Roughly seven months out from the 2024 Republican National Convention in downtown Milwaukee, planning has now begun around what’s considered one of the most crucial elements of any major political event in the 21st century: media coverage.
More than 400 members of the press — local, regional, national and international — travelled to Milwaukee this week for the first of two “media walkthrough” events ahead of the 2024 RNC, which will take place July 15-18 and is expected to draw 50,000 visitors.
Hosted by the GOP’s committee on arrangements, the Fall Media Walkthrough marks the start of the logistical and technical planning process of producing what organizers described as a “four-day live TV show” — to be broadcast and covered not only on all the major networks and their affiliates across the country and overseas, but also through platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, Google News and X (formerly Twitter).
“We’re taking into consideration all kinds of new and different media and the different media cycles and trying to maximize the exposure and coverage of the convention,” Anne Hathaway, chairwoman of the committee on arrangements, told a group of Milwaukee-area reporters Wednesday afternoon during a local press preview of Thursday’s walkthrough event.
For the representatives of the various outlets and media companies covering the RNC, the walkthrough is an opportunity to tour the convention complex — which includes Fiserv Forum as the main venue, and the Baird Center and UW-Milwaukee Panther arena as designated media spaces — and get the ball rolling on convention coverage planning, from requesting hotel room and venue space bookings to scoping out prime standup positions within the arena.
“These are the types of things they’ll take back to their outlets and plan accordingly, get their requests to us, and we’re going to start this master game of Tetris to put all these pieces together,” said Elise Dickens, chief executive officer of the COA. She’s one of 23 GOP staff members currently stationed in Milwaukee.
That game of Tetris will inform a comprehensive build-out of the convention venue to accommodate press and delegates by the thousands. As part of the media walkthrough, Fiserv Forum was staged to represent a “rough draft” of what the COA envisions for the convention venue, including a mock stage marking the spot where the GOP presidential candidate will accept the party’s nomination, said Dickens.
The RNC has again selected Freeman as the convention’s general services contractor, a role the Dallas-based construction firm has filled for the RNC since the 1984 convention in Dallas.
Dickens said her team is currently “ahead of schedule” on the design phase of the build out, and Thursday’s walkthrough event moves the process ahead.
But the walkthrough isn’t all for the purpose of logistics relating to the coverage of a political spectacle. It’s also about introducing out-of-town media to the convention’s host city — the largest metro area of a swing state — and all it has to offer, including potential story ideas. To that end, VISIT Milwaukee was present at a reception Wednesday night and at the main program Thursday morning to promote the city, its neighborhoods, its local businesses and its cultural and entertainment amenities. It even had a handout listing possible B-roll and photo locations with the best backdrops.
“We’re so honored to have you here, and we know you will love Milwaukee as much we do once you see all it has to offer,” said Peggy Williams-Smith, president and CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, during the reception Wednesday. “I know you’ll find proud Milwaukeeans showing off their businesses while illustrating the warmth and hospitality we’re so well known for.”
While media-related planning will really pick up steam in early 2024, Dickens said her team has already begun hosting “outside and affiliate” groups who have come to town to tour venues, stay in hotels and enjoy restaurants.
“It’s already started, and it’s only going to grow exponentially from here,” she said.
