FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TUESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2000

Decennial Media Relations                                 CB00-CN.07
301-457-3691/301-457-3620 (fax)
301-457-1037 (TDD)
e-mail: 2000usa@census.gov

Anchorage Local Census Office
907-271-1300

        ** CENSUS BUREAU MEDIA ADVISORY (2ND NOTICE) **
                                
        First Enumeration for Census 2000 Announced By 
    Census Bureau Director at News Conference in Anchorage 
                                
   Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt will announce the official
beginning of the Census 2000 enumeration in the remote areas of Alaska at
a news conference in Anchorage, Alaska, on Wednesday, Jan. 19. at the
Alaskan Native Heritage Center.

   A webcast of the news conference will be available on the Census
Bureau's Internet homepage . To view the webcast,
you will need to first download RealPlayer 7 Basic at 
http://www.real.com/player/index.html?src=download.
We strongly recommend that you download this software well in advance of
viewing. Please contact your computer support staff if you have any
difficulty with this procedure.

   The news conference will be held at:

             9:00 a.m., Alaska Standard Time 	Alaska Native Heritage Center
                                                8800 Heritage Center Drive
             1:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time   Anchorage, Alaska

   Video news feed times and coordinates are:

   January 20, 2000
   2:30-3:00 p.m. EST
   Telstar 6/Transponder 8 (C) Band

   January 21, 2000
   10-10:30 a.m. EST
   Telstar 4/Transponder 23 (C) Band (in rotation)
                                
   January 21, 2000
   1-1:30 p.m. EST
   Telstar 6/Transponder 8 (C) Band (in rotation)

   Editor's note: Unalakleet, the Alaskan native village that Prewitt will
enumerate with 20 census workers on Jan. 20, experiences severe cold
weather during January (40 to 50 degrees below zero) and has limited
accommodations. Also, by law the Census Bureau may not violate the
confidentiality of respondents and thus cannot allow reporters or
photographers to accompany the director or other census workers during the
enumeration. The Public Information Office will have B-roll available on
Census 2000 operations in Alaska. To obtain a copy, call 301-457-3691.

   The Census Bureau has arranged with the Associated Press to provide
coverage to its members. The Bureau strongly urges the electronic media to
set up pool coverage as well. Networks should consider contacting their
affiliates in Alaska to arrange local pool coverage.

   The Census Bureau has reserved three seats for radio pool members and
three for TV pool members on the 12:45 p.m. Pen Air flight from Anchorage
to Unalakleet on Jan. 19 and on the return flight. A second Pen Air flight
to Unalakleet via St. Mary's has been scheduled. (See the factsheet
on the Census Bureau's home page http://www.census.gov/.)

   Radio and TV pool members designated by their colleagues who wish to
travel to Unalakleet should identify themselves to Census Bureau media
specialist David Olivera at the news conference at the Heritage Center in
Anchorage.

                              -X-

The Census Bureau needs the help of local residents to conduct Census
2000.  Job opportunities include census taker positions in communities and
neighborhoods and office work.  A large number of part-time positions are
available.  For more information on census jobs in your area, call
toll-free 1-888-325-7733.

The Census Bureau guarantees that the answers given on census forms are
kept strictly confidential.  Information collected in Census 2000 will
provide local area data needed for communities to receive federal program
funds and for private sector and community planning.