneurial energy, world class arts, culture
and rock & roll, and numerous award-winning yet affordable restaurants.
We did this together, through the collaboration of dozens of civic, private and philanthropic organizations, working with
city, county and state government to demonstrate the resurgence of our community.
total placements overall
This was Cleveland at its best. And we did it with a combination of enthusiasm, style and friendliness that few cities can match.
(including pickups)
We created this report to document the story behind the story how we communicated Clevelands renaissance to the world
through the 15,000 media covering the RNC and prepared our community to engage with, assist in and prepare for hosting an
event of this magnitude. In it, you will get an idea of the intense work and intricate interactions that took place to maximize the
communications opportunity associated with the RNC. From the collaboration of six subcommittees to the endless exchanges
with high-value media outlets, influencers, our staff, volunteers and partners worked together seamlessly.
We felt it was important to show you, our partners and our community, how this incredible team effort helped Cleveland shine.
Thanks for your support. And thank you for the opportunity to support you.
424 76% 10.3
total unique of stories were billion
placements positive or neutral impressions

David Gilbert Unique Placement: Coverage from news outlets who took meetings with the Host Committee
and/or received materials from the Host Committee and used the content.

Pickup: The reposting of unique placements, which dramatically expanded the reach
and impact of the media relations effort.

4 CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 5


Host Committee Secretary and Treasurer
Jon Pinney appears on Fox Business News.
MEDIA RELATIONS STRATEGY
If the parade and victory rally marking the Cleveland Cavaliers
NBA Championship were a celebration marking the end of a title
drought, the RNC was Clevelands coming out party.
THE OPPORTUNITY
Hosting one of the two national political conventions
and the second largest gathering of media in
the world (15,000 credentialed media) provides
a city the rare opportunity to promote the assets
and intangibles that make it a favorable place
to live, work and do business, play and visit.
Cleveland had the added advantage of being an
industrial city on the upswing. The region, city and,
most notably, Downtown are experiencing billions
of dollars in private and public investment. Cultural
institutions are being expanded. Neighborhoods
are teeming with award-winning chefs fueling
a vibrant, entrepreneurial restaurant scene.
THE CHALLENGE
It was a given that the thousands of journalists who
would cover the RNC would report on the politics
that were central to the convention. The Cleveland
2016 Host Committees challenge was to provide
those same journalists with sufficient amounts of
credible information and creative story ideas to
trigger coverage of Cleveland. Well-established
relationships between the Cleveland community
and the media could help the region tell its story
of renewal to audiences around the world, from
neighborhood street corners to executive suites.
6 CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 7
Do Business, Play, and Visit, to be communicated
To leverage the opportunity, the Host Committee
employed a multifaceted media relations strategy
that was both direct in its approach and inclusive
in its outreach. Time and again, the committee
consulted and collaborated with dozens of
community organizations eager to communicate
their role (and belief) in a resurging city.
Cleveland won the right to host the RNC in July
2014. The strategy to communicate the citys
narrative began to take shape shortly thereafter.
IT TAKES A CITY
Realizing the challenge before them, the Host
Committees leadership created an interconnected
network of six subcommittees in September 2014
that tapped into the marketing and communications
expertise within organizations across Cleveland.
Developed and launched by Colette Jones, vice
president of marketing for Destination Cleveland,
marketing and communications professionals from
dozens of the citys corporate, nonprofit, government
and civic organizations volunteered to serve on
the subcommittees. The universal willingness to
donate time and expertise created a sense of
community and collaboration that produced a
grassroots, two-year communications effort.
The subcommittees and their complementary agendas were:
Visiting Media Relations: Set strategy to direct interactions
with national, international and regional media to improve
Clevelands narrative in the short and long term. (Chairs:
Rob Falls, president & CEO, Falls Communications; John
Campanelli, (now former) publisher, Crains Cleveland
Business; Dave Johnson, director of public relations and
communications, Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland)
Community Relations: Engage with community members
and interact with local media to build an understanding of
how residents, business owners and organizations could
engage, assist and prepare for the large-scale event.
(Chairs: Scott Chaikin, executive chairman, Dix & Eaton,
Micki Byrnes, president and general manager, WKYC-
TV; Eddie Harrell, regional vice president, Radio One)
Key Messaging: Establish key phrasing and messages
ABC News
according to the categories of Live, Work and
before and during the RNC to change Clevelands
narrative. (Chairs: Paul Matsen, chief marketing and
communications officer, Cleveland Clinic; Kristen Adams,
senior vice president and managing director, PNC)
Crisis Communications: Develop media preparation
and response protocols in the event of an emergency
to protect the Cleveland brand. (Chair: Bruce Hennes,
managing partner, Hennes Communications)
Digital Tools: Develop strategies to deliver content and
information along social media and other digital platforms.
(Chairs: Jason Therrien, president and CEO, Thunder::tech;
Mike Conley, vice president of digital, Cleveland Cavaliers)
Marketing Content and Strategy: Ensure a consistent look,
feel and tone for all marketing materials, market Cleveland
to visitors, and develop an integrated content strategy
inclusive of nearly 45 videos and 100+ articles created, curated
or licensed through community partners and volunteers.
(Chairs: Joe Kubic, CEO, The Adcom Group; Andrea Hogben, CBS News
(now former) president, Northeast Ohio Media Group)
Cleveland won the RNC for many reasons, including the ability
of its leaders to collaborate and provide an enthusiastic yet
unvarnished view of a resurging industrial city. The marketing
and communications strategy these subcommittees devised
and supported and Destination Cleveland staff implemented
on behalf of the Host Committee was designed to stay true to
that view and reflect an industrial citys heart, soul and grit.

Cleveland native and actress Monica Potter talks
to CNN about why she loves her home city.
THE LOCAL APPROACH
Hosting the RNC was an opportunity to change
how people around the world view Cleveland.
Doing so would not be possible without engaging
area residents, business owners, and community
organizations to help reintroduce Cleveland and its
revitalized downtown, neighborhoods and the region.
Additionally, it would be extremely difficult to host
more than 50,000 visitors without the efforts of
thousands of Northeast Ohio volunteers and the
support of the regions unofficial ambassadors
who could patiently offer delegates directions
to the nearest coffee shop or museum.
To mobilize and motivate so many residents, including
3,000 volunteers who staffed airports, hotels and
downtown sidewalks, the Host Committee relied
upon its Community Relations Subcommittee to
determine how key local audiences could engage
and assist with as well as prepare for the Convention.
A key element of that outreach was led by Jennifer
Kramer, senior communications manager for the
Host Committee and Destination Cleveland. Kramer
executed a robust local media relations strategy that:
Identified target media and journalists who would
be interested in covering the RNC. This included
mainstream print, broadcast and digital media,
ethnic media and community news outlets.
8 CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 9
Prepared supporting information materials
to supplement journalists reporting.
Identified spokespeople who could be
responsive to local media inquiries.
Launched an ongoing series of media
updates at a press conference one year
prior to the start of the Convention.
Provided regularly scheduled (end of 2015, six
months prior, 100 days prior) and then nearly daily
communications to local media with information
beginning one month prior to the RNC.
Issued media releases, alerts, and e-blasts
as opportunities and news allowed.
Leveraged an online media newsroom
and twice daily media alerts to keep local
media informed during the convention.
Engaging the Community
In July 2015, the Host Committee kicked off its
local media strategy to keep residents informed
and engaged. During a press conference at the
Global Center for Health Innovation, area leaders
provided an update on fundraising, the number of
hotel rooms that had been reserved for delegates
and out-of-town media and other preparations. In
effect, the committee established a baseline for what
it would accomplish within the next 12 months.
Press conference speakers included Beth Mooney,
co-chair of the Host Committee and CEO of KeyBank;
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson; Cuyahoga County
Executive Armond Budish; David Gilbert; and Steve
King, chairman of the Committee on Arrangements.
Five months later, as 2015 was drawing to a close,
the Republican National Committees planning team
hosted a media walk-through for hundreds of national
and international journalists who wished to become
familiar with the facilities they would use and the TODAY Show anchors Savannah Guthrie, Matt Lauer
and Al Roker broadcast live from East 4th Street.
geography they would navigate during the convention.
For the Host Committee, the event presented a rare
opportunity to help local communicators gain insights
into the mindset, schedules and information needs of
the 15,000 credentialed media attending the RNC.
To engage and educate local communicators, the Host
Committee arranged for four of the visiting journalists to The vibrancy of a city and a region is reflected in the
collaboratively address a crowd of local communicators demeanor of its residents and business owners and the
gathered at the City Club. Representatives of Politico, stories its media tell. Providing local journalists a regular
NBC News, USA Today and Al Jazeera America flow of information about the RNC preparations, the
addressed a sold-out crowd for about an hour. Russ investments in downtown, and more armed residents
Mitchell of WKYC-TV moderated the event. and reporters with valuable facts and understanding
of what the convention meant to Cleveland.
During the program, panelists discussed their need
By July 2016, Northeast Ohio residents were armed
for accurate information and compelling story ideas
with information that reflected well on the city and
that spoke to Clevelands approach to redevelopment
fed a positive energy evident among those who
and would have interest to those living outside the
region. They also pointed out that breaking news ventured downtown.
or unusual political news could pre-empt stories
ENGAGING WITH NATIONAL
about Cleveland. Still, panelists agreed, they were
interested in communicating Clevelands story
AND INTERNATIONAL MEDIA
of revitalization to their readers and viewers. NBC News. CNN. The New York Times. The Associated
Press. Politico. The Guardian. The Atlantic. Fox News.
These media outlets and hundreds more intended to
send teams of journalists and support staff to cover
the RNC and its host city. Journalists, however, knew
few details about the city on Lake Erie or its capacity
to pull off an event of such size and magnitude.
The Visiting Media Subcommittee quickly learned that
this lack of knowledge provided an opportunity, and
it became determined to treat these thousands of
reporters as guests first and journalists second. Emily
Lauer, senior director of PR and communications for
the Host Committee and Destination Cleveland, led
City Lab

Cleveland business leaders and Host Committee co-chairs
Chris Kelly, Sandy Cutler and Beth Mooney sit down with
The Wall Street Journals Shelby Holliday.
the effort. In partnership with the communications
team for the regional economic development nonprofit
Team NEO, the Host Committee sought to establish
relationships with and provide information to as many
journalists as possible across a number of geographies.
The ultimate goal: Generate significant and
meaningful media coverage about Cleveland, its
revitalization, and many facets of what defines it
to help change the narrative around the country
and the world about the city and the region.
Preparation
The Visiting Media Relations Subcommittee
wanted to learn as much as it could about the
type of information media across the country were
seeking about Cleveland and its preparations for
the RNC. To establish a foundation, the committee
first consulted a survey of media outlets Cleveland
Plus, the marketing arm for Team NEO, conducted
in December 2014 and January 2015. This survey
showed that journalists were interested in Clevelands
resurgence as well as its ability to host the RNC.
The committee followed up with a separate survey that
delved into greater detail about the type of information
journalists wanted about the aspects of Cleveland that
made it a city on the rise.
10
Based on this research, the subcommittee
outlined a national and international media
outreach strategy that included:
Providing background information about Cleveland
to help orient media during the first Republican
debate held at Quicken Loans Arena in August 2015.
Contributing information about Cleveland
to the Republican National Committees Fall
and Spring RNC Media Logistics Guides to
help educate media about the region.
Soliciting the help of organizations across
Cleveland to develop the Media Resource
Guide, including Stories Worth Telling.
Creating and leveraging an online media newsroom
to serve as a one-stop shop for journalists.
Providing face-to-face assistance to the largest
reach media outlets through three media
trips to New York and one to Washington.
Engaging the regions PR community to staff two
media information booths at the RNC Media Center.
Regularly distributing content to more
than 500 journalists via email.
Establishing relationships
In October 2015, Host Committee CEO David
Gilbert partnered with Cleveland Plus on a trip
to New York and Washington, D.C., to establish
relationships with key reporters, update them on
RNC preparations and tell the story of Clevelands
resurgence. Response was so positive that Lauer
traveled to New York twice more on behalf of the Host
Committee to meet with media before the RNC.
These meetings confirmed that journalists wanted
fact-based and solution-focused story ideas about
Cleveland. Moreover, the trips to NYC served as
opportunities to directly establish the Host Committee
as a credible source of ideas and sources.
An opportunity for additional relationship
building came about in December 2015 when the
Republican National Committees planning team
hosted its media walk-through for hundreds of
national and international journalists to become
familiar with the city and Convention facilities.
Just as the event presented an opportunity for local
communicators to gain insights into how journalists
would cover the Convention (see Local Approach), it
also served as a platform to educate journalists about
Clevelands resurgence, establish personal connections
and set the tone for ongoing media outreach.
Following the daytime facility tours, the Host Committee
showed off the best of Cleveland at a reception at one
of Clevelands most prominent attractions, the Rock &
The story ideas became part of the committees Media
The Washington Post
Roll Hall of Fame. More than 400 journalists experienced
a night of Cleveland-centric entertainment including
local band Welshly Arms, dined on Clevelandfood
and toured the exhibits at their leisure. About 100
Host Committee guests mixed with journalists,
answering their questions about Cleveland.
Guests left with a gift: a leg lamp nightlight
based on the iconic lamp featured in A Christmas
Story. They also departed excited about returning
to Cleveland in July for the Convention.
Telling the Cleveland story
Based upon messaging from the Key Messaging
Subcommittee, the Visiting Media Subcommittee
identified a number of compelling story angles.
Gathering information to tell stories about an
entire city was a formidable undertaking. Lauer
and Eileen Korey, a media relations consultant
for the Host Committee, reached out across
Clevelands spectrum of nonprofits, companies and
attractions to solicit story ideas and experts.
The result was Stories Worth Telling, a
compilation of 68 story ideas covering topics
as diverse as Transforming an Economy to
Accessible Artistry (descriptions of Clevelands
arts and culture community and neighborhoods)
and Learning for Living (its educational ecosystem
from pre-K through continuing education).
Resource Guide, a compendium of key contacts,
suggested Cleveland visuals, a list of more than 100
local experts with short biographies and direct contact
information, and the 68 Stories Worth Telling.
The committee posted the guide on its website, printed
200 copies for journalists at the RNC and offered digital
CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 11

copies on flash drives at two information booths
established in the RNC Media Center. Just prior to and
during the RNC, the committee utilized an email list
of more than 500 journalists covering the convention
to distribute links to various aspects of the guide.
Mission Accomplished
In the twelve months leading up to the RNC,
representatives of the Host Committee, Destination
Cleveland and Team NEO traveled to media
centers, produced reams of information about
Cleveland and the surrounding region and published
a voluminous guide of story ideas and expert
sources to fill even the largest media appetites.
The Host Committees wide ranging media relations
strategy did more than tell Clevelands story. It
embraced Northeast Ohios largest city, capturing
the personality of a community on the rise and
communicating the passions of those supporting it. By
engaging the community and interacting with the local
media, the committee tapped into an energy that was
reflected in coverage of Cleveland at all media levels.
OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
National and international media picked up on
the regular flow of story ideas, sources and other
information that accurately reflected Cleveland's
emerging story.
12
The Late Show host Stephen Colbert helps
kick off the week at the RNC Welcome Party.
In fact, the tone and volume of coverage in local, national
and international media exceeded all expectations. As
David Gilbert wrote in an opinion piece published in The
Plain Dealer after the RNC concluded:
The (Republican National Convention) pumped
an estimated $200 million into our economy and
accelerated important civic projects. More important, it
elevated how we are viewed by the world and how we
view ourselves. The hundreds of positive stories written
about our city were beyond all expectations.
An examination of the overall nonpolitical (community)
coverage emerging from Cleveland (July 11-22) and
Philadelphia, which hosted the Democratic National
Convention (July 18-30), offers insights into the impact
of Northeast Ohios collaborative and aggressive
multifaceted media relations strategy. Clevelands share
of voice was three times greater than that of Philadelphia.
When compared to the previous two Republican
National Convention Host Committees, the 10.3
billion impressions garnered by the Cleveland Host
Committees outreach was on par with previous efforts.
Both the Minneapolis-Saint Paul and Tampa Bay host
committees reported 10 billion media impressions
for their respective regions a result of hosting the
Republican National Convention. Tampa Bays media
impressions included mentions of the city by the
partys nominee throughout the 2012 election cycle.
LEVERAGING THE
POWER OF THE HASHTAG
Increasingly, journalists communicate with their
audiences via social media such as Twitter,
Facebook and Snapchat, often utilizing hashtags
to organize and track online conversations.
To tap into this digital conversation, the Host
Committees Digital Tools Subcommittee and
Destination Cleveland launched a social media
command center where 35 volunteers and staff from
Destination Cleveland gathered to monitor and engage
in real-time convention-related conversations. The effort
was spearheaded by Destination Clevelands Corinne
Allie, senior interactive media manager, and Jim Ganotis, security perimeter, so visitors passing by could see
senior IT manager. The center opened three days before content as it was posted via public-facing monitors.
the RNC began and closed the day after it ended.
The Social Media Command Center included six
Operating nonstop for eight days, teams produced and dual-monitor listening work stations, six engagement
published content across a variety of social platforms, workstations, nine 55-inch LG screens, six 65-inch
including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, digital displays and more. Staffers tracked, monitored
Vine, YouTube, Periscope and Pinterest. The center and produced content utilizing hashtags such as:
was positioned on Euclid Avenue within a block of the
#AskCLE: used by visitors seeking a timely response
to questions about events, attractions and hot spots
#ThisisCLE: used to make definitive
statements about Cleveland
#2016CLE: used to portray
Cleveland during the RNC
The conversation complemented the media
relations strategy and efforts to engage local
residents as well as the visiting media.
PBS Newshour
CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 13
 VISITING MEDIA COVERAGE BY THE NUMBERS

Unique Placements and Pickups Unique Placements and Pickups by Media Geography
The following chart highlights the number of unique placements and article The chart below demonstrates the reach and type of unique placements and
pickups that took place from July 2015 through July 2016. As expected, media pickups. Naturally, a significant number of stories came from local Cleveland
coverage significantly increased in the months leading up to and during media, but thanks to a successful visiting media relations strategy, more than
the convention. 3,000 stories were published outside the region.
2500

1200
Unique Placements Pickups 1077
TOTAL: 2028
Major Metro National
2000
1761 1000
International Other**

800
1500

600
590
1000
490
TOTAL: 765
400
694
333
500
200
TOTAL: 172 0 24
267 136 128
TOTAL: 63 43 106 38
137 35 TOTAL: 12 12 39 71 27 7 18 31
4 5 5 0 0 2 0

Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 JULY 2016 Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 JULY 2016

Q3 2015 through July 2016

Unique Placements: 424 *Major Metro defined as stories placed in outlets outside Northeast Ohio (e.g., Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News)
**Other defined as stories placed in outlets, blogs or news aggregators with an undefined geography (e.g., thenewscommenter.com)
Pickups: 2,616

Unique Placement: Coverage from news outlets who took meetings with the Host Committee and/or received materials from the
Host Committee and used the content
Pickup: The reposting of unique placements, which dramatically expanded the reach and impact of the media relations effort
14 *The figures presented in this report represent what the Host Committee estimates to be the majority of domestic placements CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 15
based on the nature and reach of available monitoring tools.
 VISITING MEDIA COVERAGE BY THE NUMBERS (cont.).

Unique Placements by Tone Impressions by Quarter

Overall, the positive/neutral coverage greatly outweighed the negative coverage. As momentum built, the number of impressions greatly increased quarter-over-
quarter, including more than 6.5 billion impressions in July alone and more than
10 billion impressions overall.
Overall Tone Tone by Quarter

8%

100% 7
24% 92%
6
Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Visiting Media Impressions
5

IN BILLIONS
15%
76% 17% 26% 4
85%
83% 74%
3

Q1 2016 Q2 2016 JULY 2016 2

Positive/Neutral Negative 1

Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 JULY 2016

16 CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 17

 LOCAL MEDIA COVERAGE BY THE NUMBERS

Local Unique Placements and Pickups Local Placements by Tone

The following chart highlights the number of unique, local placements and article The local media coverage was overwhelmingly positive quarter-over-quarter,
pickups that occurred from July 2015 to July 2016. Similar to the Visiting Media due in part to the positive impact the RNC had on the community.
Coverage, local coverage ramped up in the months leading up to and during
the convention.
Overall Tone Tone by Quarter
350
5%

Unique Placements Pickups TOTAL: 310

300 72
7% 100%
95%

250 Q3 2015 Q4 2015

6% 6% 9%
238

200 93%
94% 94% 91%

150 TOTAL: 139

Q1 2016 Q2 2016 JULY 2016
TOTAL: 122 20
74 TOTAL: 100 119
100 Positive/Neutral Negative
35
TOTAL: 76
28 65
50
48 48

Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 JULY 2016

18 CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 19

 LOCAL MEDIA COVERAGE BY THE NUMBERS (cont.).

Impressions by Quarter
Impressions generated through local media remained consistent from July 2015
through March 2016. As the Convention neared, coverage increased dramatically,
with nearly half of the 413 million total impressions garnered in July 2016 alone.

200

175 LOOKING AHEAD

150 With the RNC in the rearview mirror, the work to
125
capitalize on hosting the Convention begins.
IN MILLIONS

Local Media Impressions The RNC is over, and the delegates and media
100
departed months ago. The 50,000 people Cleveland
75 welcomed for the convention saw firsthand the
attitude and energy that have helped transform
50 Cleveland from decades of decline to a progressive
renaissance. For many of them, it wasnt the
25 Cleveland they expected to see.
It was said from the onset that hosting a political
convention would be for the long-term benefit of
Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 JULY 2016
the community, and, given the success of the RNC
hosting effort, the benefits are just beginning.
Positive perceptions of Cleveland will continue to
find their way into conversation and media coverage,
many times driving interest in Cleveland as a
tourism destination, place to live, business location
or meeting venue and further fueling the regions
economy. The media relations effort leading up to
and during the Convention undoubtedly shifted
perceptions, and an opportunity remains to do more.
The new challenge for the community is to
continue to improve the narrative about
Cleveland by demonstrating how were making
real progress economically, socially and
culturally and enriching the lives of residents,
leisure and business visitors, and those who
invest in Cleveland.
Collaboration around the RNC helped us figure
out how to communicate our story. Now, lets
work together to build on the momentum
by nurturing relationships, leveraging media
opportunities, and taking a collaborative
approach to projects. The success of the RNC has
earned us the right to work harder together to
take advantage of this new tailwind.
While time will ultimately tell the full story, it is
safe to say the RNC served as a runway to future
opportunity for Cleveland.

20 CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 21

 COMMUNITY RELATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
Co-Chairs Mike Mulhall Roseann Canfora Karlton Laster
Micki Byrnes, WKYC Marie Scalia Marianne Crosley Mary Louise Madigan
Scott Chaikin, Dix & Eaton Brittany Williams Fran DiDonato Valarie McCall
Eddie Harrell, Radio One Debbie Donley Dan Moulthrop
Committee Members Shirrell Green Ashley Oeken
Supporting Staff Tracy Anderson Eric Gordon Jeremy Paris
Hannah Belsito Rita Andolsen Renee Harvey Mike Shafarenko
Colette Jones Michael Belkin Eddy Kraus
Jennifer Kramer Michael Bennett Linda Krecic
Gelise Littlejohn Colleen Brown Alexander Lackey

THANK YOU, CLEVELAND

The Cleveland 2016 Host Committee wishes to thank the following people for
their invaluable guidance, ideas and efforts to make the most of the media
opportunity the 2016 RNC presented to Cleveland.

VISITING MEDIA SUBCOMMITTEE

Co-Chairs Committee Members David Hertz Dave Petrou
Rob Falls, Falls Communications Annette Ballou Heather Holmes Alicia Reale
John Campanelli, Second Sunrise Rick Batyko Megan Kim Mary Ann Sharkey
Communications Christy Bykowski Jeff Kipp Jack Sparks
Dave Johnson, Huntington Mike Conway Linda Krecic Byron White
Convention Center of Cleveland Brennan Donnellan Dominic Mancuso Eliza Wing
Matt Englehart Amy Martin
Supporting Staff Jose Feliciano Valarie McCall
Colette Jones Thom Fladung Don McGrath
Emily Lauer Brian Grace Gary Mincer
Eileen Korey Janice Guhl Dan Moulthrop

22
CLEVELAND 2016 HOST COMMITTEE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY | 23