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What to do when the Media comes knocking? PR Training SEPTEMBER 24, 2014 DR. BRENDA JONES COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM CHAIR, FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY [email protected]
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What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Nov 18, 2014

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Brenda Jones

Prepared for Sept. 24, 2014 presentation for Leadership Dublin
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Page 1: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

What to do when the Media comes knocking? PR Training

SEPTEMBER 24, 2014

DR. BRENDA JONES

COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM CHAIR, FRANKLIN UNIVERSITY

[email protected]

Page 2: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Agenda Cycle of Conflict and PR Processes What to say How to Communicate in a Crisis Ethics and Crisis Communication Media Perspective & Tips Social Media

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Page 3: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Cycle of Conflict and Four PR Processes

Proactive Phase Strategic Phase Reactive Phase Recovery Phase

Issues Management     

Environmental Scanning

Risk Communication (Ongoing unless crisis occurs) Crisis Communication

Reputation Management

Issues Tracking Conflict Positioning Conflict Resolution

 

    Litigation Image Restoration

Crisis Plan Crisis Management

PR  

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Page 4: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

What is at Stake? Reputation

One of an organization’s most valuable assets. Reputation has three foundations:

1. economic performance2. social responsiveness3. the ability to deliver valuable outcomes to stakeholders

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Page 5: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Your crisis team works together to:

Get to the root of the crisis (determine what happened, why, how, when and where); Communicate appropriately and in real-time with your key stakeholders; and Put the crisis to bed as quickly as possible, while suffering the least amount of negative repercussions to the organization’s reputation and bottom line.

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Page 6: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

What to SayTIPS, ACTIVITY, AND COMMUNICATION STRATEGY BASICS

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Page 7: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

What to Say in the Event of a Crisis

Details Sympathy & Reassurance Good reputation of company Extensive information Background information

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Page 8: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

How to Communicate in a Crisis

BEST PRACTICES AND TOOLS

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Page 9: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

How to Communicate in a How to Communicate in a Crisis Crisis

1. Put the Public first.2. Be accessible.3. Take responsibility (for solving the problem)4. Communicate with key publics. 5. Set up a central information center.6. Never say, “No comment.”

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Page 10: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

How to Communicate in a Crisis Continued

7. Be honest. Don’t obscure facts and try to mislead the public.8. Provide a constant flow of information. (vs. cover-up story)9. Monitor news coverage, social media, and telephone inquiries.10. Be familiar with media needs and deadlines.11. Designate a high-level organization spokesperson

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Page 11: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Contingency Continuum - Advocacy to Accommodation

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Page 12: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Averting a Crisis

The Red Cross rogue tweet in 2011: the tweet was quickly deleted it wasn’t ignored

The Red Cross tweeted, “We’ve deleted the rogue tweet but rest assured the Red Cross is sober and we’ve confiscated the keys.”

Read more at http://www.business2community.com/public-relations/disaster-averted-six-examples-of-top-pr-crisis-management-0133742#3Oz7pK6xzGIf7LHc.99

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Page 13: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Response Flow Charts are a Tool

A good response flow chart will:

1.Provide your team with a visual reference to help them assess any given situation.

2.Guide your team to effectively manage any type of issue that may arise online.

3.Clearly indicate when to jump in and respond and when to escalate the situation to the crisis management team.

(Agnes, 2014)

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Page 14: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

What to Say Authoring Activity

Get into four groups (4-5 individuals) Based on the details provided to your group, prepare a media message. Deliver your response orally.

Scenario: Potential bad press for community festival. Note – this is not a graded assignment!

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Page 15: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

DISC and Crisis Communication

◦ Dominant ◦ Influence◦ Steadiness◦ Conscientiousness

C/S = see self as less powerful than environment

D/I = may be too bold and action oriented

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Page 16: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Channels and Visual Communication

Multi-channel communications

Images are powerful Image source: www.todayonline.com

“Crises are magnified as media events and are rich sites for the inception of images” ( Ho et al., 2014)

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Page 17: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Ethics and Crisis CommunicationBUILDING YOUR MESSAGE

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Page 18: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

How a company should deal with a crisis

“Get it right; Get it fast; Get it out; and Get it over”Warren Buffett

Image source: http://sharequotes.us/value-for-money-beneficence-from-warren-buffett.html

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Page 19: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Business ethics and building your message

Sincerity, competence, and sympathy are more likely to be perceived if:

Your organization’s behavior is honorable and defensible Your organization is ethical Your organization’s mission is worthy (PR’s)/ Your advocacy of the organization has integrity Your organization works at creating mutual benefit whenever possible.

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Page 20: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Media Perspective & Tips

WHO’S KNOCKING? WHY?

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Image Source: http://www.ehow.com/how_4485960_start-career-broadcast-journalism.html

Page 21: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Who’s Knocking? Media Perspective & Tips

“Netizens” vs. Professional Journalists

Professional journalists operate within a code of ethics (www.spj.org)

Tenets upheld by this professional group include: ◦ seek truth and report it; ◦ minimize harm; ◦ act independently; ◦ be accountable.

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Page 22: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Rate Your News Interview Experience

How many have been interviewed in a situation involving stressful or negative news?

How satisfied were you with that experience?

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1 2 3 4 5

Very dissatisfied

Somewhat dissatisfied

Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied

Somewhat satisfied

Very satisfied

Page 23: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Tips for working with reporters in a crisis

Focus on the priorities.

The first concern always is human life. Make the necessary calls as soon as possible, but be aware

cell phone conversations/text messages may be intercepted.

Prepare a response statement. Avoid descriptive words such as ‘catastrophe’ or ‘fireball’. Do not speculate (e.g., about the cause of an incident) Do not estimate damage in monetary terms.

(Anthonissen, P. 2008)

Photocredit: Blue Jean Images/Photodisc/Getty Images/

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Page 24: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Tips for Working with reporters continued

Never say, ‘No comment.’ ◦ If you can’t provide an answer, explain why. ◦ If you don’t know an answer, say, ‘At this point, we don’t know.’

It’s okay to refer to ‘the company’ and to use ‘we’.

Always assume: the microphone is live; the camera is on; and everything is ‘on the record’.

(Anthonissen, P. 2008)

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Social Media & Crisis Communication BasicsADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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Page 26: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

Social media and Crisis Communication

Have an updated social media policy Use these channels thoughtfully Monitor, respond, and be proactive! Understand laws pertaining to social media use & monitoring

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Resources & Relevant Example Legal issues related to social media policy: http://www.ohioshrm.org/shrmChapters/schrma/documents/ManagingSocialMediaintheWorkplace.pdf

Social Media Tips for Crisis Communication: http://agnesday.com

Agnes, M. (2014). Free Issues Management Response Flow Chart (For Your Use).

Posted May 22, 2014. Accessed at: http://agnesday.com/issues-management-response-flow-chart/

http://www.orau.gov/cdcynergy/erc/content/activeinformation/essential_principles/EP-media_content.htm

Do we really need this stuff to serve on city council?

Example: Mismanagement of funds – Martha’s Vineyard

http://mvgazette.com/news/2014/06/24/oak-bluffs-selectmen-dismiss-council-aging-director?k=vg541cda62a48a6

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Page 28: What to do when the media comes knocking: Crisis Communication Basics

ReferencesAgnes, M. (2014). Free Issues Management Response Flow Chart (For Your Use).

Posted May 22, 2014. Accessed at: http://agnesday.com/issues-management-response-flow-chart/

Anthonissen, P. (2008). Crisis Communication: Practical PR Strategies for Reputation Management and Company Survival. London, GBR: Kogan Page, Limited.

Cameron, G. T. (2008). Public relations today: Managing competition and conflict. Boston, MA: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon

Ho, B., Pang, A.; AuYong, G.X.P.; Lau, L.T. (2014). Enduring image: Capturing defining moments in crises. Public Relations Review, 40(3), 519-525. DOI: 10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.03.008

Social Media Policy “Database”: http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies/

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